Random pictures

Ammon’s first day of football with big brother Ben helping (8/1/2020)
Ammon’s first game – not to sure about all the equipment (8/6/2020)
Anthony helping to clean up backyard (8/7/2020)
Ben looking intense (8/7/2020)
Ben’s first game of the season – offense vs. defense (8/7/2020)
(8/7/2020)
Wrestling is starting too (8/8/2020)
FMF Party (8/8/2020)
Ammon at football practice (8/10/2020)
Ben eating stuff (8/11/2020)
Ammon reading during breakfast (8/14/2020)
Mom and Dad at a weekend get away (8/15/2020)
LaReita, Julles, June, Dave wondering why they need to wear masks outside (8/15/2020)
Sam gets ready for another race (8/15/2020)
Sam cooling off (8/15/2020)
James and Mom car shopping (8/18/2020)
Trying one out
Grabbing some lunch
Ben heads off to his first day of school (8/19/2020)
Ammon and Jacob – 1st day of school (8/19/2020)
Ammon heads into his first grade class (8/19/2020)
Sam appears on the local news showcasing the music store – Sam in background playing piano (8/20/2020)
Sam again – now on the drums
James buys his first car (8/20/2020)
James, the proud car owner
Ammon at football game (8/22/2020)
Taking a break with his fan club – Anthony, James, Ammon, Dad, Sam, Ben (sleeping) (8/22/2020)

Lake Powell

Jacob, Mom and Ammon on a rented jet ski – first time we’d been to Lake Powell.
Sam’s first jet ski ride solo.
James ready to ride
Jacob playing in the suds
Ammon playing
Boyz rockin – Ammon, Ben, Sam, Anthony
Ben on board
Anthony flexin
And showing off his sunburn
Ben and Jacob flexin
Sam buried in his work
James and Dad posing.
Dad and Jacob.
Anthony chillin.
Ben and cousin Loralai.
Cousin Mallory, uncle Doug and James.
Jacob taking a break.
Back at the house – James nurses his sunburns
The boys – Anthony, Ben, Sam go fishing
Ammon holds up the bridge
Jacob
Mom
Dad
Jenny, LaReita, Jacob, David, Ammon
Cruising through the canyons
Dad, Ammon, Jacob
Mom holding Ammon on our boat ride (with Dad) and tour of Lake Powell.

The boys learn how to clean the fish they caught

Random pictures

Ben ready to wrestle (7/2/2020)
Sam at his Venture Crew camping trip (7/3/2020)
Sam arrives home (7/4/2020)
Jacob and Pumpkin (7/12/2020)
Mom and Ammon (7/12/2020)
Heading out on a hike (7/14/2020)
Near the top (7/14/2020)
Mom and Sam on a bike ride (7/14/2020)
Mom and Ben at a wrestling tournament (7/18/2020)
Ben placed
2nd place
Ben reading (7/19/2020)
Ammon reading (7/19/2020)
Hiking with their machetes (7/19/2020)
Jungle hiking (7/19/2020)
At the rodeo (7/22/2020)
Rodeo (7/22/2020)
Ammon gets some dental work done (7/27/2020)
Ammon starts football practice (7/29/20200

Anthony’s Graduation

Anthony had his unique 2020 graduation today. It was a drive-by graduation. We drove up to the platform, Anthony hopped out walked across the stage, received his diploma, posed for pictures and hopped back into the car.

Video of Anthony receiving his diploma:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ry7j2K-hg#t=1h11m18s  (about 15 seconds of Anthony)

Pictures:

Anthony and friend Caesar
Anthony wanted to drive the Impala but the whole family couldn’t fit in – one car/grad limit – so we rented a trailer.
Anthony in the passenger’s seat ready to hop out and receive his diploma
Posing next to the new monument purchased for the school by the class of 2020
The whole crew
Celebration lunch at an all-you-can eat sushi restaurant

Random pictures

Ammon and a new chick (5/12/2020)
New chicks, Mom picked out a variety (5/13/2020)
The garden in bloom
James reads to Ammon (5/15/2020)
The Larson elementary school teachers do a vehicle parade for the students to mark the end of the school year (5/18/2020)
More cars
Pumkin claims Mom’s office (5/18/2020)
Ammon stops to smell the roses (5/26/2020)
Mom and Dad shopping for a new chair for Dad (5/27/2020)

He’s Back!

James had a dream a while ago that he arrived home and there was no one to meet him at the airport.  His flight arrived 30 minutes early this morning and there was no one there to meet him.  We got there about 30 minutes after he arrived.  We were suppose to meet him on the 2nd level of the short term parking garage at the Salt Lake airport, but we couldn’t get the van on to the 2nd level because of the bike racks on the roof.  So we had to park on level 1 and get out and go up the stairs to level 2 to meet him.

