Letter from Dylan (4/26/2011)

Dear Mamako,
The elder shaw thing kind of grew on me. All the elders are called elders silly! I got the package and thank you very very much! It was tsara be! It was funny though, I got called up to the mailroom right after the mail cameand you would think, why would the mailroom call you personally? I was a smig worried and when I got there they said, "oh, your the one." They gave me the box and said the alarm clock that was in there kept going off. It was awesome. I have about 13 pairs now!  I'll do another shoutout before I send my card! So don't worry about the shoutout. They can print their emails in a computer lab. What you do is sign on, print your emails and at XXXXX you log off. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. I'll send my card/pictures soon! Quote was awesome by the way.
Dylan

*moms note here: if you know dylan, then you know that he can find ways around things. He has found his way around his email time, so I x'd out a few sentences of what he can now do, that I wouldn't recommend. But I wanted to leave it in the post.

Letter from Dylan (4/24/2011)

Dear Mother,                                       4/24             8:37 p.m.
Oh Shoot! I know where all the spanish speakers go to class so i'll see Jameson every now and then =)! and I'll be on the look out for Zach as well! Tell Camryon "very good! proud of getting 8 awards! Probably more than me...maybe!" Found the camcorder yet? Tuesday is our new Pday as you will find out in 2 days!! I taught Dayna well. Think of the 3 weddings as a big blessing. Always time for scrapbook and spending time with kids but not always to make money when needed! A small car would be a good idea. I'll put all my pictures and videos on a cd and mail them. Mailling the card erases them! So in a few weeks you will get a cd. I'll do it near the end. Don't worry.  Dayna should be able to go to Cali! It will be a good expierence for her to get out of the house. She is working. She will be leaving the house soon so why not? But of course, you have the untimate say. But there is a good amount of positive from it with a parent all the time. No worries. don't worry, everything about writing in journal is going tsara. Except the ink. Maybe on day! Tia anao aha. Tell everyone I said hi!.

P-Days got Changed & Email conversation (4/26/2011)

Start from the bottom and read up. Dylan is in read and I am in yellow.  Just made my next few days!!! Even though I couldn't hear his voice. I could in my head. This was FUN!!! Typing against the clock.


Goodness, love you too mother!! I'm out of tmie in 10 seconds, love you very much, stay strong, and I loved it, brigthened my day more than the sun can. Tia anao aho, Mila anao aho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Yes it is


Ahhh I cant think of anything to say anymore. But love you. Hope you like the pack. D is excited to be coming tomorrow. Love you

hahaha oh shoot, dayna with braces, I better get pictures :) Her phone number is 602314xxxx right??

haha it is a secret among namana (friends :)) I gotchu, families are forever and most important :D!


Glad to hear you can call. I’d like to know how oyou can text without a phone. Don’t get in trouble  I may not be watching but the Lord is.

Thank you for the phone number <3 Love you. How is everything? Did Dayna still not have a phone?

Mother's day is a for sure yes. And Christmas if I remember right. If I can't call you, I'll text you on mother's day.


Ya I will get it somehow. Do you know if you get to call on mothers day? Everything good at home. Always thinking about you. Send you a long letter on Monday. Come on…stay up with everyone and become a shutter bug.


Will you also send me Dad's phone number?

haha got the package yesterday, sent your letter out, no pictures for a smig, send a letter back real quickly, you know what Kenneth and I alwasy said mother, no catching us, no trouble ;) haha I only kid half way, promise :) everything good ath ome?

You just be the good boy you are suppose to be don’t go getting in trouble. Patience is a virtue and I can wait, except for the pictures. I am not going to stop hounding you until I get some. And I only chastise a little. Let me know when you get my package. MOM


haha no worries mom, I alwasy have ways of contacting you throughout the week, now, I probably won't do them cause you will chastize me but if you want I still can, I have 14 minutes left, I keep loggin on and off so maybe i'll be able to check it again during the day!!


So unfair!!! I feel jipped now. Guess I will have to be patient now. Have a great day!

Hey mohter, P-day got changed to Tuesday. Hope everything is going good, I wrote you back and sent it this morning, so you should have it by Firday/saturday I'm hoping. Love you!!

Letter from Dylan (4/21/2011)

Dear Mother!

