Grandchildren Update - February 2016

We love all the pictures that our family posts on Facebook and Instagram.  Thanks for letting us see the kids grow up from a distance.  Just today, Sunday, February 28, we talked to Brittney's uncle, Wayne Clayton and he was talking about how cute Kacy was; he paused and looked at us then shyly said, 'You haven't seen her yet have you?'  We smiled.  Yes, we have seen from a distance, but not hugged and held her; nor the triplets; nor Tyce, Ali, Mason, Taylor and Cameron for quite a while.  We send all of our love.

The four month pictures:
Kacy has the biggest blue eyes and look at that smile!

 Miss serious Lauren, laughing Brookelyn and look at the smug look on Jesse's face.

 Way to go Linda and Lisa - These three will always have some good saying to follow them.

 I couldn't resist this picture.  Wow what a smile on Tyce's face and thumb hold on the suspenders.

Way to snowboard Mason!  What a fun day with dad.

Love and Kisses
Grandpa and Grandma Schaefermeyer

200 gigabytes of Church videos

This last week we were in Tutuila.  Theron worked on the Pavaiai satellite rack and made all of the parts easily workable.  We trained President Lotulelei of the Pago Samoa Central Stake, his counselors, stake clerk and three technology specialists.  These training sessions are great because we see them visualize what could be.  There is testimony in technology.

In a broad interpretation of D&C 29:30-34, the Lord created all things spiritually then temporally and then states, 'all things unto me are spiritual.'

On Friday before we left to return to Apia, Elder Barclay and Elder Peters came by to get the rental car we had for their use -- long story, old van, theirs died, waiting for the new ones to be released from the docks.

As part of our work in Tutuila, we installed on every ward computer 200 gigabytes of Church videos from the lds.org website.  this allows the member access to these video resources without having to download them from the extremely limited internet here on the islands.  These videos are organized by topics - Bible videos, Mormon Messages, Come Follow Me, etc.  Our vision to the stake presidents is, that the computer is not a 'ward clerk' computer, but it is a 'ward computer' meant for the purpose of blessing lives of each member.  We suggest that one way to use the computer is to have a ward leader, youth or member and missionary copy a video onto a USB device and then use it with a smart TV to use in teaching Sunday lessons, FHEs, and missionary discussions.

Elder Barclay shared how a small video can be used as a spiritual tool for the work of the Lord:
Earlier in the month, he and his companion were teaching an investigator.  They arrived at her home one afternoon and she told them she couldn't see them anymore because she had just returned from the doctor and was told she had a cancerous tumor on her neck.  She needed to focus on this and come to terms with the prognosis.  Elder Barclay said that earlier in the week he had downloaded a Mormon Message, "Mountains to Climb" a short video message about overcoming trials and challenges.  He said he was prompted to show her this video.  Using her home smart TV she watched it and began to cry.  She told them this was meant for her and it gave her hope.  The missionaries then asked if they could give her a blessing; she accepted this not understanding exactly the power of a priesthood blessing from two worthy missionaries. She was comforted.

The next week they came back to see her and she told them that when the doctors re-examined her neck, the cancer was gone and there is just a small lump that is non-cancerous and easily operable.  She expressed that she knew it was because of them.  She is still investigating and hasn't committed to baptism yet, but they are still teaching her.

A short 4 minute video helped her to focus on God, gave comfort and softened her heart to receive a priesthood blessing.

Tyce - Passing from Terrible Twos to Tyrannical Threes

Tyce, we love to hear the stories of writing on the wall and ceiling of the new play room, cooking your own poptart in the toaster, throwing toys from one wall to another, climbing on stools to reach high objects, and never standing still.

But then mom and dad love it when you take an afternoon nap, when you give them that big dimpled grin and when you say "I love you."

You are so special and we delight to hear of your next moves!  Keep the parents guessing.

Love
Grandpa and Grandma Schaefermeyer

Can't wait to get home and see you anew.

Ali is 5

Ali where have the few years gone, you have grown so much since we have been gone.

You are definitely a self-assured little girl and we love that quality.  How wonderful to be 5.  School is just around the corner, just a few months away.  Can't wait for the Ali hug when we get home!!!

We can't wait to see your new room, to have a tea party, to swing and to watch you run.  Keep having fun, fun, fun.

Love and Kisses
Grandma and Grandpa Schaefermeyer

Taylor, You are 12!

Taylor it was only a few days ago that we came to Florida to watch you play in the water, sit in the mud, run without shoes and nap with grandpa.  You have grown to be such a wonderful young man.  Wow, you have just been ordained to the Aaronic priesthood.  You will be a very worthy priesthood holder and will continue to have such a sweet, compassionate spirit.

How grown-up you look in your suit.  That's a great missionary look; in a few years you will have a missionary badge on the suit coat pocket.  Read the Book of Mormon, pray always, and stay sharp in school.  You have so much potential for success.

Continue to be creative.  Remember when we gave you the creation station for your birthday.  You can always do so much with Popsicle sticks, duct tape and glue.  That's imagination and you have lots of it.  What a great quality.

