Presser/Christiansen Family: March 12th and before

Our Granddaughter Hailee

My brother Craig with his sons, Cameron and Landon

Claire Jenkins, Markell and Josh Hadlock and Brinlie Lamb

Larry and Leslie Jenkins

Adrienne Walker with her daughter Brinlie

My brothers Larry and Craig being a ham

My sister-in-law Leslie Jenkins with Kevin and Jayann Mansfield

Well we are at the Missionary Training Center (MTC). We have been here for three days and this is the first day that I have had time to write anything. They have kept us pretty busy all week as we are learning everyday from 8:00 a.m until 4:30 p.m. They are helping us to learn to use Preach my Gospel as missionaries. It has been very interesting. Today we had to conduct a discussion with a "investigator" of the church. They are really members that volunteer their time to come in and help us learn how to be better presenters.

We live off of the MTC campus on what they call west campus. It is in the Wycliff Park Married Student housing. We have decided that we were assigned here because we have a car so we can drive to the location as it is a couple of miles from the MTC. The younger missionaries that stay here have a bus to ride.

Today we finished up at 4:30 and went to the cafeteria to eat before we came home. It is open from 4:30-6:00 each night. Because Larry has diabetes and we are doing Weight Watchers we were able to get a special diet for each meal which has been helpful. The dietician that they have hired has gone out of her way to make sure we have had what we need. I have really been impressed at how thorough and efficient she has been.

My high school friend Marsha Hazelbaker talking to Larry

Tonight I came home and took a nap when we finished. I have still not been able to get rid of my cough and it is taking it's toll although today it was a little better. Larry went to D.I to look for another suit and picked up some points free foods that we like to have at night at the grocery store.

Sammy with his angry bird food!

Tonight we called our grandson Sammy for his birthday and got to talk to him and Maggie. He had a fun party today and got to go to the bounce park and got several presents. He is particulary fond of Angry Birds!

Sammy with his scooter for his birthday

Monday was mostly orientation to where we would be. We actually are taking classes in a church that is next to the MTC this week. It is still a functioning ward house but during the week it is set up as the offices for the Senior Missionaries and we have taken all our classes there. We have been organized into districts with 4 couples to a district and we take our classes together. We have a Brother and Sister Inoye from Gunnison, Utah; Brother and Sister Adcock from Salem, Utah and a Brother and Sister Aaron from Northern California. They are all great people and fun to work with.

We had a wedding invitation waiting for us in our mail from Kathy and Kelly Frandsen for their son Cutler and his bride so that was a highlight of the day. I also saw one of my students William Willes at the Front door when we entered the MTC so that was fun to see him after several years.

While we were eating dinner the couple that we will be serving with found us in the cafeteria. They have been there for a week longer in the training and so are not in our group. They are actually from San Antonio and are in Nathan and Sara's Stake. They said that they had heard about Nathan's stroke from some friends in the stake.They are Brother and Sister Williams. We ended up talking to them for most of an hour so it was fun to get to know them but we got home late that night. I had not taken my after noon pills and so by the time we got home I was exhausted and went right to bed. Larry stayed up for a while and figured out how to get the internet on his computer.


Josh Hadlock, Brinlie Lamb, Chris Jenkins, Adrienne Walker and Keith Jenkins

Tuesday was the beginning of our training. It went pretty much the same as today but on Tuesday evenings they have a devotional with one of the general authorities. You don't know who it will be until you get there. Last night it was Don Clarke from the seventies. He gave a really inspiring talk on the effects of missionary work on the people involved. His wife Mary Ann also spoke. Because of the Devotional it was after 8:00 p.m. when we got home and I was too tired to do anything but go to bed. Larry went to get some food last night while I got ready for bed. Despite what it sound like I am really enjoying this but I just would like to get rid of this cough.

Erick and Heather with Jaron and Taylor in background playing

Sunday was an exciting day as we had our talks in church. I felt like the Lord really helped me to have the spirit when I talked and Larry gave a great talk also. We talked with another young missionary from our ward that is going to Houston, Texas. His name is Daniel Edwards. We had a lot of friends and family come and we had prepared to feed them after church. It was so fun to see all our friends and family before we left and we had some food to give away to our kids so everyone got to eat.

All our children and grandchildren that live in Utah with us after the setting apart.