Goodness gracious. Pyper got so messed up. All the companions felt so bad for her!!! She got jacked! Any news on the job for Richard? I'm getting pretty chubby! Pushing 136 pounds with clothes on! I might surpass Richard soon! I'm just messing :) The Mada flag thing would be pretty cool! Make sure you send a sharpie with it as well though please! I know the lady that will/might teach Demetrius  but we will see. I will find him somehow! =D  It defintely feels like it has been a few days, not two weeks at all. But everything is starting to mesh together! The days, the food. I can't remember what I had for lunch at dinner time! So it is going good though. UM! Real quick. Can you send me one .65 mechanical pencil please. Misaotra! I've officaly gone through 20 stamps! Woo! No- electronic week for Chase & them is good! It is like me =D  Sorry if my thoughts are all over. Try to catch up with the letters you send me first!  Miala-tsing amin fanoaranako, I get caught(to be sorry) (with/for) writing fast and cant help it! Oh shoot! Send the BiM so I can mark in it please! oh oops I wrote too fast. Nevermind =) Temple is on P-days but we get a temple walk on Sunday where we walk on temple grounds! love you mother. mazatoa(be diligent) it is a command.  Tia anao aho. Can't wait to hear from you and everybody.

Veloma,
Elder Shaw

p.s. I'm keep all my letters =)
BTW! Richard G Scott spoke Tuesday of the second week here! It was mahafinatra!

Week 2 Thursday E-mail (4-21-2011)

Week has been good, time is starting to zoom by real quick. I figured out where the printers are in the MTC so I can print my emails, then read them, log on and reply and boom! Tell Kenneth I'm writing him a letter today!!I got Aunt Allison's letter yesterday and her package! I'm gona write her back today! I don't want the blanket anymore, so don't send it please. and nah, no letter of when we are leaving yet. Candy is defeinitely a go now, stamps are found but almsot out, nah, only five of us are going to Mada, there is a pair going to Mongolia and some going to Indonsia, and the rest in the states. I would like 6 pairs of garments please, still staying busy. every now and then I get a ping of homesick business but its all good. I'll probably buy some stamps but you can send some today! I'm writing a bunch of letters today, so if someone says they haven't got one yet, I'm sending some out. don't really need addresses yet. Been set or I can't remember right now. nah there are only two of us in my room. I'll send the video of my toe soon so don't worry :) you could send some more SD cards, like 2 just in case I run out in MADA :) I'll say more in the letter back to the ones you wrote /19/20 so don't worry. I've been writing my dad and anyone who has written me. I think that is it!! Lettter will be better, Tia be anao aho.


Elder Shaw

Dylan Shaw's First Plane Ride

So I was going to put the video of Dylan's first plane ride on the Planes, Trains, and Automobile posit but it was justgetting to be too big. So this post is of the video of Dylan's first plane ride. I pasted 4 videos together so it cuts in three places.

Letter from Elder Shaw (4/18/2011)

Mother,

Okay, I'm gona answer all your questions first! Here we go. I haven't gotten Aunt Allison's letter yet but I probably will on Monday. Tell everyone to be patient. I'm only suppose to write on P-Day but sometimes can during the week. Email's are on Thursday but I have 30 minutes so letters are MUCH(underlined 7 times) better. Answers three questions. I can't post pictures but I will do the cd soon. No, mail is fine to get. And for the computer we do laundry in the morning so that is when I do the emails. There is an elder who doesn't get too much mail and would appreciate it if you sent him some. BUT, don't mention my name. Say you saw his letters posted up on the internet or something. dunno, if he will respond but you never know. Don't mention my name and if you can't. don't write him. :)   Mamaly anoa fanontaniare- answer your questions.  There are five of us going. Tell Demetrius I miss talking to him and way stoked to see him up here. He might be in the same building as I am for class! -Break

Taytum-

karate sounds fun. How long have you been doing it. Don't party too hard. 

Love Dylan

Continue-

P-day is pretty cool. Temple and laundry are the best. it snowed a few. I did get my book the white bible. 

Love you Dayna and family and freinds. Time to go to class. Tia anao aho.

Mazatoa/be Diligent. manana fiohana/have faith

Elder Dylan Shaw

Letter from Dylan (4/16/2011)

Dear Mother,



I did get my toe fixed, and the three shots that I got were killer. Hurt so so bad. Elder Wilson got it on his camera so hopefully I can pit it on a cd and send it to you.  By the way, not that I don't trust you, its your computer. Can you put all my pictures and videos, on a hard drive as well azafady! Misaotra! let me tell ya, it is already Thursday and goodness has it flown by!! Already a week and here I am! Sounds like you had a good time in Utah though! Send me a picture of the missionary monkey! I had not gotten the scriptures from Aunt Allison yet but waiting anxiously/patiently, cause those are going to be my main ones!! Tell Brinkerhoff I say hey.  I want to know about most of the home stuff. Our first speaker was Rasband. President of the 70! Was cool. Loving the cold! T loved the quote of the day, we talked about that exact quote in class the same day! Tia anao aho!

