Sweden Here I Come!

Sweden Here I Come!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

"God is Being Good to Us and the Work is Moving Forward!"

Another late post....  I'm sure it won't be the last!  Anyhow, another crazy and exciting week at the Milne's, and it sounds like Dallin is doing awesome!  Any homesickness due to Skyping on Mother's Day has diminished and he thinks he can stick it out another 5 1/2 months! Wow!  I can't believe it!!!

His new companion is from Chanhassen, Minnesota... not far from where we lived.  That is really neat.   They have already discovered that they know several of the same people!  Many who are serving missions right now as well!  Just this week our family was commenting on how much we really do miss Minnesota. We had an amazing four years there.  We love the relationships we formed.  So many very good people - members of the church and non-members alike!

This week the school year ended and our middle son Carter graduated from high school.  He was honored as one of his class valedictorians!  Grandma Susan and Raymond were in attendance along with Uncle Kirk, Aunt Kim, Aunt Glenda, Blaine, Ty, and I.  It was a neat commencement!  I can hardly believe that I have two sons that have graduated!  Where does the time go?

You will also discover below that PVHS won the baseball state championship.  It was so exciting!  We celebrated their victory with a nice banquet for them on Monday night.  They honored each player and gave parting gifts to the Seniors!  Blaine spoke along with two other coaches!  The Staheli family catered a delicious dinner for everyone and it was well attended. Way to go Panthers!

I really missed Dallin this week.  This is when having him gone is the hardest - when there are special things going on in the family such as graduations, state championships, and family gatherings.....  Those are certainly sacrifices that a missionary makes, and I know they do not go unnoticed!  Keep up the great work Dallin... You'll be home before you know it!

Letter From Home:

"And my father dwelt in a tent." 1 Nephi 2:15  Remember this - your mission scripture?  Remember all that it represents?  Always treasure the sacrifices you have made as a missionary.  I know the Lord has blessed you and will continue to bless you for your service to Him and His children!

Dear Dallin,

Wow!  So much to share this week!  But first off I want to tell you how much we love and miss you here.  It was wonderful Skyping with you last week, but it sure did make us miss you even more.  Your mission has gone by fast for us for the most part, but it will probably drag on these next five months because we are so anxious to get you home.  We will do our best to not make you trunky!  

How are you doing this week?  How's the new companion?  We expect a full report on him and how the two of you are doing up there in Lulea.  We are so proud of you Dallin.  You make my heart smile every time I think about you.

What an exciting week we have had this week.  As you know it was the state baseball tournament on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of this week at Dixie State University.  I will get to that in a minute.  Carter and I also attended an awards assembly at Dixie State for his Senior class.  Carter was honored as a Utah Scholar, class valedictorian, and his full tuition scholarship to Southern Utah University. He received some nice certificates, plaques, and even a watch for being a valedictorian.  We also mailed out his graduation announcements this week. I will post some of his senior pictures on the blog.  Brandy took them for him.  He is so handsome - just like his older brother.

Tonight Carter was honored at his Seminary graduation.  They have changed the seminary requirements this year.  In order to graduate or to receive credit for a year completed you have to read the curriculum (the book of scripture you are studying that year) as well as pass an assessment or test on all the material covered.  Carter scored the highest score in his class.  We are so excited for Carter's graduation.  It will be this Wednesday at the Burn's Arena at Dixie State.  I cannot believe that I will have another son graduating.  Where has all the time gone.  I so vividly remember my three young boys in Louisville, KY in that little four-plex we lived in.  You were all so cute and such good boys; so very, very precious and the best of friends.  I can still see you at the duck pond feeding the ducks and at the JCC in the carpet room.  It seems like a whole different lifetime, but yet like it was just yesterday.  Carter has also registered for his classes at SUU.  He will go to class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday but will live at home.  He will be taking institute classes this summer at the Dixie State Institute and will be looking for a job.  

Ty has been practicing baseball a lot with dad and Ocey as his coaches.  The kids really seem to be loving this new arrangement and are excited for all the baseball they will be playing this summer.  He will also attend a couple of basketball camps and practice in the gym everyday.  I am going to sign him up for some acceleration classes that he will do three times a week at the health and performance center to increase his strength, speed, and endurance.  He will also be doing some lifting.  We have got to get him a little more bulked up.

I am still working on the book, volunteering at the Dove Center, and keeping the family afloat.  Dad is working hard at Half Dental and is finding time for baseball and yard work.  He and I had dinner with Kim and Mike on Friday night and then Rod and Bobbi Allen on Saturday.  Both were super fun and the food was excellent.  Aunt Kim and Mike treated us to Benja's and we had sushi and stir fry.  I didn't think I liked sushi, but we had three different kinds and they all were delicious.  It's nice to expand your palate.  

Finally, PVHS is the 2015 State Baseball Champion!!! On Thursday we played Carbon and defeated them 8-0, Friday we faced Cedar City and their ace pitcher Brecken Lewis, and we defeated them in a nail biter 5-3.  We then played Cedar again for the championship after they came through the back door of the loser's bracket.  We defeated them in an exciting 13-10 ballgame.  I will post some of the pictures of the game and celebration on the blog.  Aunt Kim took some great pics as usual - thank goodness.  I took a few but they aren't nearly as good as hers.  She is too good to us!  After the game and the celebrating Mickey Houston from Kanab who is a friend of your dad's, but also Coach Gargano's brother-in-law treated the team to Golden Corral.  I took Ty and a couple of his friends to join them.  It was awesome!  We will have the baseball banquet tomorrow night (Monday).  Dad has been preparing his speech on and off all day!  We are all so excited!  Can you believe that Carter now has two championships for this year?  He has been blessed.  

