9/8/09 Pictures from Elder Gage

We got a package from Dave! It was received at our post office in mid July but we didn't get it until now. It came while we were on vacation but the notice was not put with our mail they were holding. Oh well, it was worth the wait! We got a camera card full of great pictures and video clips, lava lava's for the whole family, really cool Samoan battle axes for the boys, Samoan t-shirts for dad, hand woven purses for mom and Kaela, and hand painted hair clips too!

Dave said in his recent email, "On Saturday we baptised, Falaniko. A 20 year old kid, and its cool because a couple of months ago I baptized his younger brother." "Today here in Samoa, is the official day that they have switched the roads. Instead of driving on the right side of the road (like in america), today they've switched it to the left side. None of the ZLs are allowed to drive today." "This week, Elder Williams came back from Savaii with other zone leaders to pick up the new right-hand drive vans. And man, I miss Elder Williams. He was such a fun, great companion."

Hobble Creek Half Marathon 8/22/09

This was a great day! Me, Jordan, Brent, my lil sis, Shala & her hubby, Pat and my brother, David all ran the Hobble Creek half marathon. Thanks to Pat & Shala for talking us into doing it. I have always wanted to run it because it is just up my street. And it is a incredibly beautiful run. Coming down our canyon is a truly breath-taking experience. We are so blessed to live here! The weather was perfect. I felt better than I did at the Music City half in Nashville 2 years ago and I had a better run time, 2hrs 30min(I know I'm slow...but I did it)!

Brent and Jordan did only 1 practice run and beat the family record! Nobody in the Lifferth/Gage/Stephens/Zurawski families have ever been able to break the 2 hour mark and they did it!!! Jordan and Brent did it in 1 hour 58 min!!! I'm so proud of them!

Elder Gage, More Samoa!

These are just more of the pictures Dave sent us a while back. In his last email, he sadly said that Elder Williams got transfered. So sad! But he is moving on to bigger things, a zone leader in Savaii! Good luck Elder Williams! Dave and us will miss you!

Dave's new comp is Elder Tolley from Oregon. He said he is a good missionary! And they had baptisms planned for last week but they got sick, so hopefully it will happen this week!

Dave told us of some recent experiences with opposition, he said, "...its like my whole life I've been surrounded by nothing but support for my testimony and beliefs but now on the mission all the sudden I'm encountering opposition and its a test of testimony. It really is such a blessing to have these experiences, to see really how strong your testimony is. Guys, prepare now for the mission, it really is the best, I love it!"

Lake Powell-July 2009, A BLAST!!!

We went to Lake Powell for our summer vacation! It was awesome, huh Rick! The only thing that would have made it better would be to have Dave with us. But he is doing bigger and better things in Samoa!!!
We brought our trailor down and camped at Statton Creek with Uncle Karl and Aunt Paula, their daughter Jen and her husband, Jeff and their adorable kids, Jake, Julianna and Adalyn. Crazy cousins, Craig and Darren, their Uncle Skip, who is now officially our Uncle Skip too! My cousin Rick, his wife, Sherry and their cute girls, Sheridan and Natalie, all the way from Oklahoma!

Lots of fun: tube wars (especially with Craig on the megaphone!!), sking-especially Jake, Julianna & DON!!, sea dooing-thanks to Rick, late night mafia, Paula's yummy cookin', cliff jumping, rainbow bridge, hiking the big crack in the wall, Uncle Skip's words of wisdom, speedos, etc. GOOD TIMES!!! GOOD TIMES!!!

More Lake Powell!!!!!

Mikaela's Softball Team takes 2nd in State Tourney

Mikaela's softball team did awesome this year! They went undefeated through the regular season and took 2nd place in the state tournament. They played so good and only lost 2-1. I was one of the coaches and I was so proud of Mikaela and her team!