Per Perkins Perhe: 2016

Monday, October 3, 2016

Growing at the MTC

This is the week that felt like a month ...

On Monday we met our kids and grands at the Kneaders in The Riverwoods ...

So many Perkins and some Summers too.

Darby with her Squish.

Group hugs! Favorite Aunt!!

Our girls!!

Saying goodbyes to grands.

Thumbs up from my boy as we head to the MTC

In line ...

We've had our missionary tags for less than a minute!!

We then had lunch with a meeting for all 81 senior missionaries. Dad was made a district leader!

Then it was dinner and a video of Elder Bednar's amazingly motivating talk he gave to the missionaries on Christmas a few years ago. Wow!

Tuesday. Meet Sister Peterson she's 4 foot 8 inches tall, but big on Spirit.

This is our district, us and the Reed's.

Lindseys and the Hjortens

This is the Adams, his health has been on and off, so they sold their house to allow them to serve early, just in case. Their youngest is 18!! They're going to NY, NY doing CES, my dream mission, so we're going to follow their adventures.

Later Dad and Vanhin Vest caught up with two of the Finnish Vanhinmat.

I found Ian Shumway (Matt and Ann's son) who is headed to Korea.

Here's our iconic pic!

Tuesday night Elder Switzer of the Seventy spoke at our devotional. We ran into John and Trish Allen, who work Tuesdays at the MTC

Here we are with the Vests and Elmo Keck. He is the assistant choir director at the MTC. The choir that would sing at conference, sang at the devotional. (We got to know Brother Keck when his wife was in one of the care facilities where Dad was in the Branch presidency. You never saw a kinder husband to a woman with severe Alzheimer's it used to bring tears to my eyes.) I fell asleep that night at 8!

Here we are in our afternoon class on Wednesday.

Our teacher is Brother Lilywhite. He's also a direct descendant of Philo Dibble through his oldest child be his first wife. Dad comes through the youngest child of his second wife. I fell asleep that night at 7:00!!!! The spirit is so strong all day, every day. Dad said that once Philo saw Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon after they'd seen the vision of the three degrees of glory. He said Joseph nearly glowed but Sidney looked exhausted. Joseph said "He's just not as used to it as I am". Well, I felt like Sidney a lot this week. So much of the spirit so much of the time IS exhausting, but I'm adapting. Other couples in our district had the same experience.

Thursday night we went to Joe Bandido's in Springville and met the kids again. We ran into Bishop Madson there, they'd come to join the Johns' 50th anniversary party, right next to our party.

Here are Darby and Ian

Ashley, Zack and Dad

Spencer, Hannah, Ben, Kim, her boyfriend Skyler and Ashley.

Ben and Hannah.

Skyler and Kim

Trevor, Ashley, Davin and an unhappy Zach.

His oldest grand child.

Us with Trevor and Nell's kids

Cousin love!!

Spouse love.

Trevor, Dad, Spencer and Dave

Nell, Scott, Bri and Penny.

Dad, Spencer, Brittney and me

Us with the Johns!!

Eleanor contemplating her new birthday smart watch.

When we got back, Dad dragged me tin visit the Finnish classroom ... He posted this pic on the Finnish Missionary Moms FB page and made some moms happy.

Our last day of class. Sister Reed and me with Sister Peterson.

And the whole gang!

Here's the whole Senior class.

That night was the Finnish reunion, where we ran into Roger and Geri Essen. That was fun. Please pray for their children to be healed, so they can serve a mission in Finland. They are so needed.

Stina and her mom were there and brought us socks they had knit for us! What adorable girls and what warm socks. We know we'll have warm thought about them later.

Back at the MTC for Saturday where we watched conference all day, Dad went to the Preisthoid session with the Finnish Elders, can we just say "happy dad"? I stayed in our room and watched Women's Conference on the IPad, it was offered in a class room, but I was more comfy at 'home'.

This is the adorable Sister who was our first guide in the MTC, then greeted us all week. Her name is Sister Soaksai from Australia. She's headed to Ogden.

After watching conference on Sunday we walked up to the temple.

The sky was beautiful!!

That night we had Vocal Point from BYU, they are the premiere acapella group there and are fabulous. They usually do pop music, but this was a spiritual meeting, and each of the nine members told a story, my favorite was when one member had been doing a study abroad in the Jerusalem center. One girl had many questions about miracles, later she developed a painful rash, she could not sleep or focus on anything for 4 days. Medical personnel were baffled. Finally she asked other students for a Preisthood blessing. This young man participated, and she was told she would be healed, as soon as the blessing was pronounced, she started sobbing. The Elders were concerned they'd some how hurt her. The next day she told them that as soon as they pronounced her healing, her pain disappeared. She had her testimony of miracles. Not sure what soul searching and prayer on her part made this possible, but it was a great experience.

This did not happen to someone's grandpa. It happened a couple of years ago to a young man who sings pop music, to him and a handful of BYU students.

Well you've had a taste of our week. As we write this our eyes are wet. We feel the Savior's love and are so grateful for these experiences.

Love you all , please keep us and the Essens in your prayers

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

The Events Leading Up to and Including Our Farewell

What a week. So much to do and so much emotion as we say a temporary goodbye to those we love so much!!

Monday started with my last walk with LaVern ...

I worked on finishing up projects to prepare for our mission. I also met 'Jenny Weasley'. Well, actually Brooklyn, Eva's new Friend!! Eva's into Harry Potter at the moment.

She's also into story writing. We've loved our visits from our cute grands to the third floor!

That night Davin's family came down to help with the great fridge shuffle. A new fridge at Broadstone, then the old fridge to Payson cottage, which bumped the even older fridge to the curb with a free sign.

Here's a screen shot of Dad's list of his doings for the day.

After all that, we all went to Eli's for ice cream!!

Where I ran into the Mayor, who made me feel more confident about the survival of Broadstone. .

The next day, while I was at work Dad picked up and hung this sign I'd had made last week, you know, just in case .... And yes, I caught the unnessisary apostrophe, but too late.

Tuesday was one of three work days, where I worked on getting the van full of stuff culled from the house into the mall, while trying to clean and organize my booths at the same time .... This booth had been a mess for months ...

After work I went and got my last shot, this is me with my shooter!!

Next I picked up Scott's cousin Jerry and we did four more visiting teaching visits.

Last of all I went home to 'attend' an online Usbourne book party' !! What fun.

Dad had his last shift at the temple that night and got to lead the session our ward attended.

Wednesday morning was my last walk with Ginny!!

Then I headed to Salt Lake for my third and final procedure on my knees. I got done in time ...

To meet up with Dad for his retirement party at the Associated offices.

Here's Dad's cake, highlighting his interest in fishing and running.

After lunch Barb suggested a sort of roast. Everyone stood and told a story about Dad. He says that was his favorite part.

Here he is with Aunt Karen and Uncle Vern.

These are all former Maceys associates, and several of them spoke during the program.

Here are my girls who came.

And Dave Davis was there too.

Nate Laver was there from Dad's days at the Store, way back when.

I hit 100 Pokemon that day, the perfect number to quit with.

I worked again Thursday. I did more clean up and filled my last of the eighteen bins with product to be put out while I'm gone. Dad surprised me by coming by with Cafe Rio!! Yeah!!