The mutual theme this year is from 2 Nephi 31:20:

 “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” 

Stand fast and hold the iron rod.  Make that your life motto!

Happy Birthday
Grandma and Grandpa Schaefermeyer

Happy Birthday to Brittney

A Special Wish for Brittney's Birthday - 2016

Aging is always a challenge for sure,
As daughter, sister, wife, mother and more,
You accept the challenge with laughter and love,
As your Father in Heaven smiles down from above.

A Temple you want to make of your home,
But the children and husband make you bemoan,
The fact that your home is not truly your own, but a place to nurture those you have sown.

Mason wants to play with his Lego toys,
And asks lots of questions as do all little boys,
Small plastic parts are strewn far and wide,
You spend much of your day just stepping aside.

Ali throws clothes all over the place,
You fold, she unfolds, and thinks it's a race.
Then plays she's at tea, listens intently for you
To sit down and drink a cup maybe two.

Tyce spends his days just climbing, exploring
And most of the time not listening, ignoring
the pleas of no, no-not that again,
Tyce please get down, Oh, he's at it again.

And Marc, the man of your dreams,
Spends his days scheming about CNC things,
But he helps fix the problems, hugs calmly and listens.
As you talk thing together and feel your eyes glisten.

October brought little Kacy to you
A joy that was so snuggly and new.
A perfect little girl, so mellow and mild
Large blue eyes made her a hug-able child.

The home is now full, but the house is too small
So the family decided to smash down a wall.
They started to dig, it's exciting and new
The contractor's helpers soon were too few

You endured all the sawing, the dust, and the banging,
And rejoiced when you first saw the new rafters hanging.
The end you could see now within your minds eye
Though weeks would be counted before the last sigh.

The day has arrived, the painting is done,
The carpet is laid, the draperies are hung.
Now for the fun of enjoying the room
And your office for sure would be in use soon.

We think you'll agree, what a year it has been
We hope you can look back and say with a grin
I'm eternally grateful for all I've been given,
And daily give thanks to my Father in Heaven.

We love you Brittney and are so glad you have chosen to be part of our family.
Happy Birthday.
Theron and Shanna

The Trip to the BYU TV Tower

Each Saturday we try to find a new adventure to help keep life interesting.  We just came back here from Tutuila and had been to the beach during the week, so Theron mentioned a trip to the BYU TV tower.  He had to install some clamps on the transmitters to replace the twisted electric wire that was holding them in place.

We round up Gillettes, who are always game for an adventure, and Ellsworths have not been up the mountain to the tower, and needed some time away from the office work.  Off we go fairly early in the morning.  Theron is the only one who has been up this road and from his previous trip four months ago, he remembers the road to be 'driveable.'  Well, it is sort of driveable, once we leave the main street, the weeds become 6 feet high on each side, it had rained the night before so the grass was slippery and the rocks and ruts were just a little more than the car could handle.  Onward, onward, slower, slower.  Ellsworths car gives up about halfway.

Cindy Gillette and I sit in the back of the Hyundai with the back door up, the other four pile into the seats.  We drive a little further and the car hits bottom - jump out - walk.  The car goes on and things level out, we all get back in and drive just a few feet and the car slides off the side into the wet grass.  It's not going anywhere.

We call the guy over the motorpool to get a tow truck for us or 4-wheel drive pickup.  Okay, he is now on his way up.  Instead of waiting, we walk around the corner and there is the tower -- really not more than 50 feet.  Theron and Elder Ellsworth climb to the top; Elder Gillette and his wife go down to meet the tow truck.  Sister Ellsworth and I decide we can climb the tower, also.  Tower climbed, clamps installed, success.

We have now walked down the hill to the meet the trucks.  The tow truck only made it half way up the hill; it's only two wheel drive.  They are in the process of hooking the tow truck to the 4-wheel drive pickup to pull the tow truck up to where our car is -- guess it's a Samoan logic thing.  Elder Gillette suggests just taking the pickup truck and leaving the tow truck.  That's a better idea; we just couldn't stand seeing a tow truck being towed up the hill to rescue our car which could barely make it as far as it did.  It takes just a few minutes to pull our car out, get it turned around and started down the hill.  In the meantime, we turn the tow truck and Elsworth's,  car around and drive down to the bottom.  Theron and Elder Ellsworth come a few minutes later in our car.  We had just been talking about how fortunat we were not to wreck a car.  Theron pulls up and guess what -- the left front fender is smashed in.  On the drive down he had to drive with one wheel in the tall grass to get out of the ruts and a tree branch that was hidden by the grass got it! Glad it was on the side of the car that already had paint missing.  I have to be very skinny to get in and out.

This is the Temple and Pesega School campus

This is the view of our houses, center, with the Lotopa Chapel to the left.

After all that, defeated by a tree branch; well, no one got hurt.  We had our daily adventure and all was well for another weekend.  The view from the tower is fantastic!!!