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Fortie Family Flyer
December 14 – 20, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
Well, with the new job giving me increased hours and me trying to get pictures ready for Repartee Gallery and Deseret Book, taking care of a few sick people, getting my genealogy class lessons and my High Priest Group lessons I have had no time to write lately. It is now late Sunday night and we just finished decorating for Christmas and it is time for bed. I have to get up for work early so no time to write. Most if the week has simply been work or teaching classes or trying to fix a few pictures or shoveling snow or cleaning, etc., etc., etc. therefore what I have been doing is not too exciting to write about anyway. Oh, I almost forgot I have had to do some Christmas shopping also; crazy how that is needed this time of year. We did get to go to grandpa and grandma’s for dinner after home teaching and Brian’s church on Sunday. We had a nice time and Spencer is really starting to grow up – it’s fun to watch.
Oh, Jennifer has really had some hip and knee problems until we almost took her into the emergency room the other night. We decided to wait until morning which helped but it hasn’t gone away. She always seems to come up with things that the doctors can’t figure out.
I don’t feel like I fit into my store yet. Some people treat me well but some just act like I am not staying so why bother getting to know me. So many of them complain about their schedule or about customers or what ever until you just want to escape. I guess I was lucky that the other three stores I worked in so long ago had good people that I enjoyed working with.
They called and asked me to speak on genealogy in sacrament meeting on the 27th so now I need to get that talk ready over the next week.
Well, must get to bed, Christmas is coming and I want to stay healthy. Until next week when I hope I will have more time to write, may your dreams be merry and bright and may all your Christmas’ be white.
Ken and clan
From Nathan and Paige:
December 14 – 20, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
Well, with the new job giving me increased hours and me trying to get pictures ready for Repartee Gallery and Deseret Book, taking care of a few sick people, getting my genealogy class lessons and my High Priest Group lessons I have had no time to write lately. It is now late Sunday night and we just finished decorating for Christmas and it is time for bed. I have to get up for work early so no time to write. Most if the week has simply been work or teaching classes or trying to fix a few pictures or shoveling snow or cleaning, etc., etc., etc. therefore what I have been doing is not too exciting to write about anyway. Oh, I almost forgot I have had to do some Christmas shopping also; crazy how that is needed this time of year. We did get to go to grandpa and grandma’s for dinner after home teaching and Brian’s church on Sunday. We had a nice time and Spencer is really starting to grow up – it’s fun to watch.
Oh, Jennifer has really had some hip and knee problems until we almost took her into the emergency room the other night. We decided to wait until morning which helped but it hasn’t gone away. She always seems to come up with things that the doctors can’t figure out.
I don’t feel like I fit into my store yet. Some people treat me well but some just act like I am not staying so why bother getting to know me. So many of them complain about their schedule or about customers or what ever until you just want to escape. I guess I was lucky that the other three stores I worked in so long ago had good people that I enjoyed working with.
They called and asked me to speak on genealogy in sacrament meeting on the 27th so now I need to get that talk ready over the next week.
Well, must get to bed, Christmas is coming and I want to stay healthy. Until next week when I hope I will have more time to write, may your dreams be merry and bright and may all your Christmas’ be white.
Ken and clan
From Nathan and Paige:
Hi there! Things are going well here... just 1 day at a time. Avery has begun to test my patience and I'm about to explode with her. She has reverted back to peeing everywhere at anytime. 2 days ago she pee'ed on the couch. I am at my whits end with that girl. It's like she is mad 1 minute and wants to cuddle the next. If she wasn't fixed, I'd say she's pregnant!!
Nathan has been really busy lately. Of course, I don't know specifics and even if I did I couldn't email about them, but I haven't heard that much from him either. He is doing well though. Just ready to be home......this should be a long one! :)
Nathan's address is:
Nathan Fortie
PRG 6-3 (2)
APO AE 09354-3005
I think that's all for now! We love you all as well and hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and wonderful New Year!
