Mziwamadoda and Bryce

Elder Christensen  and Madoda's baptism

 I was missing Bryce and for some reason thought of Madoda.  I knew he had served a mission after being baptized and so I checked Bryce's facebook and there he was so I sent him a message.  It was so nice to know how he was and this is what he said:
I am doing great, thank you. Bryce and I were very close. In fact, I can't talk about the blessings of the gospel without talking about Bryce and Devin. The Lord blessed me through them. The best part about life is that we can always look unto Christ for comfort, strength, and hope. I look forward to seeing Bryce again and meeting The Christensen family. Thank you for everything Sister Christensen. . . Have a blessed week. 

Bryce, Andrew and Forever Young

Last night while I was walking to church for "Chocolate Night" I saw three of Bryce's friends. They were pulling skateboards out of their car trunk. That really made me smile because I knew Bryce would have been right there with them if he could. They had gone to the skate park down the street from us. When Bryce was younger, I would drive past and look for him and his friends. I was seldom disappointed because there was always someone that was boarding that was Bryce's friend. That park is a sweet reminder now as I drive past it most days. In August, Bryce's friend from England posted this video in remembrance of Bryce. It is about as perfect as I can think to remember Bryce by. I really can see him in heaven boarding. You may wonder why I keep posting. It is very therapeutic...my way of keeping Bryce close. This video does a great job. Thanks Andrew for sharing it.

President Bateman and What Do You Say?

Friday is my day to serve in the Provo Temple.  It was the Open House for President Bateman and his wife as they finish their service and President Daines takes over.   During my lunch break, I waited in line to shake their hands and thank the out going Presidency.  I have had some special experiences with the Batemans.  President Bateman was in the temple this past Jan. 7th when we went to do sealings.  He wondered what we were doing at that early hour on a Thursday morning so we told him it was the anniversary of Bryce's death.  After the session, I wrote him a letter to tell him how it went and he has shared our experience of sealing parents to sons from South Africa at many Stake Conferences throughout Utah Valley.  How do I know? I have had people tell me when they hear President Bateman speak.  This past week, Kim had someone at work tell him that President Bateman was at their Stake Conference the past weekend and spoke about a returned missionary from South Africa that was killed in a car accident.   So I told President Bateman about that and his wife asked me if it was alright to continue to tell the story.  I assured her that anything that was about Bryce always made me happy and I loved to know he was telling our story.
That night, McKay had lots of friends over to celebrate his 29th birthday.  We have all the missionary plaques up on our kitchen wall of our children and I look at them often.  Several times his friends would ask about our children and I would tell where they were, who was married, etc.  They would see Bryce's picture and I would talk about his mission, etc.  It was clear to me that none of them knew that Bryce was gone.  It made me reflect on the people that are usually in our home and know our history and we talk about Bryce as much as we do about our other children.  It makes me really happy when there is someone that asks about him or wants to know more.  It makes him real.  It was hard for me to not say anything about the accident and to just pass over where Bryce is or what he is doing.   I am learning though that it is okay and those that need to know will ask.
I am grateful for those that let me talk all I want about him.  They are very patient and kind.  I had no idea that healing would continue to be a part of my life almost two years later and I am grateful for all the mothers that understand and keep pulling me along with them.  I am grateful for my children letting me talk about Bryce and not saying...move on Mom.  I am grateful that Kim listens and understands and feels just like me.  I am grateful for those experiences that come at unexpected times that lets me know God isn't tired of listening to me either.
One last note.   Bryce trained an Elder from Madagascar.  His name was Nambinina RANDRINIRINANIARIVO  .   I still can't say his last name.  He started writing to me every Monday --the same time as I would always get an email from Bryce when he was in South Africa.   He has continued to write now that he is home.   That is pretty tender. 

Two Years From Today

Thinking of you today Bryce.  Hope there is lots of snow where you are! 
Don't forget to write in your journal...I will want to hear all about your adventures when I see you again!