Elder Shaw

Elder Rasband

Quote of the day was: "I am convinced that Missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are the Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our great eternal head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for him.  -Jeffrey R Holland

Monkey Missionary & King Julian (4/15/2011)

So while Richard and i were in Utah we went to the mall and ran across a build a bear workshop and thought we'd drop in and see if they had a missionary outfit. After all we were in Utah. So we find one and make a monkey since they don't have bears in Madagascar (at least I haven't read anything) so we make a monkey instead and got him his Missionary Outfit and even a pair of shoes. We decided he would be a mini dylan for the 2 years he was gone. While we were at the Planetarium we also found a lemur, that we called King Julian.

While we were gone Dylan's recliner chair that he always sat in was moved to the back porch and fast became everyone's favorite spot to sit. Now not only is it the kids spot but Mada the Monkey and King Julians

First Email from Dylan (4/14/2011)

Wasup mamako! Don't know why you haven't gotten my letters yet, sent them on monday but you should get them today! Everything is going awesome, P-day is pretty sweet so far, but you only have about 30 minutes on the computer which is sufficent. It is awesome, first off the people that are here are sweet! Pretty much made friends with my whole hallway (about 8 rooms, 2 to 4 people each. ) I can be friendly and say manao ahoana to anybody and they say hello back in their language. It is mahafinatra!! Then the teachers are just tonga lafatra, they know how to answer each question in the best of way, they can answer every question you have for them, they are here for you, and we have a native from madagascar and he is just the best, he is my favorite teacher, his name is Brother Rasolo (Rasooloo.) Then my companion Elder Wilson is awesome as well, we talked last night and just made my experience here even better. Hope you get my letters, Tia anao aho( love you) And I got your last dearelder but gona write back in letter form today, don't worry! sorry if I missed things, 30 minutes goes quick!
Love Elder Shaw


-End mom reading.


To Camryon,
hey man, how you been? How is school treating you? You been waking up right?!! and how was jenny babysitting for the week? Hope everything is going good.


P.S. better practice cause I'm pretty good at boxing ;)


Love Big D


To lilly,


Hey girlie, hope everything is going good, been treating mom right yea?? Tell me about your week, I can write back every thursday cause that is my p-day. Love ya!


Dayna,


I'm about to put on my spongebob sheets!! how have you been? Heard ****** asked you to prom but you waiting for **** aren't you? ;) hows everything been? anything new? (tsy misy vaovao?) and nice story by the way, haven't had the chance to write you back til now cause they be crazy here!!


Rest of family!


Write me letters! Want to hear about it all

Letter from Dylan(4/13/2011)

April 10th 9:38 a.m.
Well the past telo days have been pretty good. Learned how to pray in Malagasy and share our testimonies in it as well. Been meeting a lot of people in my dorm area. Learned some insane stuff. You will have to see my notebook to know! Time to mamaly anoa fanontaniana!! Food is always (foana) good. it is like high school. Big cafeteria, go get your food and BOOM! your set, plus they foana have cereal during every meal. But, the safako (food) is tsara(good)! We have roa(two) nametags! One for the suit and iray hafa(another) for the white shirt. I did find my recommend, it was in my side pocket. I can't find the stamps though! and starting to learn the teny gasy first day! My cold is just momba(about) gone. My toe is still crazy nasty though, so health clinic tomorrow morning. if you would like, the only thing I really need is stamps, and my BROWN blanket if possible. Besides that I'll keep you updated. The spiritual cloud was a lot to take in at first but I embrace it and doing tonga lafatra(perfect). Tell Lilly and Dayna & Camryon & Ty & Richard & Taytum(only if she misses me) & tell you I miss you. I got my first letter from Jacob Reed which was awesome, then yours which was tonga lafatra. Write me back. Tia anao aho!!
Big D.

Dylan's First Letter from the MTC (4/13/2011)

April 6, 2011(i think)


Dear Mother! Manahoana!
The mission president said we could and should write home saying we are, "Eating, breathing, and absolutely sleeping!" But I'm donig much better than that! First day was pretty long let me tell you! Meet our district leaders, did the basic Malagasy words and got a bunch of things! Like Malagasy Book of Mormon, vocab. Book, Preach My Gospel and many other things. My teacher is Brother Rasulo! He has one heavy accent! We talked and introduced, AND GUESS WHAT! Elder Wilson is my companion! Sister Draper's nephew! Imagine that! :)  But got all unpacked, getting the hang of it, I'll take pictures of everything! But my alarm clock does not work so will you send me another one please? Misaotra! But everything is going great! Still sick like crazy though! I'll write you back Monday if you write me back in time. Veloma!


