Erik, the missionary!

A post by Katie:

I posted about Erik on my blog: katiekennington.com (link to the right)

Mom flew to Utah with Erik a week late because of complications due to the Volcano. He had a party with family and was able to say bye and get some last minute advice from the many returned missionaries in our extended family. I wish I could have been there for he also go to meet his newest nephew, Andrew Johnson who arrived just the week before. With a trip to Mr. Mac and the Missionary Mall, he was finally ready to get to the MTC.

He has now been in the MTC for over one week now. Elsa prays for "Elder Jackson" every night. (with help of course) It is interesting to think about him being there...because I have no idea what the MTC is like. My one experience there was meeting Casey for lunch while I was pregnant with Elsa for a date on a Wednesday, new missionary day. All I can say that I know about the MTC is that they have great food and a lot of it :)

You returned missionaries...what was the MTC like? And more importantly: What was the best package you got while on your mission? (I am trying to think of something to send him soon)

Oh OH...here is Erik's MTC address. Please do feel free to write him:

Elder Erik R Jackson
MTC mailbox 198, OR-POR 6030
2005 N. 900 E. , Provo, Utah 84604

Memories of Erik??

Ok, lets see who reads this blog.

I thought it would be fun to call for memories...Rack your brain and comment on your favorite memory of Erik.

(throwing cars, biting bums, saying "howdy little lady" to Anne, running around in his little speedo ...)

Erik has a countdown in the kitchen of days until he leaves for the MTC. I think he is so excited, but mom is sad. Erik is such a great little brother. I love him tons. I am thankful for this time that we get to be living back at home for a while to be with him before he leaves. Frequently Erik will come up to our attic apartment to just lay on the floor and hang out with us and our little girls. His favorite thing to do to pass the time...watch KUNG FU PANDA!!! yeah.

Frankfurt Temple

Mom hired me to be her unofficial blog upkeeper, since she is a busy woman. So naturally I will take this opportunity to show off my cute girls! It is too hard to get a picture with both girls looking at the camera and smiling, but there they are. This is us in front of the temple after our wonderful session with Erik.
Leah sitting up all by herself in front of the temple She was really sweaty in the car, so she is cooling off and showing off her cute chubbiness.

The happy family! The missionary is the handsome man in the middle with the blue tie.
March 20th we loaded up and made a trip to the Frankfurt Temple. Erik went early with mom and dad The Kennington family plus Anne, the babysitter for the day, drove down later.

The Monday of that week we had a special FHE and reviewed the temple binder that mom made a long time ago. Erik took temple prep classes at church and we each wrote him a letter about our temple experiences and read them for that FHE. So he was ready for this exciting day.

Meeting up with family in the Temple is one of the best things in the world. We had a wonderful session. And Anne, Elsa and Leah did well in the van. Well, Anne says that Leah freaked out a bit and filled more than one dirty diaper, but she is a great babysitter who can handle anything!

After taking some pictures at the Temple, Casey took Elsa home (he had to get back to his visiting Japanese friends who had come just the night before) and the rest of us went to lunch at a lovely Italian restaurant.

The drive home was fun filled. I will miss Erik when he leaves soon for his mission, but I know this is what the Lord wants him to do and he will be a wonderful missionary.