Read Last...end of Bryce's letter to President Probst

• I have learned how to manage time and money and how to be self-reliant.
• I have learned how to cook some crazy things. 
• I have gained a love for many different cultures and a love for the country of South Africa and the Saints in this great country
• I have learned of the importance of team work and unity
• The list could go on and on, but I truly have gained so much from my experiences serving here in SACTM.  I know that the true Church of Jesus Christ has been restored today by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I know that we are being led by a prophet of God today, President Monson.  I know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and sent His son, Jesus Christ to pay the price for us to return to live with Him again.  I know that the Savior lives and suffered and bled for me that I might live again.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  --Oct. 2008 SACTM

Letter to President Probst continued

• I have learned how important it is to develop good habits as soon as possible. 
• I have gained the ability to recognize quicker the temptations and traps that Satan leaves for us, and how to best avoid them. I also have come to see how Satan can destroy the greatest by small means.
• I have experienced the most difficult days and weeks of my life while serving a mission.  I have also never felt the Spirit in more abundance and have never been more aware of what Heavenly Father wants for me. 
• I have learned the importance of a good first impression, and how important quiet dignity is, where ever we are, whatever we are doing, we are always being watched. 
• I more fully have come to know that God is there and He answers prayers and I have more fully come to the knowledge of how He does it. 
• I have experienced the sorrow that comes from people I love choosing not to act upon that which they know is true.  I have also experienced the joy that comes from seeing people's lives changed as they embrace the gospel.

Letter to President Probst continued

I really have come to love my family and have gained an understanding about why families are so important.  My mom has a little wall section at home with pictures of the missionaries from our family and above the pics, the scripture 3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  As I have been able to see the effect of what the gospel and truth and light does for a family, some of my most favorite experiences have been communicating with my family each week and knowing that every single one of them walk in truth, with my little brother leaving for Japan to serve a mission just weeks after I get home.  It just is a great feeling. 

Two Years Ago

Bryce wrote a final letter to President Probst before returning home.  It reflected much thought and maturity and I would like to post a section of it every few days.  It is probably the most precious letter I have and I am so grateful that President Probst thought to send it to us. 
What have I gained, learned and experienced in the South Africa Cape Town Mission that has blessed my life?
Well of course there are too many things that I gained, learned and experienced while serving a mission to even write down a fraction of those things so I will attempt to highlight some of the more important things, in no particular order: 
The First Presidency message on page V states:  More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among it's children. 
  I feel that my view of what happiness actually is, has become much clearer...those things we do in our life that make a lasting impact and cause others and ourselves to change for the better, bringing peace into our lives and lasting satisfaction--a clear view of what is important.
These things bring lasting happiness into our lives, and I know that it is possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  

Family Information Sheets

Every year after Christmas, usually on New Year's Day,  our family would fill out Family Information Sheets. This did not seem to be a particularly fun activity for anyone but Mom and there was a lot of complaining through the years.  However, when it was time to plan Bryce's funeral and during the viewing, as his Family Info sheets through the years were passed around, it became a great revealing time of how Bryce thought and what he liked and didn't like.  There hasn't been as much gripping now...mostly because everyone is older and they know that there are good things about recording what we think about.  Here is the last sheet Bryce filled out: 10 Nov. 2008  He had just come home from South Africa.
Favorite Candy Bar:  Cadbury Tempo   Favorite Food:  Mexican   Movie:  Don't Know  Place to Go:  The Canyons   Color:  Blues and greens and browns   Friends:  Willy, Brad, James, Pete, Kell   Family Activity:  Boggle   Hymn:  Be Still My Soul  # 191   Story:  The Never Ending Story    Scripture:  2 Cor. 4: 17-18
Thing to Do:  Snowboard, make sweet music and movies and pictures  Holiday:  Christmas..Duh!  Vacation:  Lake Alice...Duh!   Family Traditions:  Lake Alice   Moment of my Life:  Birth   Sport:  Snowboarding   Season:  End of fall and beginning of winter   Teacher:  Mr. Call...well probably because I knew him the best
Music Group:  Mason Jennings   Game:  Step to ( played while snowboarding)   Restaurant:  One where I don't have to pay    Fast Food Place:  Taco time probably...I haven't had fast food in America in 2 years --in South Africa: Zebro's   Store to Shop in :  Ebay   Web site:  Gmail.com    Picture or painting:  Me kicking Dallin   Three things I feel I do well:  Look good, snowboard, listen to good music.   My motto or words to live by:  Never give up! Never surrender!  Someone I would like to be like and why:  Of course Jesus Christ because I promised I would do my best to be like Him.   What I would like to be doing in five years:  Be married, have a nice job, making sweet moview or something.   If I had $1000 to spend in one day I would:  buy a season pass and new snowboard, if I had not done that yet ( he did buy a new snowboard, a pass, new pants, two new jackets..heavy and light one.....) My  hopes for our family this year:  Everyone but mom and dad, Dallin , Ty and Nat to have either a boyfriend or girlfriend depending on what they are of course...no gays.   Personal goals for this year:  physical--be cut and eat good, snowboard hard and good/ double back flip on snowboard.   Mental:  get good grades   Social:  Get a girlfriend   Spiritual:  Finish Standard works.
The irony of Bryce being gone is that I probably know more about him now than if he were still here.  He wrote, video taped, recorded things that I wonder if I ever would have seen or read if he was here. 