The reunion was very joyous and his mom cried.  He was surprised to see how much his brothers had grown and got a long hug from Ammon.  We told James that we were going to help him get used to non-missionary life by picking up some chicks on the way home.  We stopped by the farm (which is also a petting zoo) but the chicks were not ready.  We petted the animals, held baby bunnies and fed baby goats.  Then drove home.

The boys had fun showing James all the changes in Spanish Fork over the past two years, and more fun showing off all the changes in our house over the years – new deck, wood floor in the living room, hall bathroom remodel, new carpet on the stairs and in the upstairs bedroom, newly painted upstairs bedroom, new Lazy-boy chairs in the basement, and Julles game closet.  Julles worked from home today so she could greet James when he arrived.

LaReita also had a sign company put up a huge sign in the front yard.  Tonight we’ll play some games as a family, then have dinner.  At 7pm the ward youth are going to do a drive-by to welcome James home.

Picking James up at the SLC airport – took a few minutes for us to get the van into the parking garage to just the right spot
Stopped at a petting zoo to pick up some new chicks – just what James wanted to do his first day back
Making new friends
A sign that connects with Mom
Baby goats!
James and the giant sign
The family behind the sign

[Season Finale!] 2 Years later

Wow. It’s really here. I can’t believe it. My last Email. Technically I could do one more, but I’m probably gonna be packing most of next Monday. The 2 years I’ve spent in Oregon serving the Lord have been the best 2 years not just of my life,  but for my life.

I have been able to see other people change and come to accept Jesus Christ, and I’ve been able to see myself change, and I have been able to come closer to Christ. No greater lesson could be learned. 2 Nephi 9:17 Talks about the graciousness and glory of God! How wonderful, if you haven’t felt or thought about that this week, I invite you to. Take some time, do some pondering. Find where you have felt of God’s love for you. John 3:16 also testifies of this. 

Well, I would love to say and tell more, but words can’t quite express what I wish too. Also I’m hungry and looking at this Chipotle gift card (Thanks Mom!) See ya in a week.

Ya Boi,

Elder James Berky

[S16E4] All week conference!

Sorry for not emailing last week, but not much happened. the same can be said for this week, sort of, but I still need to write an email, I’ll feel bad if I don’t.

5: Zone Conference! Because we are not allowed to see people anymore, the way that we are going to be doing Zone Conference is over Zoom. It was a mess at first, but we got it figured out. I’m not a fan because I miss seeing my friends, but oh well. We are to continue the work in any way that we can, circumstances will not stop us. 

4: General Conference!! How cool was that? President Nelson was right, it truly was unforgettable! I really liked how President Nelson introduced a symbol for our church. After 200 years (technically 190 but whatever) we have something that we can rally around. I look forward to all the different ways that the symbol of Christ will be used in the future. I also really loved the proclamation of the Restoration. It is the essentials of everything that we talk about with the restoration! Super cool.

3: Face masks? Are we that far gone? This morning we were instructed to always be wearing face masks when out in public. I don’t like it, but the instruction comes from the bretheren, so who am I to fight it?

2: Hehe, milsurp Because Elder Line and I are really bored, and are not going to see any missionaries today, we decided to stop by the Military Surplus store for the fun of it. I low-key wanted to get a gas mask, but they were all upwards of $40. So I did the next best thing, and bought a bag! A gas mask bag! It even has a little holder for a oxygen tank. Pretty cool, and only $8! Also saw a neat combat helmet and had to take a pic.

1: Dating and temple marriage? I don’t like ‘MyPlan’ When missionaries are going home, they do a 6 week course that prepares them for life after (mission) death. It’s been pretty good so far, got me thinking about school, employment, institute, all that. But this week is the one I’ve been dreading. Dating and temple marriage is going to put the nail in the coffin for me, forcing me to realize I’m going home. For the past 2 years, whenever I’ve talked to a girl, I’ve always thought; “Is talking to her going to get me in trouble?” So for me to stop thinking that way is going to be a big indicator that I won’t be a missionary for much longer. Although it’s ending, I’ve loved what I have been able to do for the Lord, the people of Oregon, and Myself. I don’t remember where I heard it, but someone said; “A mission isn’t just the best 2 years of your life, it’s the best 2 years FOR your life.” And I couldn’t agree more. I am so ready to serve the Lord in a different way, and am incredibly grateful to have done what I have. I love you, and Jesus loves you.

Ya Boi,

Elder James Berky

My face mask
Me getting ready for a video call zone conference
Me at the Military Surplus
Birthday cheesecake and conference!