Bring Him Home...

Last night Meghan sent me this link of David Archuleta singing, "Bring Him Home", 

to the American troops in Afghanistan. 

 As I listened, I not only thought of the men and women fighting for our country, 

but also the thousands of men and women who are serving as missionaries for the Lord, Jesus Christ in whatever capacity that may be. 

 As a mother of one these missionaries,

 the words in this song have real meaning to me as I find myself on my knees often, 

praying for Cody's safe return home in 2 years. 

 Although this is always on my mind, I have a desire that goes beyond mortality, 

and it will always be that in the 2 years he is gone, 

he develops a better understanding of what this life is all about. 

 I hope that while he serves with all his might, mind, and strength, that he will find peace and rest in the Savior. 

I hope that he learns how much God knows and loves him, 

I hope that he comes to realize that God has a plan for him which goes beyond this mortal life,

 and more than anything else, 

I hope he comes to realize that faith in God will eventually bring us home to our Father in Heaven whose greatest desire is for us to live with Him again.  

Roswell Weeks 36, 37 & 38............

Hey Madre

Let me know how the Augustin's do! Haha you will probably get a kick out of President he definitely is a lot different than what I was usually used to. Love that man though! If you get the chance tell Sis Augustin Elder Backus said hello (:

I am ready for Zone Training tomorrow...thank you for the talks, they really helped out. I will let you know how it all goes, thank you! 

Thank you so much for your prayers. We were able to find a lot more people to teach this week, thank you so much. Hopefully we can get them to progress now! (:

How is the rest of the fam? How are you doing? Thank you for sharing your testimony with me, it means so much. I love and miss you like crazy!

Love, Your one and only son

Hey Mom!

Lizzy gave me a shout out huh? Haha I hope everything goes okay for her, those first few weeks in the MTC are rough! She will do good. Pretty weird to see all those guys after a year...haha some look like they have changed others not so much. 

Soooo I got transferred. I am pretty bummed about it. I have loved it here in Lubbock, the ward, the city, everything....but of course once you get comfortable you have to move. Haha and it doesnt help that I am getting transferred to the WEIRDEST place in America...I got assigned to be a Zone Leader in Roswell, New Mexico...I was hoping to stay a Texas Ranger my whole mission but to no avail. ); I really am sad to be leaving but I know that it is where I need to be at this time. Elder Bladen will be my new companion. I have heard good things about him so we will see how it goes...where did your mission boundaries go to? Haha what do I need to know about New Mexico? I cant believe I am going to be back in Mountain Standard Time...haha!

Haha tell Cass not to write Elder Mort back hahaha well mom, I would love to hear from you, shoot me an email if you get a chance. I love and miss you like crazy. 

Love, Cody

Madre!!!

Well, first of all, loved the pics!! You dont look any different now than you did back then! The bangs were a bit wild, but hey, that was the time and culture right? (; 

Things are going well here. My Zone here is huuuuuge compared to lubbock. There are 4 districts instead of 2, 28 missionaries instead of 20, and our zone covers about 300 miles from top to bottom. Yikes!! 

Elder Bladen is a great guy, he is from Logan and has been out about 17 months. Roswell, when you get past all the alien stuff....its everywhere, is actually a pretty nice town. The people are for the most part pretty friendly. There are two wards here. In the ward I cover alone, there is 600 registered members, but only about 140 are active...we have a lot of work to do. We have a baptism this weekend with a 18 year old boy named Jonathan, so hopefully everything will go smoothly. I love and miss you like crazy mom. I will send you a letter today and try and give you some more of the deets (; When do the girls start school? I love you! 

Hey Mom!!

Well, I better get to the red questions first before I forget...Jonathan did get baptized, and received the Priesthood yesterday after he got confirmed in Sacrament Meeting. I'm not working in any Spanish Branches, Elder Bladen is an English missionary so anybody I find I refer back to the Spanish Elders here. We are in the finding stages now so we are hitting the bikes a good three hours a day or so and talking to everybody that we can, its hard work! Really if you could just pray that we will be able to find somebody who has truly been prepared by the Lord to receive it, that would be much appreciated.