Letter from Andrew

Andrew is the one with glasses

We got an email from Andrew on Bryce's birthday.  It was great to hear from him...he lives in England.  He was never Bryce's companion but served in some of the same areas.  Here are some of the things he had to say--thanks Andrew for sending it!:

On his birthday, I want to tell you a funny experience I had with him.

It had been a long day on exchanges in Port Elizabeth, and being new to SACTM, I wasn't really used to the Bikes that Elder Christensen and Elder Later enjoyed. Of course, the considerate Elder Christensen planned to park the bikes for the evening and do some contacting and knock a few doors. I say knock, but I mean ring buzzers of the gated properties of Walmer. We got to one house which was behind a fence and lowered at the bottom of a hill, which had a long twisting drive up to the gate. We walked to the gate and pressed the buzzer...the conversation went like this:

Man: Who is calling?

Elder Christensen (EC): Hello we are missionaries from...

Man, abruptly: I'm sorry, who are you looking for?

EC: Well, we're missionaries and we share...(cut off)

Man, abruptly again: Please state the name of the person you are looking for.

EC: Well, we share with everyone in the home, we are...

Man: Please state the name of the person you are looking for.

EC: Everyone, we are from the Church of...

Man, Very Angry: Please state the name of the person you are looking for!!

EC: Well...whats your name?

The Man hung up, and we laughed and laughed. The Man was terribly rude and would hardly let Bryce finish a sentence, but it didn't phase Elder Christensen. He was resilient and kept such a positive spirit with him. I learned so much from that one experience, that rejection, hardship and trial do not need to be miserable - we could rejoice in the journey and instead of having bad feelings towards others, we could happily go about doing our duty with a smile on our face. I took this lesson through the rest of my mission with me/ Bryce's wit and positive attitude made missionary work with him a absolute joy, and even a year later while serving as district leaders in East London together, we still laughed about it.

Bryces Friends

Cooking Steaks in Our Back Yard--Bryce's 19th Birthday

Bryce's Friends Today

 

 

 

One of the "rituals" Bryce loved to do with his friends would be Macey's runs and cooking steaks over the grill with them.  He was pretty much a carnivore before going to South Africa but learned to like other foods during and post mission.  These cute boys have come over for Mother's Day, Bryce's birthdays, and on Jan. 7th.  They have come individually at different times to introduce their girlfriends, to bring flowers ( that would be Jessica), and to see how I am.  One particular memory was a day I was out in the front yard weeding the summer after Bryce's death.  I was really struggling with my thoughts and emotions when Brad drove up and came to see how I was.  I told him I thought Bryce had probably nudged him.  I am so grateful each time I see these friends because Bryce cared a lot about them.  They camped, shot guns, did paintball, fished, sat around the campfire, cooked, came home for lunch, played guitars, played Halo, rode long boards, and just hung out and did very weird and crazy things together.  They have taken really good care to make sure I know they haven't forgotten Bryce.  I sure love them. 

