Local celebrities

Over the weekend Katie went down to St. George with a bunch of ladies from her ward leaving Adam with the kids for a few days. Talk about a party! On Friday night I was with Katie at Old Navy when she got a phone call from Adam. By her reaction I thought something serious had happened. Adam TRIED to tell her that he stopped a robbery with the three kids right there. What mom wouldn't freak out when a gun is involved? Well come to find out, he was lying and just wanted to tell her that her kids would be in the Daily Herald Newspaper the next day. Katie claims that whenever she leaves town Adam seems to always be somewhere with the kids where they randomly get chosen to get their pictures taken. Well it happened again this weekend and here are a few pictures. I included the link for you to click on if you'd like to read the article. Adam was even quoted, making him a local celebrity in Santaquin now! Ya, right up there with Gary Coleman! We love small towns!!

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/282190/17/

Time will tell. . .

 

Last week I was watching the news and my heart stopped as I heard the anchorman talk about the LDS missionaries being evacuated from Bolivia. There is constant turmoil between the campesinos (field workers) and the president and most times life goes on as normal. Unfortunately there are also times when things get so bad that the 3rd world country becomes a war zone. As most of you know, nearly five years ago I was there serving as a missionary when I went through the same thing. I loved my mission and am grateful I went. It was a challenging time in my life where I was faced with things that I never even imagined. Well, just like when I was locked in my house for weeks and had to hide my identity so the gringa wouldn't be found, the 87 North Americans serving there now faced the same thing. La Paz hasn't had North Americans there for awhile just because the difficulty they have of getting in and out of the area easily. I guess they learned from our experience! The other two missions, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba (where the temple is) still had gringos but they were evacuated immediately last week. My mission president, President Drake is currently serving with his wife as the area doctor to all the missionaries in Peru and Bolivia. It is incredible that they had to live through this experience two different times but they obviously were needed in that area where the people are so in need of the gospel. Just like they helped me make the long trek to the Ceja that frightening October evening I know they were in Peru welcoming in all the scared and overwhelmed missionaries who were taken from a country they had grown to love. Watching the news last week I started crying. I couldn't help but relive all those feelings I had as I walked through the broken glass, having rocks thrown at me, and constantly praying that no one noticed my blonde hair hiding in my black hat. Miracles happened that night five years ago and it happened again last week. My president wrote this email a few days ago and I would like to share it with you. It gives a few examples of all the things that just "worked out" because as we all know, the Lord can work miracles. I just hope and pray all the war ends so that those amazing people in Bolivia can continue to work and support their family. They are individuals I admire so much and who are perfect examples of Jesus Christ. May they be protected in the weeks and months to come! AMO BOLIVIA!!!!

Dear missionaries from La Paz...

Yesterday we attended a meeting at the Peru MTC with Elder Nash, Area President, and the 87 American missionaries they evacuated from Bolivia (Cochabamba and Santa Cruz missions - no North Americans in La Paz) with 1 North American couple. They arrived very late Monday night. Others flew to Argentina and Brazil and they will soon be coming here. Today the Area Presidency met with the missionaries and the 4 mission presidents in Lima to reassign them.

I want to share some of the things Elder Nash said yesterday because it was really wonderful... He told them how much the brethren had been worried about them and loved them and that this decision was not taken lightly. He spent many hours on his knees and talking to others (mission presidents in Bolivia, embassy alerts, etc) before he received the impression they were to evacuate them now. He said a member of the Twelve would reassign them so they could be assured they were going where the Lord wanted them to go. Some only came with one suitcase. They were told they would receive the things they needed until their suitcases could be sent here. Every single missionary called their parents on Tuesday! (no confidentiality any more)

He also shared that many miracles occurred for this to happen... including the airline official telling him it was impossible to get them all on a plane and he telling them they would figure it out - Remember they were non-members he was talking to... They were all on the SAME plane coming out! All 87 if them.

36 missionaries did not have their passports. They could not get to Santa Cruz mission headquarters. At the end of the meeting US Embassy officials (not just one!) were there to expedite duplicate passports good for 1 year and told them not to worry, they'd have passports before the end of the day! They came to us! That was also a miracle!! One doesn't get a passport in hours!