I heard Cassidy did a great job; Sister Pearmain actually wrote me and told me all about it (: Crazy to think she is growing up so fast...and then that picture of Christine...haha what!!! Gone are the "Bean" days huh?

When does Sean come into the field?? I would love to have him in the Zone...I will talk with President Heap and see if I can influence some inspiration or something haha!!

I read about the Meet the Mormons movie in an Ensign, that sure would be cool to see!! Hopefully it can get around out here, that would be a great tool to use!

Well Mom, I miss you very very much. I guess I am not technically a new missionary anymore, but I sure do feel like it sometimes. Thank you for the prayers and constant love, it means the world to me. Oh, and I loved those mission pics of yours, haha they were great!! Have an awesome week Mom.

Love, Cody

Sunday.........

Today we went to the missionary farewell of Lizzy Brown, a good friend of Cody's who is headed to Nashville, Tennessee speaking Spanish.  She gave a wonderful talk on the attributes of Christ and it was good to see a bunch of Cody's friends from school again.....

After Lizzy's farewell we drove straight to Provo to see Jordan get set apart to the office of an Elder.....

Jordan's bishop was right on when he said that Jordan hasn't stopped grinning since he received his mission call.....

After we returned home from Provo I went to a very interesting fireside given by Michael Kennedy who is the first descendant of Joseph Smith to receive the Melchizedek priesthood.  You can read about his conversion story here.

Lubbock Week 35...........

The email I received from Cody on Monday was very short....he let us know that they are teaching a single mom and 2 daughters, Myron, Michelle and Mary.  They came to church on Sunday and are hoping to meet with them again this week.  The church will be sending iPads to his mission before Christmas which he is excited about, he also met with President Heaps in a MLC (missionary leadership conference), the focus of the meeting was on empowering  the leaders with more responsibilities, he said he learned a lot and is wondering how he can fit in more responsibilities than he already has :).  He said he is enjoying his new president and had a lot of fun at the conference....

The following is an email that I received today from the husband of the lady (the Young Women's President in Cody's Big Spring Ward) who sent me a letter last March. 

Sister Backus,

I finally just read the email you sent my wife back in March. It fell to the bottom of my inbox. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it. More so, I can’t tell you how much we miss having Elder Backus in this area. I know he is doing great things where he is at, but we sure miss him here. I’m sure my wife told you that we both worked at the MTC for a number of years after our missions and I would have given my right arm to have him in one of my districts. He is wise beyond his years and a very mature missionary. I love his confident humility. I still remember he asked my wife to accompany them to a lesson and then followed up that night asking her opinion of the investigators and whether or not she thought they were committed to living the gospel. Usually the missionaries we’ve worked with aren’t willing to ask the members their opinions.

I hope he is doing well! Again thank you for your advice. I’ve definitely started to read more to my kids every night.

Lubbock Week 34.........

Hey Mom, 

Thank you so much for your prayers on my behalf for zone training...last second I felt like I needed to change my instruction subject...haha so I did. We have been struggling really bad with getting investigators to church, so I decided to prepare and instruct on a way that we could better get these people to come and feel the spirit at church...I am so glad that I did, our investigators at church in the zone went from 2 to 13 this week, so I am so grateful I was able to receive that revelation and change the topic, hopefully it keeps up. 

I sure do love and miss you!

President & Sister Augustin's Homecoming...........

Arnold R. and Kathleen C. Augustin

Arnold Roger Augustin, 60, and Della Kathleen Cook Augustin, five children, Texas Lubbock Mission; Bountiful 45th Ward, Bountiful Utah East Stake. He is a former counselor in a stake presidency, counselor in a stake Sunday School presidency, stake missionary, high councilor, bishop, high priest group leader, gospel doctrine teacher and ward mission leader. Director in public affairs, Corporation of the President. Born in Vallejo, Calif., to Arnold Roger and LaVerne Barbara Baker Augustin.
Sister Augustin is a former counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, Relief Society president and counselor, Young Women president and counselor and Primary president. Born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Doyle and Beth France Cook.


