Sunday, 28 February 2016

God is Love


I remember a phrase uttered by a brother at a church meeting in Toledo Ohio in 1993. He was praying and he prayed for "an increased capacity to love." It was the first time I ever heard that phrase. It impressed me enough that I have never forgotten it and I have since said it many times in prayer. 

1 John 4 
"7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

If our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ are the very embodiment of love, should not we invite more love into our lives? 

I've reflected on love a lot this month. Isn't it after all the month of cupids and cherubs? We had a fairly uneventful Valentines Day. A sweet sister provided sugar cookies for our family and all of the missionaries. Sister Jaggi and I took a few hours on the missionaries preparation day that week and skied together, enjoying the mountain air and a brief solace from a hectic pace. I love my bride. She is an amazing woman...resilient, strong, faithful, musical, spiritual and yes, loving. She left behind her beautiful new home, wonderful neighbors and friends, her music children and their families to serve an unexpected 3 year mission. There is no doubt that we are learning to love more fully and deeply here. We love the missionaries, the people, the work of the Lord, the changes taking place in our family. Because of our experience, I'm left pondering the following....Is learning to love like God loves commensurate with increased sacrifice? 

It's been a few days since I began this blog post. The intermediate hymn of the Ogden Stake Conference was also from the Book of John. Read these wonderful words. 
"As I have loved you, love one another. By this shall men know, ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." It is not a coincidence that as I've been pondering the importance of love, that the song epitomizing love is sung. God is in the details  of our lives. There is no such thing as happenstance...we are in our circles of friends, in our neighborhoods and churches for a purpose. God has placed us together at this time to learn from one another and to love one another. 

So how can we love more fully? When we align our will with the Lords and become "one" we understand what he wants for us and our love deepens for our fellow men and women. I find it interesting that the first words Jesus declares after he introduces himself to the people in the ancient Americas after they had waited for Him for thousands of years are the following in 3 Nephi 11 in the Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ...

"11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning." 

Jesus immediately aligns himself with His father. He drunk of the cup which the Father had given him, he glorified the Father, he suffered the will of the Father. Later in verse 27, he declares that He and the Father and the Holy Ghost are one. If Jesus, who is the embodiment of perfect love declares He is doing His Fathers will, oh how much more need have we to do what our Savior and redeemer ask of us...commands us. When he was asked in Matthew 22 
"36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt alove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."



We can, we must love one another better. I love my wife. I love my wonderful children. The blessings of missionary service are certainly being made manifest in our lives. Some of those blessings are simple. Mackenzie was accepted to BYU, Emma passed her drivers license test on the first try. They both were asked to Prom last week. Josh scored 17 points in a basketball game and Eliza got straight A's on her report card. They recognize the blessings and I love them for that. 

I love the missionaries of the Church. We say goodbye to another group of missionaries this week. With each group that leaves, a piece of our hearts go with them. I am amazed at how much love I have for these young men and women. It is a fierce love, a deep love and an abiding love. 

May we all pray for and apply an increased capacity to love. 

Sunday, 21 February 2016

Apostles and Prophets of Jesus Christ


Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

We were privileged to spend time with A member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles last Saturday.  This apostle grew up in Cache Valley, (Logan) Utah. He served a mission to Japan as a young man and was called to preside over the Nagoya Japan Mission from 2005-2008. He was called to the first quorum of seventy at age 53 after returning home from his mission, thus dedicating the next 17 years (seventies receive emeritus status at age seventy) of his life to God. However, at age 60, last October after serving in the church as the presiding Bishop for 3 years, he was called as an apostle, a lifelong calling. 

Before our morning meetings started, The apostle was getting acquainted with a stake president and some of the brothers in the small room when he asked me, "are you a part of the Jaggi family from Logan?" I said that I was, however my grandfather moved from Cache Valley to Salt Lake City after World War 2. He asked who my grandfather was, and I said Stanley Jaggi. He didn't know a Stanley, but he said the following... And I'm paraphrasing and praying to capture the essence of what this wonderful apostle said so you can feel what he feels about the Jaggi family and by extension, all of your families. He said that for about 10 years, what he considered the most formidable time in his life, Brother Jaggi and Brother Schmidt came to his home.  He was probably about 6 when He first remembered their visit. He said they were older High Priests with gray hair and thick Swiss accents. They seemed like heavenly beings to him at the time. They were faithful and came every month. They brought a spirit of power, authority and love. They served his family by helping in the yard or with house projects. He said he wished he had the information and understanding of the gospel that he has now, because he remembers "being taught" by Brother Jaggi. He remembers the feeling more than anything. As he spoke, I felt our progenitors near. The spirit bore witness as he spoke of the sweetness and joy the gospel brought to the Gottfried Jaggi (my great grandfather) family. I cried with appreciation and told the apostle, "Thank you." He said the Gunnell family was also valiant and he remembers one of the Jaggi's marrying a Gunnell and he couldn't think of a more celestial union in all the world. He said "there aren't any better families anywhere." 