Bryce's 21st Birthday--The Real Bryce...from his journal

Well I am 21 today.  Yipee!  Sunday was great.  Nozoko came. She is awesome.  She didn't get fellowshipped for much but she stil liked it.  She has really good questions.  She wanted to go to the fireside with Elder Koliker, Sister Mkosi said she would call her and go with her but she never di.  It was a pretty frustrating experience.  Mbleldo brought a friend to church.  The Johnsons fed us a dessert before our DZ.  It was so rich and i was stuffed and then we had to go to our D/A.  I suffered it hurt so bad and there was even a dessert.  Sister Muuh had the Olympics closing ceremony on and Jimmy Paye came out of the ground and started playing the guitar "a Whole Lot of Love"...we quickly got them to turn the TV off because it was trunking me.  Yesterday was nice email.  They were playing Michael Jackson the whole time then we went to Cape Point.  It's a really nice drive.  We met up with Elder Nielsen, Farr, Baker and Seely.  We played with penguins for a bit then checked out Cape Point for a while.  It was pretty sweet.  We took lots of awesome jumping karate pictures.  It was a fun day.  Then we had an appointment with Nozuko.  She is awesome.  She knows the church is true.  She's gonna get baptized soon.  I can feel it.  Well I think I poisoned myself during lunch.  There was a war going on in my belly and the toilet took the casualties.  We had like nobody for Sacrament today.  I got omo in my eye and it has been hurting all day.  Elder Bean set up a surprise party for me @ Mbdelo's.  He played the drums and we had this not real good cake with tons of frosting from LuLu's bakery.  I am now on exchanges with Elder Smith.

Birthday Month and Thinking of Bryce August 26, 1987

I belong to a missionary mom group.  One mother asked us to write what things our missionaries learned from going on a mission.  I wrote a few things about our returned missionaries and this about Bryce:
I had one son in particular that I was never sure if he really was going to serve a mission.  He was not exactly loving church activity while growing up.  I would drop him off for Young Men's and found out later that he would walk inside the church and walk to the other end, leave and go visit friends.  He struggled with fasting and paying his tithing.  He didn't want to do scouts or Duty to God.  I was thrilled when his last year before applying  to go on a mission, he began to change and his heart soften.  He was thrilled when he was called to South Africa.  I have been able to read his mission journal and in the beginning, he wrote that two years was a very long time. He wrote it several times.   He actually got home sick which surprised him because he was always happy to leave home.
  Things began to fall in to place eventually and all that he had been taught at home, began to make sense to him.  He read the Book of Mormon with a desire to learn for the first time and picked up great study skills as he tried to live the mission rules.  He always avoided all service projects as a teenager and now he learned that he liked to help others and had many opportunities in his mission to help the members with their homes, yards, and to participate regularly in Helping Hands. 
When he left for his mission, his plans were to return and spend the winter snowboarding and working at Park City.  When he returned, he re-took tests that he had bombed in high school and applied at UVU and BYU and was accepted at both.  I know his mission gave him direction.   After he returned, he continued his morning studies of the scriptures, placed goals he wanted to accomplish on his wall by his light switch and had names of his friends that he wanted to help activate, how he was going to do it and the date he would complete his ideas. 
He also came home with a desire to do things with his family.  He apologized several times while on his mission to his grandmothers for staying home when we would go to do things with them.  He promised to do better.  As soon as he got home, he made the trip to see one of his grandmothers and took her to the temple. 
Bryce was blessed by going on a mission, our family was blessed and I think he continues to serve the people of Africa.  