Today Steve and I attended the homecoming of Cody's first mission president and his wife.  We figured out right away why Cody loved them so much.  The article above was from the Church News 3 years ago when President Augustin was first called to serve as the Texas Lubbock Mission President.

Just a few reflections on our experience listening to them speak.......

First off, I wasn't prepared for how emotional I would get, the minute Sister Augustin began to speak the floodgates opened up and I couldn't stop the tears until President Augustin sat down, talk about embarrassing.

Sister Augustin told us that Lubbock is definitely flat just as Cody describes it, but she said they tell their missionaries not to look down but to look up, Lubbock has the most beautiful sunsets she has ever seen.

The Texas Lubbock Mission is a HUGE mission, if you were to drive east to west it would take 10 hours and north to south 12 hours.  The Augustin's drove those distances over and over and over again.

When the Augustin's were first called, they had 120 missionaries, and when the age requirements changed, their number more than doubled to 265!  Their driving through the mission doubled as well as they opened up 45 new areas for missionaries to serve in.

Many people told the Augustin's that they would never be able to find places to house the additional 145 missionaries because the big oil companies in the area buy up all the rentals for their employees.  President Augustin said it was one of many miracles they witnessed as they were able to find enough rentals in a very short period of time without any assistance from member housing.

The Augustin's served with 541 missionaries!!!  Holy cow, how do you remember them all???

The Augustin's made attending the temple a priority for the missionaries.  The Lubbock Temple is very small and  has limited open hours.  The missionaries get to attend once a year, and when they do, the temple opens on Monday when it is normally closed.  Temple workers and other members let the missionaries borrow their temple clothing because there is only limited clothing to rent.  Sister Augustin said that one of their favorite experiences was being in the Celestial Room filled with their missionaries.

Sister Augustin shared with us that every now and then some of their family would come and visit for very short periods of time and she cherished those moments.  She recalled many times that during those short visits their phones would quit ringing long enough for some quality time with their loved ones, and once they were dropped off at the airport to go home, their phones would begin to ring again.  Tender mercies :).

The Augustin's both lost a parent while they were gone, and President Augustin shared how hard it was not to attend his father's funeral as his only child, but that he knew of the importance of his calling and who he was ultimately serving.  

When the Augustin's returned home they had no furniture, no cell phones, no cars and no jobs.  But to them, it was worth every sacrifice made.  When it was time for the musical number they asked all of their missionaries who were in attendance (and I lost count) to come to the front and sing "Called to Serve".......more tears!!  

President Augustin is a convert to the church, he joined at the age of 23 when 2 sister missionaries taught him the gospel.  He is a POWERFUL speaker with a STRONG testimony of the restored gospel and Sister Augustin spoke of her reliance on the Spirit as she made decisions in taking care of the physical and emotional needs of each missionary.   

The lives that have been touched because this husband and wife accepted the call to serve are countless.  I can't help but think about one individual in particular who has expressed time and time again how much he has learned from both of them and how very much he loves them.  I will be forever grateful to them for the amazing influence they have had on Cody......

Remember Lot's Wife

I thought I would add a link to the talk that Cody mentioned in his last letter by Elder Holland, it is well worth reading.  Just click on the 'Speeches' link below.

Speeches

A letter from Elder Backus.............

Dearest Mother,

Julie B.  Well first, I need to apologize for not getting a letter to you sooner.  This calling (zone leader) has really zapped my energy, especially this transfer.  My P-days have really become days to catch-up, but today was a pretty good day so I have some good time to write you :).