As I look at our family tree and timing, (This apostle was 6 in 1961) he had to be referencing the great patriarch of our family, Grandpa Gottfried who was in his 70's at the time. Thinking of great grandpa on an apostles couch makes my heart soar. 

Why am I so grateful for this experience? My family was not a "pioneer" family. My grandfather Stanley was a beer-drinking, chain-smoking, tattooed covered World War 2 veteran. I didn't know till later in life that my father, who is now a very faithful man had his "epiphany" moment sitting in the back of a police car with 2 broken hands. Then and there he decided that there had to be something better in life than stealing, fighting and cars. He walked into an LDS church the next week. His bishop befriended him and he was on a mission in Africa 2 years later. 

How grateful I am to be the son of Robert and Judy Jaggi, the brother of Mark and Elizabeth, Kelli and Matt, Tim and Liz, Chad and Stephanie and Kristen. How grateful I am to be the husband to Amy Anne Stewart. Our ancestors made great sacrifices for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but the blessings our immediate and extended families have realized have been "an hundredfold." May God continue to bless my family and the families of the missionaries of the Utah Ogden Mission as we journey on the strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life. 

The missionaries of the church are in the right place at the right time doing the right things. The  graphic below represents how a missionary facilitates the reception of the Holy Ghost by their investigators. They cannot push the Holy Ghost or the message of the restoration to anyone, they just create an environment where the spirit may come and teach. This was given to us by a general authority. I love their simple practical teaching. 

Saturday, 30 January 2016

Weeks 29-30 in The Utah Ogden Mission

Lyrics

  1. 1. I have a fam'ly here on earth.
    They are so good to me.
    I want to share my life with them through all eternity.
    2. While I am in my early years,
    I'll prepare most carefully,
    So I can marry in God's temple for eternity.

  2. Chorus
    Fam'lies can be together forever
    Through Heav'nly Father's plan.
    I always want to be with my own family,
    And the Lord has shown me how I can.
    The Lord has shown me how I can.

    I love this song we sing with our children. Though most marriage ceremonies say "till death do you part" God has provided a way for us to be sealed for time and all eternity in one of His Holy Temples. I am grateful for His mercy and love for all of us to have that opportunity. 

    Serving a full time mission with our family is a unique experience. We still carry on with family and individual activities but with a spirit of the work of God always a part of us. The work and the mission never stops, but our children are growing and flourishing in Utah. 

    Mackenzie is busy as a senior at Bonneville High School in South Ogden. She spent the entirety of December singing with the small group choir Tapestry. She has even learned how to dance as they are more of a theatrical small choir. She is getting straight A's taking Utah required classes like computer literacy, financial literacy and nutrition alongside her English and Mathematics classes. She applied to Brigham Young University Idaho and Provo. She is getting to be a great skier as we spend almost every Saturday morning on our "day off" (Friday at 4pm - Saturday at 4pm) on the slopes of Snowbasin. She is finishing writing the fantasy novel she started when she was 12. She is applying for scholarships. She and a few friends love shopping at thrift stores and going to Cafe Rio for lunch. We love her and are so grateful her senior year is going well. 

    Emma is a cross country athlete. She loves running and she loves the boys (especially the seniors) that run everyday after school. She is counting down the days till she turns 16 (53 days) so she can go on a date and drive. We are cheering for her opportunity to drive but not so much to date. She is doing great in school, passed drivers ed and will be performing in the upcoming school musical, Mary Poppins. She thinks the missionaries are cool. 


    Joshua turned 11 a few weeks ago. He will receive his webelos and arrow of light awards next week. That was tough to finish. We crammed. He is doing gymnastics twice a week and playing basketball twice a week. His passion right now is his freshwater fish and tank he received for Christmas. He watches them and takes notes on their interactions. Yesterday he brought home an eel. Yuck. He loves playing Star Wars battlefront with dad as well as watching Ute basketball games. 

