November 16 - 22, 2009

November Pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kensbestpics/FamilyNovember2009#

Fortie Family Flyer
November 16 – 22, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,
Thanksgiving is in the air, I had better make sure my thankfulness is in good working condition. Lets see, what am I thankful for… Several years ago I remember having the kids write their top 50 things they were thankful for, in order and at first it was easy but after a while they had to really start thinking. I wonder what I would write today. Well, since there is not much to speak of in the news department this week perhaps that will be my letter.
Here we go:
Life
Good and evil
Jesus
Salvation
Love
Faith
Hope
The Gospel
Family
Extended Family
Priesthood
Prophets
Scriptures
Temples
America
Founding Fathers
The Constitution
Pioneers
Health
Eyes to see
A Home
Friends
Indoor Plumbing
Electricity
Fruit Trees
Beautiful Scenery
Sunsets
Roses
Song of the Meadowlark
Mountain Streams
Lilacs
Flight of an Eagle
Good Music
Books
Cars
Refrigerator
Computers
A Camera
Internet
Mountain Bike
Beach
Comfortable bed
Camping
Garden Vegetables
Educational Programs – Science, Travel, History, etc.
Scooter
Airplanes
Moon
Stars
Piano

Well, I finished this letter then the power went out and it had saved it up to about number 40 so I had to do the last 10 over again plus the rest of the letter. Hope I remember it all.
Since we had already celebrated Michelle’s birthday this week was a bit more low key. Jennifer and I went and decorated Michelle’s locker at school (I had to get Jennifer out of school to do it) and Jennifer bought Michelle a lunch from Wendy’s. She is nice that way. Michelle came to her locker and we talked for a bit before I had to get Jennifer back to school.
I started work at the American Fork Deseret Book store this week. It sure was strange trying to get used to registers that I used to train people on. For the first day I felt like I was in a foreign country; crazy how quickly I forget things. It is also strange not being the supervisor. I was able to quickly remember the fun little things I used to say to the customers to break the ice. Hope I can fit in with this crowd.
Saturday I worked in the morning as did everyone in our house so I went and picked up the BYU game that grandpa and grandma taped for us so we could watch it that night. The girls worked late so Tami and I watched it. It was a good game.
I taught the genealogy class on Sunday and then Priesthood after that. It is always difficult to switch gears and teach one right after the other. After church we sent Michelle after grandma Talley and grandpa and grandma and Chad came over for dinner and we had a nice time.
Oh, I have been listening to a set of CD’s about the book of Revelation by Draper. It is very interesting. Looks like we are in for some interesting times.
Well, that’s it for this week.
What are you thankful for?
Ken and clan



From Elder Fortie:
Hello everyone, so this morning I had to be up at the temple at 7:00 in the morning to take down one of the exhibits they had up for the California Pioneers as they prepare for all the Christmas exhibits, I love Christmas, but I am not looking forward to being the zone leader here during Christmas time... this place gets insane at Christmas... It's total madness, and they tell me all the sisters, (I have like 18 sister missionaries that I am over) with all the stress of being in the Visitors center during the madness, they get pretty nasty! (You female's, no offense, but you don't usually take stress well, you get all hopped up and crazy!) and with 18 sisters in one building with thousands of people coming through that they are supposed to help... all those hormones packed together under high stress every night for like 45 days... and I am the one that all their problems come to... please, your prayers are appreciated...
Well this week has been pretty good, although I have filed for retirement once again... but president doesn't think he's gonna let me retire from zone leader, he says I'm doing to much work to retire, and I am tempted to be useless so he will retire me, but then there's this nasty little thing called a conscience, and it possesses me and won't let me! Cursed conscience.... Although I rejoice in the fact that I will stay as a zone leader, because that means I won't be an AP BWA HAHAHAHAHA!!! Dodged that bullet! I don't understand all the greenies that come in wanting a leadership position, the joys that come from the simple service, from changing people's lives, from bringing the gospel into someone’s home, that is what our purpose and where the true joy in service comes from! Not from "I'm gonna be the next AP!" (All you future missionaries out there that are reading this, take heed, I'm serious, forget callings and just work, just do your job whatever it is, and do it right. No one cares about callings). Okay, off my soap box.
Thanksgiving is coming up, and one of our recent converts asked us this past week to come over and help him work on his back yard, so we went and dug out about 6 inches down a 15x30 ft. area in his back yard because he's trying to make a patio, then when we got done he told us it was for us because he wants us to come over for thanksgiving and have a thanksgiving picnic! So our efforts appear that they will pay off. My hands are getting soft after so long without any good hard manual labor... so they get pretty worn out swinging a pick for 2 hours, as does my muscles that have slowly turned to gelatin over the course of my mission... but we got the job done right quick, and then had a tasty lunch, (the mom is a chef! hehe) and are looking forward to some thanksgiving yum!
We have been trying to get a few people married recently too! (so we can baptize them!) so it's looking like were gonna shoot for a mid December wedding so we can have a Christmas time baptism! YEAH!!! We have a bunch of people we are teaching, but Satan's trying really hard to throw them off, every possible obstacle imaginable is coming down on us and them, BUT WE WILL RESIST!!! WE WILL OVER COME ALL BARRIERS!!! Satan cannot stop us now! He's mean sometimes, but we're stubborn! (or dumb... one of the two...) But either way it works!
Well I must get going, can't dilly dally you know, lots to do, so little time to do it all. Everyone out here keeps asking me when I'm going home... they seem to think my end is near, they all say it seems like I've been out a long time, yet I still have over 1/4 of the way to go! WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK I'M DYING??!!!! I'm still young yet! I refuse to die! Back off!
Anyhow, keep on going and doing stuff and things like that, and I'll do the same. Chin up, back straight, suck in your gut and slap on a smile!Love,
Elder Fortie