This morning I read a talk that Elder Holland gave at a BYU devotional a few years ago.  Its titled, "Remember Lot's Wife".  It describes what Lot's wife really did when she "looked back".  Elder Holland goes on to describe that living in the past, longing for good times since gone, is the opposite of true faith, and may ultimately, at least figuratively, turn us into a pillar of salt.  Faith is always pointed forward and anxiously awaits future blessings that come from true discipleship.  The talk hit me like a ton of bricks!  I was so blessed to have such an awesome time in high school, and it can be really easy to slip into "looking back" and wishing to re-live things that I really can't.  But, reading that talk really helped me realize that I can look forward to the things that hopefully lie in store for me.  1 Corinthians 13:11 has been a little hard for me to accept lately :)!

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

So how is everything going on back home?  I know you are trying not to give me too many details because you don't want to "trunk" me out, but I really appreciate hearing about you guys.  Sounds like Christine is hanging out with the Smiths a lot huh?  I sure hope she is being nice to them, they are good girls, and those 7th-9th grade years can be ROUGH.  But hey, you are a seasoned veteran by now so I know you will do fine :).  I'm still trying to tactfully tell Cassidy to wear longer shorts.....you aren't letting her wear those yoga pants either right :)?  (I included this so that one day Cody and Cass can laugh about this together :)).

Well mom, to be honest, I feel kind of in an awkward stage right now.  I feel kind of caught somewhere in between a boy and man.  It doesn't necessarily feel like I am growing from grace to grace, it feels like more fall to fall, but I think its all about the movement upward.  Thank you for allowing me to have this experience, I truly am grateful for it.  I love and miss you like crazy!!  Don't have too much fun on the 24th without me :(.

Love,

Tu Hijo con Amor

Lubbock Week 33...............

(These are small portions of Cody's emails this week)

Hi Dad,

We have been able to find a lot more people to teach this week, really because of your and the family's prayers. Thank you so much for those, they really mean a lot to me. Transfers aren’t for another 3 weeks, so for now I am still here safely in Lubbock. We have a Zone Training tomorrow where Elder May and I will each give some instruction...haha its crazy how much the mission is really ran like a business. I’m dealing with motivated and un-motivated employees, bosses that are pushing me to some sort of goal every week, a crazy diverse and "volatile" customer market...haha but, the product itself is perfect, so that is really what’s keeping us out of the red! Your example has really pushed me through some of the harder times out here, thank you so much for taking the time to truly instill quality values in me. I WILL send you a letter this week. Keep up the hard work, stay close

to the Spirit and keep an eye on mom all alone for the weekend (; 

Love you Dad!

Cody

Hi Mom,

I am ready for Zone Training tomorrow...thank you for the talks, they really helped out. I will let you know how it all goes, thank you! 

Thank you so much for your prayers. We were able to find a lot more people to teach this week, thank you so much. Hopefully we can get them to progress now! (:

How is the rest of the fam? How are you doing? Thank you for sharing your testimony with me, it means so much. I love and miss you like crazy!

Love, 

Your one and only son

Lubbock Week 32........

Hi Mom,

We have been spending a lot of time in the sun trying to find people that are prepared to receive the gospel. Elder Mortensen is doing okay, haha he is definitely a handful but we are getting better. 

Our WML is great, his name is Rich Hardy. Him and the bishop (Bishop Jeff Cluff) are lawyers together, haha their picture is the whole back cover of the phone book here, but they both are great, the bishop is really missionary minded which is so great and helpful. 

What have you found in PMG lately? I have been studying for our upcoming Zone Training, Elder May and I have to teach the whole Zone...my topic is building member relationships, so I need some help from you (; I need you to find a talk by Elder Bednar that he gave in the MTC. He talked about some missionaries who asked him for referalls and he told them he wouldnt trust his friends with them and then he explained why...I heard it in the MTC and think that it would go very well with the topic I am talking about....you are the greatest (: 

Lubbock Week 31........

