April 12 - 18, 2010

Fortie Family Flyer
April 12 – 18, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,
We have been busier than a raccoon in a garbage can full of leftovers and no doubt you are felling the same way. It’s been crazy this week with all the training and what not. For the next two months I work for the government and it is everything they say it is. So many forms to fill out and policies and procedures to read and understand, it’s crazy I tell you just crazy. And the acronyms had my head just a spinning whilst I was trying to figure out who my FOS was and which form D-582 EXP stood for and which manual LPR stood for and where the LOR was and who the NRFU is, etc., etc., etc. We also had to get fingerprinted and then learn how to fingerprint so we could fingerprint the crew we will manage. All those get sent in to the FBI for background checks and sent back if they are not done right. All of this at great expense of course. Yes, about 1/3 of Americans didn’t turn in their census papers so I will be in charge of a crew of 15 people who will go out and knock on the doors of those who were too lazy to send their papers in so we can get their information the hard and expensive way. It costs something like $30.00 (I can’t remember exactly) to process a mailed in census form and something like $2,700.00 to go get the info from them. What a waist of tax money these lazy people cause. This has been required by law since George Washington so suck it up people and help us save some money by making it easy to count you. Besides your descendants in a hundred years will be grateful there is a record of you so they can do their genealogy. So, where were you on April 1, 2010? Wherever it was that will be a marker for your descendants to know a little bit more about you and your life and travels. Well, to make the training fair they had to read to us from a book for almost 40 hours this week. Wow, my brain is mush. We practiced fingerprinting in our class then went up to the U to practice some more. They paid for my travel and my miles and my time there so I was thinking we should have just practiced more in class in Herriman to save the travel and miles but they don’t ask me how we should spend my tax money. Anyway, if you need anyone to fingerprint you I should be able to do it now. Well, I passed the tests and I have 40 hours this week to study on my own so I can train my crew in a week from today to get them ready to knock on doors and know what to do if someone comes out with a shotgun to get them off their property. I have seen a few emails from anti-census people saying don’t answer private questions. I don’t get it; we don’t really ask personal questions that would be a problem. One thing I thought was funny is that we actually have to ask the person we are talking to if they are male or female. I suppose there is a certain percent that are hard to figure out. So we get name, gender race and if you own, are buying or rent the place you live in. I think that’s about it. Not sure what the big hoopla is. So if you didn’t send yours in and we knock on your door be nice and help us save a little money by getting us the info so we don’t have to come back 3 times. Well, enough about the census.
They asked me to try out for the Horace Vandergelder part in Hello Dolly and I have really struggled with that. I enjoy the activity but something keeps bugging me, telling me that I’m trying to juggle too many things right now and it could all come crashing down on me about mid summer. But then maybe I’m just having some jitters because this is such a major role. Not sure what to do, hoping Moroni will come down and give instructions soon. I prepared for and went to the tryouts Saturday night instead of plow my garden (perhaps a sign of too many things). There were a few people I knew there but not many (another sign?). We (Jennifer and I) went through fast so Jennifer could get back to work. I got called back for the tough part this next week, reading the lines with others and trying to act like you are comfortable with the part while reading. I can still get out (what to do, what to do).
Anyway, Sunday was busy with David’s homecoming and all. I got someone else to teach Priesthood finally and I gathered some quotes for him to use and took them to church to give to him. My genealogy class was different, couldn’t get a substitute, but I decided to send the family on to Mounteer’s church and I stayed and taught a little over half of my class then turned it over to Sister Johnson, one of the other genealogy reps. After dropping things off at home I jumped on my scooter and raced down Bangerter and up the hill to Sandy with my tie waving in the wind and made it just as David was starting his talk (that was close). We went to their house after church and had some good eats and good conversation; lots of people there and a good time was had by all. Brian and I rode our scooters home together. I saw Brother and Sister Bush (I used to be their home teacher way back when) out for a walk. I stopped to talk to them and catch up on things. I was very tired after we got home so I dropped to the floor and rested until scripture study and bed.
Well, that is the way this week went for all you people who might be reading this in 100 years or so. Hopefully this will give you a bit more information than the census but it’s good to have both.
Stand up and be counted,
Ken and clan



From Elder Fortie:
Okay, I don't need ANY MORE reminders that today is my one month to plane ride day okay? I really am freaking out here. I have SO much to do. I just can't imagine that it's going to end, I just feel like it's just going to continue on... but it's not. I think it's finally hitting me as president is asking me to train one last missionary to replace me, or fix one last district before I'm gone, or give one last training, or one last talk, one last fireside etc. everything suddenly has become "one last", and I'm not a fan. I think the hardest part is going to be the last talk I give... I'm supposed to decide what to talk about to all the missionaries to tell them how to love their missions as much as I have loved mine, how to dedicate themselves, how to work, how to testify, how to be the missionaries they need to be, how to love the people, how to prioritize their time, how to be obedient, how to lead, how to do everything, how to live their mission out like I have... that's what I've been asked to do. How do I say that in one talk? How do I get all I want and pray that these missionaries would learn from me in just one last stand at the pulpit? I'm overwhelmed. Give me a difficult task and I will laugh as I go to work, give me a simple one, and I don't know where to start... wow...
