Finally a blog from Jared ...

Jared gave his farewell address the last week in September and many of you (who are still in town) were there. Thanks! He also appreciated those of you who came over to the house afterwards. The next weekend was General Conference and we thought it would be a great weekend as a family to just sit around with our arms around each other watching conference, celebrating Grandpa's birthday and being together before Jared took off on Oct. 5th. It didn't turn out exactly like that.

First, on Friday night Jared's sister-in-law Kimra (Jacob's wife) had a little boy which was cool because Jared had wanted to see him before he left for two years.

Then things started to go wrong Saturday when his sister, Jasmine, in Price also started to deliver her baby but this one was six weeks early. It turned into a life threatening situation- not so much for the baby but for Jasmine. She was life flighted from Price to the University hospital. I (his mother) knew I was in trouble when his father, the doctor, was in tears. It was pretty much a miracle that she recovered completely but the baby was left in Price and the whole weekend was fairly tramatic for all of us. Jared was set apart by his father (which was way cool) up at the University hospital in the 'Hope Chapel' and then he had to more or less pack his own bags without Mom (more 'trauma' and that is only a little bit sarcastic - mostly true) but he did get off to the Provo MTC Oct 5 as planned. I think he was kind of in a daze but maybe that would have been the case no matter how the week had gone.
Jared's little brother, Jefferson was (is) in mourning. As Jared's parents,we were relieved that he got to the MTC before he killed or seriously maimed himself checking off all the 'things I want to do with my friends before I leave'.

He spent only three weeks in the Provo MTC before he got his Brazilian visa. He was one of only two Elders in his district to leave so he was very lucky. The Brazilian MTC has only 250 Elders (compared to Provo's 3000 or so) which I think the Lord knows is more Jared's style. Everything is in Portuguese so he thinks the language is coming a little better now. At first the heat got to him a lot but lately he seems more acclimatized to it and survives the night by having the top bunk right under the fan.(Do you 'fight' for such things or just how do things like that go down amongst Elders?) He says there is an added bonus to his bunk- the fan sweeps off the bugs as well. It's a small building so the Elders get to travel around the city on their P-day's and meet the Brazilians who, true to rumor, are very friendly and open even if you don't talk much. Hope to keep you updated with his letters as we receive them.