We talked to one missionary. He said they NA in his area were given 1/2 hour to pack and get to the bus station. They had a 10 hour bus ride and then got on another bus for 10 hours to get to Cochabamba. Just rounding up these missionaries to get them to the airport on time was amazing. They were all over both missions. They were gathered on Sun and Monday. You have to know there are blockades and fighting all over Bolivia now. Someone told us Santa Cruz looks like a war zone. The Mission President in Santa Cruz is American; the one in Cochabamba is Mexican. Pres. Maynes in Santa Cruz told us he won't leave until all his missionaries are safe. Latins from other countries like Chile and Peru and not liked either. They told us they might have to evacuate others. They are just staying inside now.

Today was amazing too... These mission presidents are finding mattress, bedding, rooms for about 100 missionaries - all you return missionaries know how hard it is to find adequate housing for missionaries. This is all over their missions... Everyone is working together - this is the Lord's church!

He asked the missionaries to dedicate themselves at this point to be a better missionary than they were. He recounted a story of Sis. Hinckley in Alaska. His parents were present at a meeting...

She said you want me to tell you you are handsome - you are
You want me to tell you how glad we are that you are here serving - we are
You want me to tell you that we appreciate the sacrifice you are making to be a missionary. I will not say that... "Because of the sacrifice of others before you (the pioneers, the prophet Joseph), to serve a mission is the least you can do..." He then told how Joseph couldn't believe that learned men persecuted him for telling the truth and he read... JS HIs. 1:24-25. He said the Lord knows us, who we are and what circumstances we are in. He answers prayers and protects His missionaries. We felt the spirit so strong there and are so glad we are also in His service at this time of our lives.

We love you missionaries. We are "finding" our Latin missionaries one by one actually in miraculous ways! We have been observing the problems in the US economy and have been concerned as everyone is! After this meeting I felt a calm. If we live the way He has ask us to, we need not fear the future. We are in His hands. This is a witness of the Hand of the Lord!

It's in!

After almost nearly nine months, Joey finally has his headstone! Maryn is so excited that it is here and she couldn't be happier with it.
Our beloved husband, son, and brother Joseph Ryan Barlow passed away suddenly at the age of twenty-four on Thursday Dec. 27, 2007 while working in Richfield Utah. Joe was born in Provo Utah on December 30, 1982, to Keith Barlow and Colleen Workman Barlow. He resided in Provo until the age of 5 and then grew up in Pleasant Grove, graduating from Pleasant Grove High School in 2001 where he loved playing football. He married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Maryn Porter, on May 2, 2003 in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. They spent most of their married life in Lehi Utah. They were never totally happy unless they were together. Joe was an avid outdoorsman and loved cooking, camping, 4-wheeling, fishing, and hunting. He was a master craftsman and loved working with metal, especially copper. At the time of his death Joe was employed by Warburtons Inc. in Pleasant Grove. Joey is survived by his loving wife and parents, and by three brothers and one sister: Matthew (Jackie) Barlow, Provo; Joshua (Trisha) Barlow, Provo; Amanda (Ivan) Mills, Corinne UT; and Jacob Barlow of Pleasant Grove and by 3 nieces and 3 nephews on the Barlow side. He is also survived by Maryn's family: her parents Ed and Jan Porter of Springville; brothers-in-law Craig (Laura) Porter, San Diego CA; Jeffrey (Tiffany) Porter, Charlottesville VA; sisters- in-law Holly Porter, Amarillo TX; Katie (Adam) Leonard, Santaquin; Brooke Porter, St. George and by thirteen nieces and nephews. Joe loved to tease and had a terrific sense of humor. He delighted in helping those around him. He was never happier than when cooking a tinfoil dinner up the canyon or riding the 4-wheeler with Maryn or the nieces and nephews.

Joey we love you s-o-o much! We'll love you forever plus a year and a day.

Next professional surfer?

Here is Craig surfing at Oceanside Beach for the first time. The waves were not the best that day as they were short but Craig made several attempts at getting up on the board. He was successful on several occasions but Laura only got pics of him taking a wonderful dive to his right. I would give him a 9.4 on the soon-to-be entrance. Looks more like a dolphin entering the water than Craig surfing. I guess when you wait until you are almost 40 to surf, you are lucky to even be able to swim out to the waves.