Anyways, things are starting to pick up here, it's been hard, this area was pretty dead, but this week we tripled what had been done the week before. So we're at least making progress, the problem is it still needs to triple again before I will be satisfied... I feel sick to my stomach thinking about it.
So this Saturday we volunteered to help the city, and we were planting trees and hauling 80 lbs. bags of wood chips out to a little mini island in the pond of a park by loading them onto a little boat and rowing them out to it and repeating the process over and over again for like 4 hours. Then we helped a member of the ward move, so we were carrying couches and stoves and etc. up 4 flights of a little apartment complex windy emergency exit staircase... gosh it was ridiculous, by the time I was done, I felt like I could not bend my knees or back or I may just collapse on the floor exhausted and not be able to move. So now I am SO SO SOOO sore, but it felt really good, I haven't done any real physically challenging work in probably like a year, so that felt so good, but at the same time it hurt so bad haha. But it's a good sort of pain.
Unfortunately I have to run though, I have to go organize a community park activity thing, so I'll talk to you all soon, by the way, on Mothers day where will you all be so I know where to call to?
Elder Fortie



From Michelle:
Buongiorno amici!! (I’m getting started on my Italian! :]
This week was pretty awesome! Not too boring, although the school part of it went very slow. So I’ll do my best to skip over the slow parts and just keep you up on the exciting stuff!
Monday nothing happened.
Tuesday I worked, which was actually pretty crazy and I’m pretty sure Mia (the night manager) and I scared off the new boy with all of our insanity! We have WAY too much energy on Tuesdays!! Haha.
Wednesday we had young womens activities to help our mothers get involved in personal progress, and we got to eat there, so that is always a bonus!
Thursday day, I went to school for a field trip! I went with my French class down to BYU for the language fair. We had to speak French the whole time we were there or risk being thrown in “jail”! It was actually pretty cool to see how much French I really knew and understood when the people were talking to me or asking me questions! It just goes to show that my four years of French haven’t gone to waste! Haha. Then we finished up and headed over to the BYU book store to just look around for a minute! While we were inside, we were looking at some of the photographs of temples and such things when my French teacher said to me, “Michelle, isn’t Ken Fortie your dad’s name?” And I said “Well yes it is! And those are all his pictures!”, to which he replied, “So your dad is a photographer?”. I paused, looked at him funny, and said, “yes… hence the reason that all those are his pictures”. We all laughed, and he just said, “Right, stupid question.” It was pretty funny. Then we went to lunch and had dessert at BYU creamery, which has the BEST ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD!!!
Then Thursday night I had Special Needs Mutual, and we all went on “missions”! We got called with our special needs friends to serve “missions to different areas” (of the gym). It was fun to see how some of them lit up when we asked them to knock on a door and bear their testimony when someone answered the door. It wasn’t real, and yet they were so excited to tell you what they know is true. I love Special Needs Mutual for that reason. Their testimonies are simple and to the point. There is no complex story that they have to tell you in order to testify that the church is true or that the Book of Mormon is true. They just tell it to you straight up and it helps me remember to get back to the basics of why I know this gospel is true. I know that my Savior lived, died for me, and lives again. I know that God is my father, and that he is watching me from heaven and that he loves me. I know that Joseph Smith brought this gospel and the light of truth to this world. I know that President Monson is our prophet today and he leads us by the power of God. Simple as that. I think this calling has been such an amazing experience for me and I’m so glad to have it.
Friday I worked. Exciting, I know.
Saturday I worked in the morning, and then came back to the house, did some cleaning, and got ready for my Saturday night! First we went to the black light stomp that our school was having for the SBO elections! It was a TON of fun!!! All of us were wearing white so we could glow, and we had highlighters that we were drawing all over ourselves with so that we were just glowing all over!! There were lasers shining all over the room and this fog/smoke stuff in the air so that you could see the laser lights passing through the air! It was really really REALLY cool! Then after the stomp, some of my close friends and I headed over to my friend Dallin’s house to hang out, where his parents had Olive Garden food waiting for us to eat!! It was delicious!! Then we went out for a ride in Dallin’s new car because I asked him if I could drive it and he was kind enough to let me! Yay!! It was really fun! So we ran to the store, got some treats and soda, grabbed a few things for his mom and headed back to the house! Some of the guys wanted to watch the Jazz game, so we turned it on, but they were loosing badly, so we turned it off again! :] Then we went to the park, goofed around and just had a blast! After that, we came back to the house, danced around to music, played a little hide and go seek in the dark, and just had an awesome night! It had been a long time since we had all hung out together, so it was WAY fun to get back to old times!
