Marimba Theif

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

Hi Elder buddy Caden!

Oh boy! It's been a week. Lexie was super excited to get her leaners permit this last week. Dad checked her out of school during Lunch and a little of the next period to go take the test to get it. Here's her pic. 

Well, the pic was facing the other way but for some reason it's sides ways, ha ha. You'll just have to turn sideways..... :)

She was super excited like I said and she has been driving us around everywhere. I think it has helped that she has been driving the golf cart for about a year. I haven't been totally terrified but I have been sitting in the back seat. 

So, I'm wondering if anything ever came from your hurt knee. Back in the MTC we heard on your voice recording someone mentioning it and you haven't said a word about it. How is your knee and what did you do to it? Remember, you can tell me :P

This week dad and I have been pondering all the names to submit for the committee heads for Trek. We have this huge list and we felt inspired to the people that should be in charge of each committee. It was great to be in the temple with Dad and do sealings. It was a ward night and we had 5 couples come. But we were able to finish all the names from when us 3 went before you left. 

Yesterday was a really hard day for me. I know Dad emailed you and asked you what you thought if John borrowed your marimba and you said it was fine. Dad is a very thoughtful person and he is always thinking of others. I on the other hand was only thinking of myself and how much I will miss seeing the Marimba in our music room. I know no one will be playing it and it will be amazing for John to be able to practice at home but I was feeling sorry for myself. I cried quite a bit. I wouldn't even be telling you this if I didn't know you would be ok with me telling you. And then he came and picked it up and it was really hard to see him take it. But he was so excited and he just talked about how much he loves you and how you have been his favorite student of all time. And he said that he has had tons of students!!!! I could see how much you mean to him in his expression. He also asked tons of questions about your mission and the mormons. Dad talked a lot with him. Dad also told him a stipulation for him borrowing your Marimba would be that he has to email you. Ha Ha. You totally need to talk him into having a Skype session so you can teach him. He was really receptive. The more I thought of John and him not having a Marimba to practice on like you and always having to go to the schools to practice I thought how amazing that we could help him with this for just a little while. 

Anyway, that emotional day crept into today when Kathryn Geddes taught a lesson about Family and how much she misses Braden. I was doing fine and being so composed until she talked about how important it is to have your family close and doing things together all the time. It just made me miss having my family all together. BUT I wouldn't trade having you on a mission for anything!!!! I am so grateful that you chose to go on a mission and the amazing things you are learning and the spirit that you have are things you could never get by staying home. So as a MOM i am ok that you are where you are. Even though Lexie is probably very bored just hanging out with us. 

I just love the blessings that we are being given by serving the Lord and I am so grateful for the message you are sharing with the world that families can be together forever. 

Dad has his gig tomorrow, Labor Day. I'm excited to go hear them play. I hope it's as big of a crowd as Nate Swanson promised. Ha ha. That's what we are doing. 

I can't wait to hear all about your week. I love your letters! 

Love you Buddy!!!!!!!

Love Always,

 Mom

ELDER SNELL: Hi Mom! :)

I'm glad to hear Lexie hasn't killed anything yet with the car haha :)
Oh yeah... My knee. So, it has been hurting more and more each week,
so I finally called the mission medical person on Thursday. She
emailed me some knee strengthening exercises and told me to RICE it.
So, we will see how those go haha :)
I'm glad that someone will be playing the marimba while I am gone. Jon
is super cool and I really like him. Did Dad ask him if he wanted to
borrow it, or did Jon ask first? What kind of things did they talk
about religion-wise?
You are the best, Mom! I can only imagine what it is like to have two
of your kids just up and leave. You will feel a lot better as you
serve others :) I know you already do a ton of service for others
though haha ;) I love you, Mom! Thanks for always being a good example
to me and everyone around you! You are the greatest!
Love ya!
Elder Snell

MOM: Oh. You must not know about the garage door that Lexie killed with the golf cart..... Um ya. She kinda forgot to tell us that happened and we saw it coming back from choir as she drove us in the golf cart. Hmmm. 
So how did you hurt your knee???
Jon asked Dad if he could borrow it. I thought it was pretty bold of him to ask but I'm sure he will put it to great use :)
Dad was telling him about growing up Mormon because Jon asked. 
Thank you for always answering my questions. You are the best. I love you so much!!!!!
Love Mom

ELDER SNELL: Hahahaha Dad told me about that one last week hahaha. But at least it

wasn't with the car, right? Haha did you take pictures?

I don't know. It had been giving me some problems every other week or
so for a few months before I left. It wasn't super bad; just a slight
pain. But at the MTC our teacher had us do this little competition
thing where we would run back and forth three times up some stairs and
back down. I had to win, right? So I would jump the last 6 steps or
so, and my knee has t stopped hurting since that day. It hasn't gotten
any better, so I decided I should ask someone about it haha 😅

Jon is a pretty bold person and is upfront about everything haha :)