Hey Madre,

Hahah the eye brow trimmer, you are a saint, cant wait to get it (: haha of course you can go to hear the Augustin's speak! (President and Sister Augustin have returned home and will be speaking at their home ward in Bountiful, Utah)

This week we got to know the Heaps a little bit more...they are so awesome. Definitely different, but just great. The baptism was awesome, the ward came out in full and it was just awesome. We got to confirm them the next day in sacrament and it was just an awesome experience. The Heaps invited us over to dinner on the 4th, so we had a great time eating and talking with all the other missionaries. 

We are really trying to find new investigators now, our teaching pool has gotten pretty dry...so if you could pray for us in that regard that would be very much appreciated (:

Well Mom, I love you lots. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you or the fam. I love you!

P.s. Tell Jordan congrats on his call!

P.s.s. I attached a couple pictures of the Sims family and then our functional/dysfunctional companionship.

 Love you!

 Dusty, Lori, Meredith, Alex and Matthew

Not too sure what to think about this random lazyboy chair in the middle of a field????

Brighton Camp, EFY, and The Western Stampede Rodeo..........

This last week Christine went to Brighton Camp which is a camp strictly for Beehives (ages 12-13) in the mountains close to Brighton Ski Resort.  It feels like yesterday that we were sending Cassidy off, time is flying by.  I love the opportunity these girls have at the age of 12 to leave the world behind (tv, cell phones, instagram, etc) and connect with God and the beautiful earth He created for us.

The 4 Beehives from our ward, Jackie, Christine, Crista and Jocelyn.

Cassidy and Mallory went to EFY for the 3rd year in a row.  This year the theme was 'Anxiously Engaged' in missionary work, in education, in personal development, and in service. 

On the weekend they took a trip up to Little Cottonwood Canyon to watch the sunset.

This year for the 4th of July we decided to go to a rodeo for the first time ever......The West Jordan Western Stampede.  I don't know if it was to embrace more of the Texas spirit, or because I have fallen in love with a show on Netflix called 'Heartland'........

Barrel racing...

Cassidy and Christine were sure that the strap they put on the horses to make them buck was animal cruelty, but it was still pretty entertaining....

Still amazed with the roping skills of these cowboys.......

We loved the mutton busting...... (little kids that see who can hang on to sheep the longest....)

The Rodeo Royalty handing out mutton busting trophies....

Cassidy, Madi, and Christine 

Rodeos really know how to embrace American Spirit...

MC for the Rodeo....

Half time show....

At the end of the night the rodeo released their horses to the music from 'Man From Snowy River', I LOVED IT!!

We loved having dad home for the weekend....... 

We had to talk him into going to a rodeo this year rather than a baseball game, but in the end, he loved it as much as we did :).

Definitely something we will do again.....

Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back........

Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back

This is the race that started it all; The Rag-Daddy of all Ragnars. This nearly 200 mile overnight relay course begins in Northern Utah in the city of Logan and traverses across the back of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. Teams will conquer the course as they cross three mountain passes, run beneath millions of stars in the cool, crisp mountain air, and past fields of summer wildflowers. Runners will tackle the infamous “Ragnar Leg” at Guardsman Pass and finish in the mountain resort getaway in Park City, UT.

Steve and I reluctantly agreed to be a part of a Ragnar team this year organized by our good friend, Rick Pearmain.  We divided up our team into 2 teams of 6 and took turns running various legs of the race.

This was our team named by someone other than myself :).  We were the 'Not Engaged to Middle-Aged Mormon Marathoners'.  I guess Steve and I were considered the 'Middle-Aged'!!

This was Van #1 which left Logan at 8:45 am.  Our teammates were Karey Fagg, Cheri Weske, Nate Christopherson and Sean Jones.

Steve and I drove our SUV the whole distance and enjoyed every minute of it.  Our car is clean now, but for some reason we can't get rid of the body odor, that's how tough Ragnar was.....

Rick, Amy and Lindsay (right) did a fantastic job organizing our team, and it was a big undertaking.

Here I am at my first exchange, I was leg #2.

This is by far the hardest, craziest, and funnest race I have done thus far, anyone want to join next year's team?