Wednesday we will have Carter's graduation at 2:00 pm and then we will take him out to Red Lobster for dinner.  Grandma and Raymond will join us.  We are excited!  I hope this isn't making you too homesick!  Not much else to report....  We haven't made any progress on the addition to the house.  We are still trying to decide exactly what to do.  Anyhow, that's enough for now.  

My thoughts and prayers are with you always.  I love and miss you so much.  Take care of yourself Dallin.  Keep working hard each day so that you can claim the blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for you.  Keep up the great work and endure to the end!

All My Love,

Mom

Dallin's Letter:

Dear Milne Fam,

Well I'm still in Sweden and I'm still a missionary.  I think I'm now fully recovered from skyping you guys last week.  Like I've come back to reality haha.  But 5 1/2 doesn't seem long at all.  I think I can manage dwelling in my tent until that time is up.  And honestly I have a pretty nice tent up here.  And the weather is beautiful right now.  Very sunny, green grass, and cool breeze.  Can't complain about that.  God is being good to us and the work is going forward.  I got my new comp on tuesday, Elder Halterman out of Minnesota.  Chanhassen High School.  What's cool is that he knows pretty much all the youth from the minnetonka ward.  Nick, Matt, Joe, Keaton, all those guys!  Elder Halterman is class of 14 and just got done being trained.  He's a super nice kid and has all kinds of energy and a big desire to do missionary work.  Which is of course a good thing.  He'll keep me going for sure haha.  We had a busy week, driving around and teaching a lot.  Man I love having a car.  

And a big congratulations to pine view baseball nation 2015!  State champs!  Wow how exciting that must have been.  Dang I've missed so much.  Sounds like carter has had one heck of a senior year.  Two state championships, 4.0, valedictorian, and scholarships.  That is so special.  I think it is safe to say that you did a pretty good job with him mom haha.  One more to go.  I'm so happy that I'll be able to see Ty go through it all as well.  Be sure to send pictures next week of Carter's graduation.  Some mail came in this morning from Aunt Kim.  She sent me Keaton's graduation card.  I sure thought it was nice of her to think of me like that.  So crazy to think that Carter and Keaton are graduating.  I still remember how we would play out in grandpa Glen's yard with the nerf football and then go out back and play basketball on the dirt court.  

Anyways I'm doing good.  Not too trunky.  Still feeling healthy and I'm enjoying doing the Lord's work up here in northern Sweden.  I've really grown close to the swedish people up here.  I love the language and the culture.  The people are so kind.  I'll probably miss Sweden just as much when I am home as I miss home now being in Sweden.  I don't know if that last sentence makes sense or not.  My english grammar is brutal now.  

I was telling Carter how weird it is going to be when I go home and he'll be further into college than I am haha.  Like I'll be asking him for advice and stuff on starting out freshman year and stuff like that.  crazy thought.  Can't wait for it though.  

Heavenly Father is a pretty good guy.  It has been so nice getting to know Him out here in Sweden and teaching people about His son Jesus Christ.  I hope He'll keep being patient with me and that He'll keep blessing you guys with everything you need.

God be with you till we meet again

Love
Dallin

This Week's Pictures:


I'm  sorry these two are upside down.  I rotate them to right side up and then save them...  I then make a copy and save them again, but to no avail they always come out on the blog upside down.  Dallin sends them in an img format, so I transfer them to jpg but for some reason they just won't save right side up....  Please let me know if you have a solution for this problem!!!!
This is Dallin's District... He is the District Leader!


This young women is planning on being baptized in June....  I am so happy for her!




2015 Baseball Academic All-Staters... Carter is #2!


Carter receiving his award from Principal Meese



Carter being announced at the beginning of the State Championship Game - Pine View vs. Cedar City


Blaine as Coach Poach and the Number One Score Keeper!


Cheering on the Panthers


The Brain Trust Strategizing! 


Lefty is in the Game!


Staring down the batter....


Victorious!!!!!


One Proud Family! (Thanks Aunt Kim for all of the wonderful pictures you took at the baseball tournament!!!  You are amazing!!!)


Blaine, Carter, and Uncle Kirk.... Carter Graduated from High School this week.  He was honored as one of his class valedictorians!  We are so proud of you Carter!


Blaine, Carter, and Ty


Congratulations Son on a job well done!


Proud Parents! 


Carter coming through the PV.... He did it!!!!












5 comments:

  1. NATALIE . . . YOU are my favorite part on the blog. I just love a mother's thoughts and you are #1. And you are sooo nice to me and give me so much credit. I love you. Dallin sounds happy and mature. Can't wait to have him home. What an eventfull life you all have - it kind of wears me out, no wonder you are under the weather. You get better. I need to text you on your results. I will check in later. Natalie . . . YOU are a GREAT MOTHER and WIFE. Love to all. Kim

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    Replies
    1. Charming free speech censored, clearly views only allowed if agreeing with the mormon way what a bunch of hypocrits

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    2. Tony Meenan has left a new comment on your post ""God is Being Good to Us and the Work is Moving Fo...":

      Whilst my concern lies with recruitment. I have seen my daughter turned from an atheist to mormon through being lovestruck with a boy. This process began as a minor with a vulnerable young woman, but concerned expressed at the appropriateness of this recruitment of someone with a troubled background, were not met with couteous mormon responses. Does the reason for conversion not matter? To take away the supports for my daughter in the manner in which this has been done has not endeared me nor in anyway assuaged me as to any righteousness on your path, quite the opposite.

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    3. Per her father's request I have re-posted these comments.... I was simply trying to protect her feelings, but this is what they want, so I have no problem publishing everything they write. However, I will not be engaging in any banter beyond this. It is fruitless!

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