Love your son,
Big D!
p.s. Thursday is P-day

note from MOM: about Elder Wilson, he is the nephew of a lady who use to be in our ward. He received his call the same day as Dylan and reported the same day also. i tried to get Dylan to go meet him, but Dylan didn't want to. Too funny that they are now companions.  Remember the AC/HEATER war? That is how Dylan got crazy sick. Imagine that?

This is the MTC Calling (4/11/2011)

This was a most unexpected call. Turns out Dylan's ingrown toenail appeared to be getting worse and so he decided to go to the Health Office. They called looking for his insurance saying they were sending him to the Podiatrist to take care of his toe. Not even there a week and already using our insurance. They said that he will be writing a letter to update us on how it went. I didn't even think about getting letters yet. I figured I'd hear from him on Wednesday if  I didn't hear sooner. Well Tuesday came and went and no email. Then on Wednesday hung out all day by the computer waiting for an email. Ugh! Nothing came. Then Dayna decided  to go get the mail as she was waiting for something, and on the very bottom of the stack of mail was a letter from Dylan! NOT expecting that. By end of night I was very happy to have received a letter from Dylan but no e-mail.

The flight home (4/10/2011)

After we dropped off Dylan we took Chase and went out to eat at Applebee's. Then we put Chase on the plane to go home and we stayed to celebrate our anniversary. There were several times that we drove by Provo and oh how I wanted to just drive by the MTC. I know I couldn't go in and he wasn't going to be outside. But it is just the idea of being close to where he is. I guess I need to cut the apron strings soon. But by the time we left Salt Lake on Sunday I wasn't really missing him anymore and I really didn't cry. I was thinking about the snow and rain and cold weather that Dylan was having. We hadn't seen this much snow and cold weather since....ever...we live in Arizona we don't get rain or snow.  Good thing Dylan likes to be at a cool 60 degrees cause he got it!

Reporting to the MTC (4/6/2011)

Well today is the day. The day Dylan has been waiting four months for. I can't believe it is here. It has been a whirlwind over the last eight months and a tornado over the last two weeks getting his ready to go.

So we wake up and had a great breakfast for the first time. The previous hotel did not offer breakfast. This hotel made up for the last one. Dylan double checks his bags. I ironed a few of his shirts as we didn't know when he would get a chance. Dylan made last minute phone calls. Which interestingly enough Dylan left his phone at home instead of bringing it and leaving it with us. We were trying to call the Bishop and his Grandmother in New Hampshire and none of knew the numbers as Dylan had them in his phone and not mine. It was too funny. You don't realize how much you rely on things until they are gone.  We then load up the car and check out of the hotel. We again headed to Walmart to get a few different luggage tags and luggage locks, he forgot his hangers and needed some. It was an interesting feeling in the car. Time was slowly slipping away and sooner or later we were going to have to say goodbye. We headed to the MTC and took a drive around it and then headed to the Kiss and Cry area, which was the parking lot across the street from the MTC. We took some fun pictures in front of the Provo Temple, especially the ones where dylan and chase are jumping into each others arms. We started walking down to the crosswalk and talked with the security guy there who told us they took down the MTC plaque because it was causing too much traffic problems with all the family waiting to have their photos taken there. They also put up a security booth with an arm. The man said there were 250 missionaries reporting in 1 1/2 hours time. It is amazing how smoothly things ran. We then got a few more pictures and then headed back to the car as you can't cross the street and report with just your luggage, you actually have to drive in a car. Amazing. So we say our goodbyes by the car. Yes I cried. What mom wouldn't. Although Dylan put a 20 second time limit on me hugging him as apparently he really needed to go to the bathroom and he was nervous and excited to get going. He didn't want to be late for his 1:15 appt time. Interestingly, we ran into Saul Marquez who is a boy that goes to the ward right after us. He is going to France. There were so many people reporting today that are going to Madagascar. Four of them from Arizona alone. Well we get into the car after Richard and Chase said there goodbyes. I was impressed that Chase didn't cry....or at least he hid it really good. So we drove across the street. The security guy asked us if we had a missionary in the car.(I should have said no and see what he said) and I said of course, we are ready to kick him to the curb. The man was really funny. So we proceeded down to post 24. Dylan got out- Richard got his luggage out, Chase was video taping and I, of course, was talking with the host missionary. The guy who took Dylan's luggage and escorted him inside. Then we gave another quick good bye and off he went. He did look back and waved and then walked on. We then drove of towards the exit sign. That was it, like dropping your child of at school. The only reason Dylan looked back was because I called his name.  He was so ready to go. I'm glad Chase was there as I would have been bawling like a baby. But it wasn't too bad as I did all my crying on Tuesday at the temple. I was happy for him. Heavenly Father has given us so much and all he asks for is 2 years out of what 70 years worth of living, to help bring people unto Christ, to give them an opportunity to live a different life knowing that you are a child of God and that there is more after this life. Dylan was happy and wanted to go and I am thankful for his desire and for all the people who helped encourage and loved and supported him along this last year. Old friends, new friends, you never know who will make a difference in your life until  you let them in.