Then today (Sunday), we went out to Sandy for David’s homecoming! He gave a REALLY good talk, and even though his talking was a little speedy (haha) I really liked the message he shared about the restoration and us spreading the gospel ourselves! Then we went back to Mounteer’s house for some food and fun! :] It was good to talk to cousins and see everyone and catch up!! It has been really fun to have David back home and it’s cool to see all the changes that his mission made in his life!!
So anyways, that was my week! I hope all of yours was as good as mine!! Avere una buona settimana, ciao!
Amore,
Michelle!!!



From Jennifer:
SO much to tell, so little time!
It seems like that is the new theme to my life, so little time. I have been busy like crazy with Beehive presidency things’, babysitting almost everyday, young women’s, cramming school work in, chiropractor appointments etc. etc. But life amongst the sleep deprived chaos is fantastic! I had a meeting with the bishop then shortly after set up a day for my patriarchal blessing. June something or other, he’s a busy man, but I’m way excited. My testimony has been building so greatly in the littlest things through daily life, and it’s given me a new look on all things around me.
Last quarter I was really excited when I got my report card and I had nothing but B’s, even math! That’s one example of prayers being answered! My back has been gradually improving, very very gradually, but then once in a while it will freak out on me, but hey, no surgery so I will take what it throws! Now, to the reason you have not heard from me in a while, our AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL VACATION!!!!! Here we go, prepare to read, sit back, relax and grab your popcorn while you can! Ha-ha.
We flew out at 6:30, Friday March 19th, having a fun time in the plane watching the two youngest boy’s amazement with their first time on a plane. We landed quickly in Long Beach after a short hour and a half and went to rent a white van that was our car for the next while. We then drove to our hotel in San Diego and all crashed on our beds. We woke up nice and early the next morning (Saturday March 20) getting ourselves and the boys ready for day one at Sea World! We ate breakfast at the hotel then we got to Sea World and went to Penguins, the cat and dog show, (which was hilarious!) petted stingrays, saw whales, fed Dolphins, rode journey to Atlantis over and over (which we loved!) And ate dinner with dolphins! The food was delicious and we got really close to the dolphins watching them in there training. It was all so cool! And so was Shamu rocks! It’s like a Shamu rock concert! We got home at about nine, put the boys to bed and then Michelle, Sis. Arnold and I watched New Moon for a little girl’s night thing; we went to bed at two thirty after much confusion with lamps and such, ha ha.
The next day was Sunday (March 21) so we didn’t go to any amusement parks but we had a REALLY fun day at the beach! We buried Sammy, Adam, and Michelle in the sand and chased the waves, we got pretty deep into the ocean and Joe had some sea weed rub against his leg and he started screaming cause he thought it was a shark; we all got a good laugh. Then we went to a Sizzler’s for dinner which was unlike a Utah Sizzlers, it was very odd! But very delicious! Then we went to the airport to get the bag that we left there, we had so many, they were hard to keep track of! Then we went back to the hotel and went to bed, prepared for another early morning to hit us.
We woke up nice and early ready for our last day at Sea world (Monday March 22). Went to see the starfish, went to the Seal and Otter show, which was my favorite thing there! I loved their personality and how funny and smart they were! One of them Tangoed with the trainer, another did an obstacle coarse, they did hip hop dancing and lots of other funny things! Then we went to the Shamu show Believe and had lunch at a pizza kitchen. Petted manta rays, and did much souvenir shopping. It was a really fun day! We packed up as soon as we got back and then drove to Anaheim, off to the big D!
This morning (Tuesday March 23) was especially early; we had to be in downtown Disney by seven, making us get up at five, fun! We walked there which took about twenty minutes and then had a character breakfast with Stitch, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and the big Mouse himself! I danced with stitch after he came and played guess who with my eyes, and we ate some really good food from the buffet there! Then we hit California Adventures. We went on the Grizzly river run thing, Soaring over California (in my top 3 favorites), Mickey’s fun wheel, Malliboomer, Tower of terror, (really fun!) screaming, and saw the Pixar parade! It was all really great!
Well, I’m rather tired, so there is the vacation so far but I’m gonna continue this next week, good luck to you all. Promise I’m going to get caught up with writing soon! Bye! Jenny Fortie! <3