The Hot Pots and Bryce...Ringtones

This is one of my favorite pictures of Bryce.  He is holding MY cell phone that took he took over when  home from South Africa.  I used to get his friends calling  and I would have to explain that Bryce did not have his own cell phone  yes...this is my cell phone.  He took it to the Hot Pots in January and forgot it was in the pocket of his swimsuit.  Thus the demise of my cell phone.  Bryce was rather happy because he got a new cell phone out of the deal when I went to replace my ruined one.  He tried to make recompense  by downloading new ring tones for me.   I never knew what ring tone my mom had until out of the blue a long time later when Bryce was gone, she called my cell.  It was the Beatles, Eleanor Rigby.  Ahhh...look at all those lonely people.   It brought tears because I knew he was trying to remind me to remember the Grandmothers.  His sister Kira was given the song, "Under Pressure" which was appropriate considering she had just started her first job as an RM.   My hubby got a Beatles song also...She Loves You ..yeah, yeah, yeah.  Brooke's song....You're Beautiful....I saw your face in a crowded place.   I always thought that song was a little strange but Bryce had it as a ringtone before his mission for his friends.  His ringtone....Bob Marley.  I don't know the name of the song but he loved Bob Marley.  His ears could pick up the music of Bob in the Townships and it always made him happy. 
I was sad when I got home with my next new cell phone a month ago and none of the ringtones had copied over.  Neither did the picture of Bryce, Dallin and McKay that I had as my wallpaper.  Bryce has a tube of toothpaste up his nose, Dallin has a grapefruit and orange for eyes and McKay is in the middle of them looking cool.

Kim and I  went up to the hot pots yesterday.  We like to do Bryce things in August.  It was a beautiful day, no one was naked and there were few people soaking in the warm water.  We had to hurry because I had a meeting so we got up there, tested the water, said yep these are the hot pots, and hurried back down the trail.  It was great.
I am glad Bryce had some adventures when he got home.  Even at the sacrifice of my phone. Thanks Pete. 

chameleon in South Africa...a pet

This was a pet that Bryce and Elder Nielsen kept for a while.

Funny Bryce Wrote in Journal

Aug 7, 2005
This is my journal.  I don't like it...it is dumb but I have to write in it because I live in a communist household.
August 21, 2005
I am so awesome!  I will be 18 this Friday and I am the coolest person ever!
August 29, 2005
Well my birthday was pretty cool except the girls from Highland came over then it wasn't as cool but still way fun.  We had a way cool barbique with steak and played lots of Halo.  There was like 20-25 people4 there.
Sept. 11, 2005
Well, I'd rather not write in you today but I have no choice, like the majority of my entries...which influences the way I write.  The end.
Oct. 30, 2005
Dear Diary, today I blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah I am awesome.
Nov. 13, 2005
Weather this Nov. has been crap.  It hasn't ever really snowed on the mountains yet and it's not cold at all and Park City and The Canyons are suppose to open this week but they might not have enough snow.
Jan 8, 2006
Goals:  improve 1. mourning prayers 2. Book of Mormon 3. 500 savings to 3,000 4. Read 5. ACT 25 6. Bless Feb.  ( I can't tell what that means--Bryce's writing always needs interpretation)
Feb. 12, 2006 
It has been the new millennium for a little over six year now and I still don't have a flying car or a robot that does things for me that I don't want to do....what a rip. 
Feb. Mystery 2006
I will make this entry brief because I need to pee...I am me.
Feb. 26, 2006
Today is my half birthday.  Yesterday I landed my first 720 degree and rode it out that means I am cool ( with full gidbage).
April 30, 2006
I went to SLC yesterday to date some Brigham City honies ( girls) It was pretty fun.  We went on top of the biggest building in Utah it was neat.  My date's name was Allison...probably.
May 12, 2006
I don't want to write but it's Mother's Day so I will.  It is hot outside and I caught 3 horn toads yesterday.  Their names are Mark, Vebrou, Leprey.
May 21, 2006
I went to Brigham City with some guys and we bowled and golfed and boated.  It was fun then we got home and did gymnastics and barbaqued.
May 28, 2006
I graduated, started landscaping, and my big toe hurts!   It's not fun but it pays okay and it will do.
July 23, 2006
I got my mission call in June to South Africa Capetown.  I'm done with landscaping and work at Rocky Mountain ATV and make $9 an hour stocking things.   I like it...it's pretty good job.
2 Nov. 2008
Wow 6 years of journal in 30 pages...that's like 5 pages a year or .20 pages per month.  Wow.  Well Sunday I woke up early and sat on the stand ready to give my talk.  There was a youth speaker then Dallin then we sang and then it was me to finish.  I was suppose to speak for 15 min. but there was 30 mins. left but I spoke for 30 min. with no problem.  It was actually kind of fun speaking.  I guess that's because I was well prepared.

