July 24, 2014

July 24, 2014

Hello Family,

Today is Pioneer Day.  It is also my P-day, which I think is a very bad day to have a P-day because EVERYTHING is closed.  The temple is closed, 2M Gym is closed, bookstore, post office is closed so there is like nothing to do. HAHA

So my foot is so so much better.  The doctor told me to still take the anti’s he has me on (sulfamethoxazole- TMP and cephalexin).  I think it makes me drowsy because it has been a challenge trying to stay awake in class at times.  I am also soaking my foot at night as of last night (July 23) but anyways, things are looking good.

Tanner! It was your birthday on the 22. Happy Birthday!  It is crazy  to think that you are 17!  I hope the driving has been getting better! HAHA.  I will have to send you something in the mail from the MTC for a late birthday present.  You probably heard all the things that went wrong or bad things like my foot, but I want to tell you all about all the good things that happened.

Two days ago, all the departing missionaries on our floor came to our room and asked if we all wanted blessings.  They gave us all blessings and we gave them blessings.  The blessing that I got told me that everything happens for a reason, (thus the foot) and that I have been completely forgiven of my sins, and that I was meant to go to Canada even in the pre existence.  Thant I was called to Canada for a reason.  That reason I don’t know yet because I’m not in Canada yet.  HA.  But the Spirit was really strong.  Even the elders in my room felt it as they gave priesthood blessings.  Yesterday when the other elders (there are 4 elders and 4 sisters in our district) went to go “teach” an “Alissa” (an “investigator”), our teacher, acting like and investigator from her mission and the other sisters were gone.  So it was me, my companion, and the two sisters and a teacher working with the sisters.  One of the sisters, her back was hurting because she had surgery on it.  She asked us for a blessing so we gave her one.  I did the oil and my companion did the blessing.  Later that day at dinner she came to us saying that her back does not hurt and it feels good.

Later that day, our zone had to teach members by companionship.  Elder Clawson (my companion) and I taught a member, Sister Strayer.   We taught her the 1^st lesson. When I told her about the first vision, the Spirit came in and she was crying just a little so that went well. 

Food here is good.  It’s not the best HAHA.  I’ve been to the doctor like 6 times now HAHA.  I think I see him one time this week I hope. HAHA.  I saw Heather’s mom a couple of time.  She’s the one that filed my immunizations.

The Elders in our room are awesome.  We all get along just great.  How is Tanner doing with the Hanna’s house?  Is their house still standing?  HAHA JK.  I’m sure he’s doing a good job.  With Tanner being 17 is my car still running? HA JK.  How was that 3 day campout?

I can’t send any pictures yet.  Today I did my own laundry.  It was really nice to have clean clothes.  Things are going very well her at the MTC.

Love you all.  Hope things are doing great.

Love,

Elder Condie

Elder Condie's First Letter!!!!!!!

ELDER CONDIE'S FIRST LETTER!!

JULY 18TH, 2014

Hello family! 

How are things going? Things are going well here. Right when you dropped me off I saw Caleb Wolford (Elder Wolford). He is a good buddy from school, he was happy to see me. And I saw Porter Roe ( ELder Roe). It was good seeing him too. 

Elder Roe

Jaden hurt foot

So the 2nd day here at the MTC was kinda crazy. I'm already in crutches and a boot. It turns out that my toe with the ingrown toe nail is inflected, swollen, and red. It hurts really bad it walk on so I'm staying off it as much as possible. yesterday I went to the doctor. he gave me the boot and crutches and some antibiotics. I Am taking like 6 of them a day. I went to the BYU pharmacy which is right by campus. There were two antibiotics that he gave me. the total of that came to $11.88. I used my card for that. Last night my whole foot was big, red, and swollen. One of the elders that sleeps next to us, his dad is a anesthesiologist, so that elder helped me with my foot. he cleaned it up, took out some sock lint from it and did a good job cleaning it up.  

Ingrowing toenail infected

Today at 8:00 I went in for a check up my foot. it was still red and swollen. he said that the antibiotics were like a steroid for the immune system to make the swelling go down. its kinda funny. my 2nd day here and I'm already in crutches. I have some pictures of it but it is kinda gross. the doctor made a small incision and let it drain and then they gave me an antibiotic shot on my hip to help my foot. So now my foot is kinda numb. The redness has already gone down. hopefully I will  out of crutches by tomorrow because it is a workout trying to get around campus in crutches. 

It was good hearing from all of you. love you all. my address here is Elder Jaden Todd Condie JUL29 CAN-CAL 2011 N 900 E Unit 213 Provo UT 84601. My companion is Elder Clawson. he's from Salt lake valley. he has been helping me very well by carrying my stuff.  