Later at 6:00 p.m our children and grandchildren that live in Utah went with us to the stake center and the Stake President set us apart as missionaries. It was a very humbling time. Both the Bishop and the Stake President counseled us in things we needed to remember. The Bishop told us that we were very important to the ward and that only being in for a short time he was aware that we did many things behind the scenes to help people in the ward. He said that we have always been willing to serve in the ward which he appreciated. He promised us that we would be an influence for good to our children and grandchildren.

Ryker, Kallies, Jaron, and Taylor playing

We went home and said goodbye to the kids and grandkids and then finished packing up the car to drive to mom's house that night. We figured that we could sleep an hour longer if we did that. It was fun to spend some time with Mom before we left. Keith had taken my computer home to fix because it had some spyware on it that was causing pop-ups and he came over that night with it already fixed.

Kirsten, it was a beautiful day

The next morning on Monday we went to Weight Watchers to weigh in. Larry had lost 2 lbs. with his shoes on. I had gained 4.2 lbs. so I was really bummed. I think it is because we spent less time exercizing last week.

Here are some highlights of the week before.

Monday March 3, I went to the dermatologist and had some spots burned on my nose and face so I had some fun scabs on my face. I spent the afternoon paying bills. Larry was spending his time worrying about the car and getting that fixed.

Sara and Norm Potter

Tuesday March 4, I worked on curriculum most of the day. We went to the temple with Kirsten that evening. It was a good experience for all of us and helped us to feel closer to each other. Kirsten had been having some challenges that she felt like she needed help with from the spirit.

Wednesday March 5, I was finally able to get the complete curriculum in to Dana at Northridge Learning Center. It was such a burden to have lifted.

My cousin Kimo with his wife Doris

Thursday March 6, I spent the morning cleaning out my bathroom drawers and cleaning the bathroom in the morning. In the afternoon Larry had a dentist appointment. When we went to eat lunch a tooth that had been giving me problems ever since my dental check-up off and on was really hurting so I called and asked if I could come with Larry. Dr. Richardson looked at it and thought it needed a root canal. He called and got me into an endontist the next day.

Michelle and Daniel

Jaron playing ball

Friday March 7th I had to be at the endontist at 8:00 a.m. He looked at it and said that the tooth was cracked and that if I let it go I would loose the tooth so I agreed to a root canal. That took about 2 hours. Dr. Richardson got me in that day and made the temporary crown but I had to go back in in the evening because it was making me bite my inside of my mouth. He was able to grind it down to feel more comfortable. I started using cough drops that day and that helped also.

Kelly Jenkins came over to help me and we finished my bathroom cleaning and cleaned out a dresser drawer and my nightstand in my bedroom. I was also packing my clothes. Larry had already done his earlier in the week while I was writing. Larry spent a lot of the day going through the house making sure that things were acceptable for when the leasee moved in. Several neighbors came and gave us cards and money that day. In the afternoon about 4:00 p.m. Carol Harris another good friend came and helped me sweep and scrub the kitchen floor and the entryway tiles.

Kallise after a kick

That night I worked on getting a lease agreement written up by modifying an agreement that my brother has for his house in Provo. Larry (my brother) looked at it as he is a lawyer and said it looked okay and explained some things to me. Nancy Barlow and her daughter Jenna Avery who is the one leasing the house called and wanted to measure some things so we told them to come on Saturday so we were able to get the lease signed. We tried to get everything in our car for the trip because we had so much to do on Saturday and Sunday.

Working on the quilt we always make. My sister Annette is on the right.

Saturday March 8, We got up early and went to Sam's club to buy the food for Sunday as I didn't want to mess up the house too much. It was really funny trying to get all the food we bought in an already packed car.

Misha's mom, Corrine talking to her finances Mother and Sister

About 10:30 a.m. I left for a bridal shower that our family was giving for my niece Misha Jenkins who is getting married in April. The Shower was in Lehi and I had to stop on the way to get a gift and some food for the shower. It started at 1:00 p.m. For once I was on time. My sister Kathy always works so hard at making sure everyone has a shower. It was a lot of fun but when I looked at the pictures I got I did not have a picture of Misha!

Larry worked on the house and the garage while I was gone. Later that day Nancy and Jenna came and signed the lease and measured something. Later in the evening Larry and I celebrated that we were finally finished and went to a movie and to dinner!