Solofonirainy Fanambinantsoa Randrianirinaniarivo is home!

Hello! sister Christensen how are you doing myself i'm doing verry well i'm very happy to write to you to day because i can do that again from now i finished , mission on the 28- 05-2010 and i'm home now i just want to thank you for all the letter that you wrote to me throughout my mission i realy  appreciate all of them my mission was very nice i realy loved it it was also very nice to see my family again i love them and i know God love my family also yesterday was Mothers day here in Madagascar so that was a wonderful time to spend with the family especialy after not seeing them for two years i i shared my testimony yesterday at church it was nice it seems as if i changed to another area because there are many people which i do not know in my ward you know what i already had a calling and i will be the first counsular ofd the bishopric pray for me so that i can accomplish my new calling here in Madagascar the situation is not very good at the moment because of the crise politic so i realy dont know what to do at the moment i need a help if you can help me to continue on on my life because here its very bad many people are struggling to find job or school but i know God has a plan for me whene i came home i lost all of my stuff at the airport i do not know where they are now and im using some of my brother clothing thats all here after mission seems a litlle dificult but its fine tell me about whats happening in your side thats all Sister Christensen have a good week 

Bryce trained Elder Ronny.  After Bryce's accident, Elder Ronny began writing letters to me each Monday morning just like Bryce did when he was in South Africa.  Later he had to stop writing to anyone but his family on the internet and this is the first letter we have gotten for many months.  I hope everyone that knows Fanambinantsoa will remember him in their prayers!

Something Bryce Said in His Missionary Journal Dec. 15, 2007

Well, I think Heavenly Father knew how weird and depressing today was for  me so I think he blessed me by playing Bob Marley everywhere I went ...it was good.














This is painted on Bryce's bedroom wall.  

Stake Conference at BYU April 11 2010 Email from Thoughtful Mary

Well today we had stake conference and we had the privilege of hearing from President Bateman the Provo temple president. Well He talked a lot on temples and the miracles that happen there. Then he began telling the story about a very honorable missionary who served in South Africa. I knew right then he was talking about Bryce. He continued telling the story about Bryce and how he passed away. The noisy boys behind me suddenly went silent and it seemed that everyone was paying attention.
Then he eloquently spoke about some of the miracles that happened in the temple with your family after he passed away. Of course I cried as he told the story and it was amazing to hear how silent the room got as he talked about the blessings of the temple and the miracles that were seen because of the faith of my good friends. It was really a great stake conference and it made me love the temple so much more. I thought about how sad it was to lose Bryce but how many people's live have been blessed and will continue to be blessed. As i looked around the room I could tell there were several other people who were moved by his words and I thought to myself, "I'm so proud of Bryce, I'm glad I knew such a choice spirit." Then I thought of you, and your family and how strong you have been and how such a tragic event has blessed so many lives and will continue to do so. I love you guys so much, and I just thought I would share that experience with you.

