Ring Out Wild Box

Missionary pixie dust has just been flyin’ around the Institute this past week.

This picture sums it up. But since you weren’t here, , , umm, , , maybe some further explanation is needed?

About once a month, the Institute Council sponsors a “Friday night” Institute movie. Can you guess the movie?

If you guessed something like “The Village People – The Sequel” just what are you thinking? (And just how old are you if you remember the Village People?) If you guessed “Hook” - Arrgh! That’d be Right! (What is it about pirates that makes you want to go around growling – Arrgh!)

We know, we know, , , you might be wondering what exactly does “Hook” have to do with serving a mission? Well, take a closer look at the picture and maybe it will give you a clue.

The guy on the far left? He is an investigator. The girl standing closest to him? She just got baptized a month ago. As for Pocahontas? She just got baptized a year ago. The red-headed young man with the hook to his throat? He just got his mission call this week to the Philippines. As for the rest of the shipmates, well, the guy in the cute pink tinkerbell shirt is the Institute Council President (also working on his PHD in ancient Hebrew studies. Yes, someday he may be teaching you Isaiah – AND having a lot of fun doing it.) The guy in the cute mustache? That is the Council Vice-President who is working on his PHD in chemistry. The girl-in-green most like unto Peter-pan? Sorry, but she just got engaged this week – more on her and a “box” later in this email.

Speaking of engaged, we went to an evening temple session with another couple (Kyle and Gina) who are, you guessed it, engaged. Gina took out her endowments and it was just a very wonderful day. Gina is the only member of her family and has been a member for only about a year and a half.

And just to show you temple blessings don’t stop once you leave your session, Mike received a double blessing of sorts for attending that day.

After the session, Mike went down to the recorder’s office to pick up the cards of those whom we had done the work for. At the office, a younger man stopped him.
The younger man hesitantly asked, “Did you used to teach at the MTC?”
To which Mike responded, “Yes, but don’t let my youthful black name tag fool you. I am now a ‘Senior’ missionary, and it has been over 25 years since I taught in the MTC.”
To which the younger man smiled and replied, “I thought so, I was one of your Elders.”
After further conversing with “Elder Jenkins,” (in our temple voices, of course) he introduced us to his wife and told us about their children and how their oldest is 16 years old and is already looking forward to serving a mission. Anyway, it is just so great to “reunite” with those whom we have come in contact with through the gospel. This of course, made Mike’s whole day.

I wonder if 25 years from now, if any of the students we are teaching will stop and ask us if we used to teach at the U-dub Institute? Let’s see, we will then be 73. At 73 what are the odds of remembering we even served a mission at the U-dub Institute? 73 - How will it be? What will the next 25 years bring? Will they go as fast as the last?

Speaking of time flying – since last we wrote, we celebrated our twenty-fourth anniversary! No transfer or exchange of companions for us! Well, at least we hope so! And that is true, even if I MIGHT have said something like “Honey, has the past twenty-four years gone as SLOWLY for you as it has for me?” And can you believe it, Mike wasn’t exactly sure how to respond to that. But what I really meant to say was, it is hard to remember a time when we haven’t been together. Yes! That is what I meant. Anyway, that is my story and I am sticking to it.

We went to Maggiano’s (thanks Cherlyn Thornton for recommending Maggiano’s to us when we were in Boston, they also have one here in Seattle.) Anyway, the atmosphere is just splendid for such events and the crème brulee is definitely worth the zillion calories a bite for dessert.

We also went to a couple of other events over the past week.

The first was an exhibition sponsored by our Church
called, “Reflections of Christ,” by Mark Maybry

Perhaps you have seen it, or have heard of it.
Basically the artist has done some very tasteful photographs,
which drives home the point that Christ was a real man,
a mortal Messiah, not just some historical hero in a book.
If you haven’t see it, it may well be worth your time.

The website for it is http://www.reflectionsofchrist.org/


The second was a classical guitar performance by one of our Book of Mormon class students, “Peter Harker.”

Peter is on the right. His performance was incredibly good.

Whenever, we are invited to one of these concerts by our students, we love to go if we can. But it always causes us to ponder, “Now, just what were we doing in the pre-existence when all these other musically-talented spirits were apparently practicing?”

Okay, just in case, you think we spend all of our days going to movies, art exhibits, and concerts, we do have to work a little. In fact, we didn’t even stay to watch “Hook.” And this past week in our classes, we are very excited to have “Traci,” a young woman who is investigating our Church, come to our Wednesday night class.

Traci is a very interesting U-dub student. Among her many talents is she is an accomplished “unicyclist.” We are not sure which of the younger missionaries talked her into bringing her unicycle to the Institute. But each of the younger missionaries took a turn at falling off – and it wasn’t pretty. In fact, it looked like it might just hurt a little. Question, “Does the Church cover young Elders being hurt while attempting to ride unicycles? The young Elders weren’t quite sure, so they thought they had better quit. Elder Thornton decided our health insurance coverage excluded us from unicycle riding, so we respectfully declines. For which we were glad, because Traci then showed us all up and then some.

Speaking of our Wednesday evening class, we were also very delighted to have another student, a young woman, by the name of “Ahn,” join us. Ahn has been a member for an entire, whole – week! So, yes, we do get some missionary work done among our other duties with both investigators and new converts.

Lest we forget to finish the “box” story. Basically, the girl-in-green, “Robyn” just became betrothed to “George” who lives in Colorado Springs. (Just like at BYU, ‘tis the season.) Anyway, Robyn decided to fly to Colorado Springs to surprise George. I told her I had a sister-in-law in Colorado and wouldn’t it just be fun if I could arrange to have my sister-in-law meet her with a BIG box that she (Robyn) could fit into and be delivered to George. She was game and I called “Cherlyn” to see if she would. Of course, Cherlyn was happy to help, but then it dawned on her that somehow I had forgot Cherlyn actually lived in Fort Collins, NOT, Colorado Springs. Whoops!! One of those “Senior” moments. Sorry Robyn! Sorry Cherlyn!

Oh well, and for all those RMs out there, here’s some free advise, (so take it for what it is worth) - the pixie dust is flyin’, it is apparently the season to get your ring on or move on. As far as boxes go, they’re optional.

We love and miss you all.

Elder “Mike” and Sister “Jenny” Thornton