Love,
Paige
From Elder Fortie:
So this must be quick like lightning, besides I'm going to talk to you all in a few days anyways. We had a baptism this Sunday! It was fantastic, and the service was one of the best I've attended, I invited everyone in the room that wasn't a member to be baptized (I've become quite bored with beating about the bush) I stood up at the front, taught about the restoration and the plan of salvation, then invited all the non members to prepare themselves to be baptized, and we had 2 that said they wanted to be baptized and we are now teaching them to prepare them. I've found being bold usually only offends the ones who were going to ignore you anyway, and catches the attention of those who the Lord has prepared, so I just go around doing what I do and if someone doesn't like it then hopefully they will accept it some day when they're heart is softened.
The other day while tracting a man opened his door and I said "were here to teach you the restored gospel of Jesus Christ so that you can prepare to follow His example and be baptized on the 10th of January by someone holding the priesthood authority, will you let us in to teach and prepare you?" He looked at me and said (all this was in Spanish but I'm translating for you) "well I've got a lot to learn if I'm going to be ready by then so I guess you better start teaching me." Now he is preparing for baptism January 10th and was at church and brought 2 of his friends on Sunday.
But anyways, back to my baptism story, the man that got baptized is like 50, and has his family that still lives at home but all his kids are adults but they all just still live together. They also have a man about in his late 20's that has lived with them for years that they call "nino" which is Spanish for boy, or child or son, which basically says he is their son. Nino was planning on moving back to Central America to be with his family (nino is a member of the church by the way) but when he found out the man that was his second father was going to be baptized, he decided to stay long enough to be at the baptism, and we asked him to speak at it the morning of the baptism... Nino's father (who he would have seen had he gone home when he had originally planned) passed away... Nino called us and said he couldn't speak any more, and we were very understanding and felt very sad for him. Then a few hours later he called back and said he had changed his mind, he wanted to speak. At the baptism, as nino got up there to give his talk, he began to sob, as he spoke of the loss of his father because of his choice to stay to see the baptism, but then with a fire in his eyes he looked up and said "but I did not lose my father, he is there waiting for me, and I still have a father, my Father in Heaven, and I know without a shadow of a doubt, that right here in this room is where I needed to be this day, to be able to tell you all how divinely I understand the plan God has for us, and that I have no fear for I know I will see my father again, and I have my second family, that I am here with today, and I know that they are finding the truth this day." then he began to weep... one of the sons of the man that was being baptized ran up to the pulpit and took nino in his arms, and wept with him... till nino regained his composure, then nino went on to beautifully teach the importance of baptism in God's plan for us. Then as nino sat down out ward mission leader stood up, and completely unplanned, looked out at the audience and said "we will now have a special musical number... Elder Fortie... will you do that for us." I was a little caught off guard, but as a missionary you get used to that kind of thing, so I signaled to the piano player to play silent night, as I stood up and began to sing, half way through the song, weeping, was heard in the room, as nino once again, as he listened to the song, broke into tears, other members of the audience began to cry as well, and then... I watched one of the people I have been teaching, who is preparing to be baptized on January 3rd, who has turned from a Crystal meth addict and drug dealer, into one of the most respectable and kind and gentle and intelligent and gospel loving men I know, run down the isle, and take nino in his arms, and hold him... two fully grown men, that had never met before, were weeping together, as I sang silent night at this baptism, and the scripture "he shall mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" passed through my mind... and as I was singing, I choked on the words, and began to cry as well... pondering upon these things, the words of the song I was singing, the change of heart that had happened upon this investigator, to bring him to such a Christ like love, to live that scripture, as I sang of the birth of him for who it was written... I struggled for a few lines, then was eventually able to choke back the tears well enough to finish the song, and I took my seat. For a moment there was silence in the room, before finally the program moved on as the Bishop welcomed him to the ward. It was an incredible experience, one I shall never forget in all my life.
My time is up, I have to run. Thank you all for your love. Remember, that's what this is all about. This life is to learn to love. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments" "for greater love hath no man then this, that he layeth down his life, for his friends" "Love one another". Merry Christmas, one and all, please, go show someone your love for them. Love, Elder Fortie
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