My reply to Mary:
Thank you  Mary for sharing those tender and sweet thoughts.  I appreciate it very much.  I would have liked to hear President Bateman tell about it.  I got a phone call Sunday afternoon from Peter...he served in SA with Bryce.  He must have been in the same Conference as you because he was walking home and called on his cell to tell me about it.  He heard it twice because he called on Bryce's anniversary just as we had finished at the temple and I told him about it then.  I have had experiences since then with Bryce.  I told Kim this morning that I think Bryce is trying to make it up to me for all the grief he caused me growing up.  He wants me to know he is working with our family and the people of South Africa and helping serve others.   He was always trying to get out of the service projects in YM!  I was in Shopko and Romona Payne was there with her 33 year old son, Randy.  He has Down Syndrome.  One of her other sons served in Japan and when he, Brian came home, found that he had cancer and he was gone in what seemed like a few months.  Romona was Dallin's piano teacher.  Ramona's  brother and family live in Japan right now.  His son was hiking in Durban South Africa with his companion and other Elders and fell to his death.  I have become good friends with his wife Chris.  Long way to tell you that while we were  talking in Shopko, her son Randy kept saying...Brian, Bryce     Brian, Bryce...missionaries.  They are happy.  They are happy. Randy knows.   The temple has always been a very special place for me but now even more so, it has connected me to Bryce and opened my eyes.  The irony is that with all my understanding, I still struggle to do what is right.  It is a challenge for all of us even with all we know and have.  That is the beauty of this mortal life.  Thanks again Mary for taking the time to write down your thoughts and feelings.  It is of great comfort and joy to me and my husband.  We miss our Bryce even with all the understanding we have.   It is such a reminder how each person makes such a difference in this world.

Here is an excerpt of a letter I wrote to President Bateman about going to the temple on Bryce's one year anniversary.  I wrote it because President Bateman saw us at the temple and asked us why we were there at that early hour in the middle of the week.  I wanted him to know about our experience: Yesterday we attended the temple to begin our day remembering Bryce.  It had not occurred to us to do sealings but upon entering the temple, decided that would be a good thing to do.  In the middle of our session of sealing daughters to parents, a sealer came in with more names.  They were sons to be sealed to parents.  As my husband and I were proxy, the sealer commented that the names we were doing were from South Africa.  We felt our son close by with a great big smile on his face.  I will remember that experience forever.  It just felt so good. 

2005 11 20 Bearded Ladies song

Funny Bryce

A Little Bit o' Bryce

This is Darla.  She makes me look like a giant.   She is very small and a jogger.  She has some of Bryce's knee tissue and tendons so she can run...no more soccer but she can run!  We went to Arizona to visit Kira for her birthday and were able to meet with Darla and her daughters.  It was pretty close to heaven to be with her and share.  The interesting part of all this...Darla lost her son ( same age as Bryce) in a car accident a few months after Bryce's accident.  It is times like these that tell me Heavenly Father is very much aware of our pain and sadness and does all He can to help us heal.  This was very much a healing time and a great way to celebrate our sons!

Spontaneous talks 21 May 2008

1. How to Introduce the Book of Mormon to investigators.  The Book of Mormon is worth more than it’s weight in gold.  I’m sure if we went around handing out slabs of gold everyone would be eager to receive one.  They would be thinking of the new Golf they could buy or all of the KFC they could eat.  The could think of many things they could get with that gold, and they would be so happy to receive it.  But instead of giving out slabs of gold worth thousands, or millions of Rand, we are giving out exactly 404 sheets of thin paper with a cheap blue cover worth about 10 or 15 rand.  In worldly measure anyway.  Now a lot of people are still very eager to receive this Book worth 15 rand, most people love anything that is free.  But if they could see the real value of the Book of Mrmon.  If they could see why it is worth more than it’s weight in gold, imagine how wealthy they could become.  Members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints are wealthy…

The Final Bend

Song lyrics from a song Bryce worked on while in South Africa

And it seems everything’s turned gray

Where you walk the wind blows the other way

It’s not as easy as you thought

Can’t find your money don’t know what you’ve bought

The pain inside won’t come out

Makes you worry it makes you doubt

So the storm is on its way

Is there shelter, is there a place to stay?

It might seem like this road will never end,

But just wait till we make it round the final bend

We’ll rest take that burden off your chest now

And we’ll float around the whole hemisphere.

Missionary Jeopardy

I was thumbing through one of Bryce's missionary journals today and found a Jeopardy game that he made for a district meeting. Most of the questions were quite difficult, identifying particular scriptures and quotes, or knowing what was taught in the last district meeting. But I had to chuckle when I read the 4th question in the "Random" category. Question: Who sang "Bennie and the Jets." Answer: Elton John. Bryce had a great sense of humor.

Bryce plays a halloween song (November 2009)

This is probably the last song that was recorded of Bryce playing his guitar.