Mom and Dylan going THE LIST!

Packing up.

Dylan and Mom at the Provo Temple

Dylan and Chase at the Provo Temple

Mom, Dylan, Richard at the Provo Temple.

Boys playing.

Chase trying to catch Dylan. And he does...the 2nd time.

Enlarge the phot and you can see all the families saying goodbye.

Getting ready to drive across the street.

I guess the Missionaries get a place all to themselves.

The field that is for missionary use only.

Taking the walk from the Temple to The car.

Across the street from the MTC

Me? Crying? nooooo.

Chase looking sad to..see its not just me.

Looking a little excited. Butterflies in the stomach.

Here we go.

Getting closer

so many people wanting to get in.

look at that line up.

Coming to the Guard House.

The security guy. I can take him down.

Driving down the walkway.

The Hosts waiting for a greenie.

Dylan and his host who is going to help him to his dorm.

Saying goodbye is the sweetest thing.

He's on his way.

Aww. the look back. One last wave.

And we are one our way.

Target and The Thief (4/4/2011)

Okay so this morning before we headed out we needed to stop at Target and get a few items. While we were there Dylan decided that he wanted to get a gnome to take with him and put him in places and take pictures like on the Travelocity ads. Well the gnomes were too big and so he found a small hand size garden frog. Well while Richard and I were doing our parusing Dylan and Chase were taking pictures with this frog. Well we check out and are heading to the car and I asked Dylan if he paid for the frog and i didn't see him go through the checkout stand. Turns out he didn't as he had put it in his sweatshirt pocket while they were looking for places to take pictures with it. So Dylan and Chase go back in to pay for it and as they walk in the security alarm goes off. Isn't that suppose to go off when you are leaving the store NOT coming back into the store. Needless to say they went back in to pay for the $1 frog and even get a discount for the fact the the toe was broken (which Dylan probably broke while playing with it). But not until they have there picture take just in case they decide to come back to that store. So go back two days when Dylan gave me the hardest time for taking a half eaten roll from the restaraunt and he himself turns out being a thief.  Now we got to tease him about it. So in his pictures that he will be taking over the next two years with the frog. See if you can find the frog these pictures.

Salt Lake Temple & The MTC (4/5/2011)

So today we got to the Salt Lake Temple. It was really neat to get to take your child to the temple with you. We ended up being there for 5 hours. Definitely something worth doing before sending your child of on his/her mission.  After going to the temple we checked out of the cookie hotel and headed for Provo.  On the way down we went passed the Mount Timpanogas temple. Extremely windy there and full of construction. We ended up getting to our hotel about 5 in the evening. The boys went out and played some frisbee. Check out the video of Chase climbing up a fireplace. Later in the evening it started to rain and snow. Richard and I went out for dinner and then drove by the MTC and the Provo Temple. Driving past the MTC was an real eye opener for me that its here and Dylan is going. It's like Christmas doesn't seem real until the day arrives. I can't believe the day is just about here. Dylan will be gone for

2 years

24 months

730 days

17,520 hours

1,051,200 minutes

63,072,000 seconds

We had some great Preach My Gospel discussions. This was also the night that Dylan fessed up about his ingrown toenail and we tried to fix it but he was a baby. We even had him and Chase put their feet in the hot water and put on some peroxide. Good Stuff Man, still didn't fix it. We ended the night with some good old fashioned AC/HEATER competition. I think tonight the Heater won out as by the end of the night both boys had colds.

Inscription on all the LDS Temples.

Picture of Salt Lake Temple. Yup I took this one too.

Another picture of the SL Temple with the blossoms blooming.

Another pic of the SL taken from the East.

Provo Temple

The outside of the MTC

Chases feet. The one on the right is the one he left in the scallding hot water.

Dylan trying to fix that toenail.

The chimney that Chase climbed barefoot.