Five Years...but whose counting

Bryce's Journal
30 Dec. 2008  Well, I've been snowboarding 5 times this season.  We got a few feet in the mountains this Christmas week.  I even went snowboarding by myself once.  It wasn't too bad.  I went to 2 family parties.  I got a weight bench for Christmas.  I built a jump at Willy's to a picnic table but it wasn't much fun so we made it just a jump.  Willy would push me and I did front flips off of it.  Yesterday I I bought a 2002 Toyota Rav 4 for $4,900.  we got a way good deal on it but by the time we do all the needed repairs and things to get it road ready, it will be about $6,000 which is still a dang good deal for what we got.  I love that car.  I need to name it.
31 Dec. 2008  Well yesterday I went snowboarding.  I drove the Prism up by myself.  It does pretty good up the canyon if the roads are good.  I met up with Ben and his brothers there, did about 5 runs on Saddle Back with them and then they had to go so I

rode the Terrain Park by myself the rest of the day.  It was really fun.  I did a way cool trick on the C-box to flat box.  I did a board slide and slid a 360 degree while I was on the box and rode away so smooth the very first time.  It must have looked so cool.  Then my new bindings came and I put them on.  They are soo cool.  Every day that passes, I love my car even more.  I need a name for her.  I weighed 180.4 lbs. this morning, butt naked. 

Bryce's Talk Before Going to South Africa

This is Bryce 5 years ago at Christmas time wearing his great DI find...a girl's club jacket from England.  He got home from South Africa in time for the holidays.   It has been a time of reflection and remembering.  There is just something about 5 years being gone that seems significant...and then it will be the ten year mark, etc.
 It is interesting to see how our thoughts about Bryce continue to flow.  I sometimes wonder if we lived in a different house where all his scratch marks, doors in the cupboard that don't close right because he would hang on them as he decided what he wanted to eat, and his room that yells at me every time I enter were all gone ---that  my thoughts would not be jolted as much.  Sometimes I just have to stop and remember things.  It is as if he is reaching through the veil and saying...Mom do you think about this or that? 
Today was a day  like that.  I went down and got out his letters to the Mission President where  his letters home and  journal pages were included.  I never did finish all of it.  Some things are still too hard.  This was the find of the day...his talk that he gave before leaving for South Africa. 

Learning ....

Nov. 6, 2006

I am awesome and not very humble yet but I will work on that and then I will be awesome for reals.  

Jan. 28, 2007

Near the end of the day nothing special had happened and I was just thinking how nice it would be to be home.  Then our last appointment with Thando and Bubela made me glad to be on mission again.  It happens alot where I just want to be done with mission, and then Heavenly Father does something to keep me here. 

Jan. 28, 2007

Then we went and hung out with the sisters...it was kinda weird.  their fun and African. They have B.O. so that's not fun.  I'm trying hard to learn how to be hard core, by being friendly and not thinking bad about others and situations.  I think it's working some.  I am more happy to be here and I think others can see a change in me too.  I felt good about being a missionary today. 

Companions, Almost Home, and Will I Adjust?

Sept. 2008
Bryce served in 8 areas, had 14 companions with 9 being from Africa and 5 from elsewhere. He was companions with Elder Nyzungu from Zimbabwe in the MTC in Johannesburg for 3 weeks. Elder Shipp from Virginia was his trainer in Port Elizabeth-Kwa Dwesi for 12 weeks. Elder Baldwin from South Africa was his companion for 6 weeks in Kwa Dwesi. Elder Later was his companion in Port Elizabeth-Walmer for 6 weeks and Elder Robinson for 9 weeks (from St. George, Utah) . He went to George and had Elder Faerch from Johannesburg for 9 weeks. He went to East London and had Elder Marelmela from Johannesburg for 6 weeks and then Elder Nielsen ( his greenie) from American Fork for 19 weeks, then Elder Andriandrisoa from Madagascar for 6 weeks. He went to King Williams Town and had Elder Mdanda from Durban for 6 weeks, Elder Thethe from Lesothu ( only missionary serving from his country) for 6 weeks, and Elder Randrianirinaniarivo from Madagascar for 6 weeks. He then went to where he really wanted to go and that was Capetown-Langa with Elder Bean from Lindon, Ut. for 6 weeks. He is finishing up in Port Elizabeth--Kwa Nobuthle where he began with Elder Ekeya from Uganda for 5 weeks. 

 Elder Bean and I have been working with crazy less actives and we take time to reflect and think about all the crazy people we work with and their problems, all the insane things we see, feel, and hear. We can really see first hand the damage that Satan can do. I am so grateful for the circumstances that I am in and for the opportunities that I have. The people here need the gospel so badly but they just can't seem to get it. Satan has blinded them so much, led them sooo far from the path. It is so great when we are able to see lives change, to see people's countenance change. I think I'm going to have a huge culture shock when I get home.