Don't ask him if he was sore the next day!

Roughin' it

A few weekends ago Mom, Katie, Maryn, Chloe, Ethan, and Tori all decided to go camping up Santaquin Canyon in honor of Maryn's 25th birthday. The weather was great, the scenery perfect and the company pure entertainment! Dad, Grandma Mary (GG) and Adam would show up every now and then to enjoy the festivities but then seemed to have a reason to go back down into town. Ya, that reason would be, um . . .their beds!!! I don't blame them though. The fun began on Friday afternoon and lasted until Sunday. There was fun in the river, s'mores galore, pet rocks named and cared for, shooting with grandpa (YES! Even Ethan can do it as a lefty!) and lots of memories made. As kids we used to always go camping with our trailer up the canyon. Although there were no trailers this time and it got a little frigid at night, there were definitely some good times! Maybe next time something REALLY cool can happen - like a bear or skunk visiting!
P.S. Mom has all the pictures on her camera and as you may notice, she somehow "forgot" to email me any with her in them! I KNOW she had some because I saw them. Hand 'em over mamacita!!

I'm a big girl

One day I got a random text message from Maryn with a picture of Chloe. Like a proud aunt, I thought she looked adorable as always but then realized that she had something sparkling from her ear! I quickly called and found out the whole gang was at mom and dad's house and Maryn decided to pierce Chloe's ears! Because Maryn used to work at Claires in the mall she is an expert on piercing little kids ears. I guess she numbed it with a VERY special cream, drew the dots, did one ear and then the other, and wa la . . . Chloe is now the owner of pretty new flowers in her ears. She thought she was pretty hot stuff and told me all about it over the phone. Her reward? A lollipop from Grandma! Who could ask for more?!?!?!? Quick question - is that a purple tutu she is wearing? I thought so!

Where's Gus-Gus?

Cinderella has been known to show up at a few birthday parties for some very lucky little girls. This past week was no exception. Maryn and mom spent a few hours getting her to look just beautiful to attend the birthday party of Maryn's niece, Haley (Joey's side of the family). She has done this a few times and the kids love it. They really think it is her and ask her all sorts of questions. For example, "Why aren't you wearing your glass slipper?" or "Did you bring Gus with you?" Maryn seems to come up with great answers that the kids accept. I think next time she should bring a little "Gus-Gus" - now THAT could get the kids excited!!

Back East

Over the week of Labor Day Holly and Martin went back east. Here are a few pictures and blog she wanted to share with ya'll: We had so much fun, but came home exhausted! The whole trip was go, go, go, and we didn't get much sleep. It is such a beautiful place, and I told Martin if he ever wanted to move there I was ok with that. We visited his sister Cynthia, brother in law Jack, and niece Marina. We went to NYC, Boston, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Providence, Fairhaven, New Bedford, Dartmouth, and the area where Cynthia lives called Padanaram. I loved being close to the ocean again, and going sailing on Cynthia's friends 25 foot sailboat. It was fun to meet all of Cynthia's friends who were so welcoming. I'm so glad we had the chance to witness New England at such a beautiful time of year!

SNOW??

This past Labor Day weekend we had quite the variety in weather forecasts. I felt like I was back in Bolivia where there is all four seasons in one day! I went back home to visit the parents and enjoy some time away from the heat of Southern Utah (it was 106 degrees when I pulled out of St. George on Friday afternoon!). Saturday in Provo was warm, pretty nice actually. Everyone was complaining of the heat but considering where I just came from I was loving life. Sunday was cold, windy and by the late afternoon we were starting to think Gustav had made the long trek to visit Happy Valley. All evening there were flash flood warnings for major parts of Utah. I woke up on Monday to a down pour. It eventually turned into hail and then snow. YES I said SNOW!!! September 1st and there was snow! Me and mom couldn't believe that it had stuck around clear until that afternoon when the sun had come out and decided to stay. I'm telling you, it was weird and probably won't ever happen again in August. But then again the BYU cougars won their game so I guess miracles CAN happen!