-Elder Condie  

Jaden's employer's grandson Jake

Elder Neild stands at 7.1

Elder Condie MTC District

MTC Drop Off

Tuesday night when our dear stake president set Jaden apart as a missionary, he gave a blessing that included everything any mother would want to hear in a blessing for her missionary.  One of the things Jaden was promised was that he would enter the MTC feeling calm and at peace.  That was the demeanor of Jaden the entire next morning.  He was a picture of poise, dignity, and maturity, yet he radiated a happy anticipation.

He calmly held his little sister who was crying much of the ride from Logan to Provo.  If he shed any tears, they were well hidden.  He gave us all plenty of embraces before calmly joining his host elder.  It was a very difficult thing for all of us to say good bye to him (especially 7-year-old Callie) but we all had such a wonderful feeling about what Jaden was doing, and he set a noble example for his siblings.

Getting Ready

GETTING READY 

Father Sons Missionary Camp

I won't go into detail sharing all the preparations we made as a family, but I can honestly say we did everything we could think of to help Jaden prepare during the next few months.  Todd especially went to great effort, doing companion study with Jaden, studying "The 12 Steps to Missionary Work" with him, even spending his spring break taking the boys on a pretend mission where they lived like missionaries for 3 days. When a temple prep class wasn't available in our ward, Todd decided to teach the course himself and invited other young Priests to come to our house and learn as well.  I was moved with gratitude as I watched my husband honor his priesthood and fulfill his role as a father in this manner.  The evening before Jaden received his endowments in the St. George temple,  Todd took him to the temple grounds to prepare him more for what to expect the next day.  Jaden's cousin Lexi and her friend happened to be there as well.  Both returned missionaries, they also shared counsel and advice with Jaden.  After Jaden was endowed, he and Todd went to the temple almost daily, sometimes multiple times a day to various temples.  Jaden seemed to enjoy this.

Endowed in the St. George Temple

Our last family home evening together was spent studying the scriptures and Preach My Gospel together.  We had been

This is what Callie wrote while crying.

doing this for over a year as a family, but this time was different.  Because the temple grounds were closed, we went to the tabernacle and found an area to sit as a family.  We took turns sharing some counsel with Jaden.  I was so moved and impressed with what each of the kids had to say to Jaden.  Tanner told him to remember the counsel President Hinckley's father gave him about forgetting himself and going to work.  Dallin expressed his love and confidence in Jaden, Caleb reminded him that he would be an influence on not only non-members, but also members and even his companions.  When it was Callie's turn, she looked up into Jaden's eyes.  The two of them have always been so close.  She said in almost a whisper, "Don't look back.  Just serve the Lord." She then gave him a hug, and we didn't realize until a few minutes later that she had tears were streaming down her face.  The tears began to flow more and more until she was sobbing as we drove home and she nestled against Jaden.  The kids all wrote down their thoughts when we got home.  

 We have been extremely appreciative and touched by the outpouring of love and support Jaden has received from friends, family, and church leaders.  It has meant more than I can say to see people pulling him aside to give him some counsel or handing him a check.  The bishop and stake presidency have said things to him that I know came directly from inspiration.  They have truly magnified their callings in his behalf in beautiful ways that leave me feeling overwhelmed.

The Call

I have kept a record in my journal of the events leading up to Jaden's mission.  I will only share a few highlights as this blog will also serve as sort of a mission scrapbook for Jaden.

THE CALL....

Jaden's mission call arrived March 26th, 2014.  I had been checking the mailbox almost daily (unbeknownst to Jaden) and on this particular day, as I was rushing off to work, I quickly opened the mailbox and saw a large white envelope with the church logo.  A thrill went through me.  It was such a beautiful sight!  I had a smile glued on my face the whole way to work.

After I texted Todd, he made sure he was home before Jaden in order to hide and film Jaden checking the mailbox.  To his disappointment, Jaden came home from school and walked right past the mailbox. But when he walked in the house and saw me, he had a knowing smile on his face and walked over to me, then gave me a hug.  He said he had received an impression during his 2nd hour class that his mission call had arrived.

Jaden chose to open his call that evening with friends and family via iphone.  He was so cute and was nervous and shaking.  As soon as he said Canada I KNEW it was where Heavenly Father wanted him.  It was an undoubtable feeling.  Jaden said he felt the same way.  We saw a change in his countenance from that moment on.  Even Callie noticed this over the next few days and said, "I like how Jaden is now."