I'm Cool

 

Bryce's Journal Entry on May 1st 2005
This pen is purple but that doesn't mean anything. Well, I'm cool. How are you? I hope your doing good because you should be doing good because you are so cool. Well I think this is a long enough journal how bout you? Of course you do because you are me the end.

 

Today I was looking at pictures on Bryce's computer. I found a bunch I have never seen. Here is one.

Cape Town Blue Daisies

This spring, I saw these Cape Town Blue Daisies and thought of Bryce. I didn't get them but later, they were placed on his headstone in a pot by a friend. I planted them later that summer when they needed more water, in our backyard. They didn't really start to blossom a lot until it turned cold. That was a lot like Bryce--he loved the cold and seemed to thrive while the rest of us would stay in the warmth of our homes.

Baby Blessing Summary 1987

Bryce's grandmother found a letter I had written to her after we blessed Bryce. I think they were on a mission. I don't know if I have a copy of his blessing anywhere so this is a special find and interesting to see in retrospect.

Bryce was reserved for this time for a reason for his family and for the church.
He was blessed with a perfect body, perfect spirit and as each develops they will be blessed and protected from the wickedness and negative influences in the world today.
He was blessed with the light of Christ and to be able to follow that light, to receive and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and to become a righteous warrior in Heavenly Father's army.
By following the Lord, Bryce will be prepared for a specific work that He has in store for him.
He was blessed with the ability to learn quickly from the righteous and good examples of his brothers and sisters and parents.
He was blessed to not accept or be influenced by the poor examples surrounding him.

One Year Since Bryce Got Home

This is a fun picture because there was someone in it I didn't know until this week. That would be Steven ...the tallest elder in the back row. We had a great time learning more about Bryce from Steven. He just got home from SACTM in August. One of my favorite stories he told was about Bryce and Elder Fanambinantsoa Randrianirinaniarivo. Elder Ronny as we fondly nicknamed him is from Madagascar. He is the cute third missionary from the left over next to Bryce. Bryce was his trainer. Elder Ronny continues to email us each week from South Africa. His English is pretty good! He taught Bryce some French. Bryce would write it like "dairy-ere". Too fun. So Steven told us when Bryce couldn't work out for one reason or another, he would have Elder Ronny sit in a chair and he would get under it and lift them until he got his work out. Now we love Elder Ronny even more. It was so fun to hear all the things that Steven remembers about Bryce. Good things just keep coming. Thanks Steven!

Pulling Strings

Pres. Monson announced the construction of temples in Brigham City (hometown), Ft. Lauderdate (Tyler's mission), and Sapporo Japan (Dallin's mission). The one in Brigham will probably be a remodeling of the tabernacle into a mini temple, something we've expected for some time. Southern Florida has needed a temple for some time with over ten stakes in the area and a six hour drive to Orlando. I think Bryce has been busy putting forward the wishes of his family members. Thanks Bryce!

Bryce and His Missionary Journal

One thing that Bryce did not like to do was write in his journal. Even when he understood the value of writing, he would make comments in his journal of how much he didn't want to write. The irony was that he was actually a very good writer and made many profound analogies. One of his last emails home talked about finishing his journal and finding out that the other Elders had written 3 and 4 journals in the time he wrote in one. "You would be proud of them mom" was his comment.
I have been typing up the journal to send to Bryce's brother in Japan. He has wanted to know what Bryce was doing when he had been out the same amount of time, etc.
Today I was typing his April 2, 2007 entry. I knew when he began that he had a dream that it would be something revealing. He always wants to dream about snow and snowboarding but this one was different.
2007 April 2 So it is 6:30. I just woke up and I think I may have had a dream with significant meaning.
Hopefully I will remember why as it started with me riding in the back seat of a taxi. Later as we drive along I find myself singing with a terrible squeaky high pitched voice. Then I find myself walking around some houses in a suit with a suitcase or possibly a guitar, singing now in a deep pleasant voice. I am on top of a hill and I can see the ocean. The tide and the waves look big. So I walk down towards the ocean to get a better look. When I get near the bottom the tide is really high and gets me a bit wet so I hurry up the hill to avoid getting wet from the next tide. But the next tide is even higher so I continue to rush up the hill. The next tide even higher and rising at a rapid rate. By this time I am rushing up the hill as fast as I can but the next tide is a monstrous wave and it blasts me high into the air. As I fly into the air and realize my situation, the only thing in my mind is the R.E.M. song “It’s the end of the world” I am completely calm as I prepare to die, and then my dream is over. I later have a dream where I am learning how to surf. It was a strange dream maybe it means nothing, but I felt strongly that I needed to remember it. I think it could possibly have something to do with death obviously or possibly the 2nd Coming. Something to do with being ready perhaps. Then maybe the surfing part is after this life. Who knows. I don’t think I have ever written down a dream before today though. Interesting.

Bryce's journal has made me laugh and cry within minutes of each entry. He writes funny poems, comments about the people of South Africa, says stuff off the wall and then ends with spiritual insights. It is clear that he loves those that he teaches. It is clear that his testimony continues to grow and be strengthened with
each month that passes. He is just beginning to understand the power of goal setting and charts a course of self improvement. ( April 2007).
This is a picture of Mdoda. He is now on a mission for the LDS church. Bryce had just come from hearing General Conference when he had this dream and he was so happy to see Mdoda, Nceba, and Zolanie. Lunga had put in his missionary papers. Bryce was seeing the fruits of his labors and it touched him deeply.