    Eliza said yesterday, "do you know one of our missionaries is getting married?" She feels a real connection to them like they are her siblings. She loves the snow, especially sledding and skiing at Snowbasin. She will share a scripture or a song at a fireside that brings the spirit to the meeting quickly. She is genuinely kind, caring and compassionate. We meet people from all walks of life and she doesn't judge. She loves like Jesus loves. 



Weeks 27-28 The Utah Ogden Mission


A stake president and his counselors were released this past Sunday. A stake is a collective group of 6-12 congregations of 300-400 people or "wards." Our mission covers 59 stakes and 387 wards. Stakes have been discussed since the earliest days of the bible. Isaiah 54: "Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;" 

As I consider the transition that took place I am amazed at the Lords succession plans. There is no campaigning, no politicking, no negotiation or favors. Mans ways are not Gods ways. A letter is issued by the first presidency indicating a change will take place. They choose two men who are in the quorum of the seventy to go to the stake and interview between twenty and thirty men. The quorum of seventy has also been a part of the Church since its earliest days. Numbers 11:24 "And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease." The key phrase is "...the spirit rested upon them, and they prophesied." 


Through the keys delegated by the president of the quorum of the twelve apostles, these two seventies choose, through the spirit of prophecy and revelation, a new stake president, who within hours chooses two counselors who are also called. They don't review a resume or pedigree. They interview the person for about 10 minutes and follow the promptings of the spirit. In the most recent case, an elderly gentleman was released and a young man with a young family was called. The transition was completed within a day. The 3000 people that they lead ratified the decision by raising their hands in ascent and approval of the choice. D&C 26:2  "And all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith, for all things you shall receive by faith. Amen." And now it is done, and the work moves forward with average men and women who do their best and the Lord qualifies their work. 

After they were called, these brethren and their wives shared their love of God through testimony. I was impressed with their humility. They didn't choose this. No doubt they would rather spend more time at home. They will work for the next 10 years furthering the work of God through their service. There is no compensation for their 30-40 hours of service each week. They work and serve above and beyond their current vocation. One of the brothers is a software engineer, another a physician and the last a plumber. 

Every member of the LDS church is "called to serve" in some capacity as a volunteer in the church. Some serve the toddlers in the nursery, others as Sunday school teachers, others as shepherds of young men and women or adult men and women. Sisters serve in the relief society and various councils in the church. The Relief Society is one of the oldest women's organizations in the United States. These volunteers receive no compensation but serve with all their "heart, might, mind and strength." I am amazed at the capacity of these good brothers and sisters to serve. They do so because they believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God. We love serving Him as well.  He Lives! 

 

Tuesday, 5 January 2016

Weeks 22-26 in the Utah Ogden Mission


As I interviewed 7 departing missionaries the first week of December  I found the direction of their questions and my responses going naturally to relationships and the goal each of them had to develop healthy relationships and be married to someone for time and all eternity in one of God's Holy Temples. 

I believe one of the challenges of a lifetime is to develop healthy relationships that are built upon a foundation of unconditional love and selflessness. Of course selfishness is the antithesis to love and the primary root of unhealthy relationships, divorce, conflict in the world and many other self-inflicted difficulties in life. 

Jesus taught in Matthew 5:43 ¶Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." 

Jesus challenge to us then is to love like he does. How does He love? What is His love? Moroni, the great last Nephites prophet in the Book of Mormon wrote in Moroni 7 taught...

"45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." 

Many young missionaries come to the mission field  and don't understand how to communicate their feelings or to build healthy relationships through love. They have spent an abundance of their pre-mission lives in media. The artificial entertainment that comes when too much time is spent on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Xbox, PlayStation, television or movies creates a void of personal love that is difficult to fill without significant practice. They practice here in the mission field. 

As the young missionaries come to understand who Jesus is and how to feel of his love, they convey that same love to others.

 One of my favorite books that Amy and I read early in our marriage that helped us to communicate and love in a more selfless way was Gary Chapmans, The Five Love Languages. He gives practical advice to those who want to love more deeply. Based on years of research he categorizes the way we like to be loved into five languages. 
Receiving gifts 
Physical touch
Words of affirmation 
Quality time
Acts of service 

God bless you if you are in a relationship with one who's language is "receiving gifts." ;)
I have learned that Amy is receptive to words of affirmation and feels more loved when I offer those words freely. What is your language? I'm grateful for simple and 
practical guides, books, articles etc. 

The week before Christmas, Sister Jaggi and I gave a gift to the missionaries that we received many years ago...A Book of Mormon Read-A-Thon. We personalized a hard copy of the Book of Mormon with a picture of the Ogden temple in the front. We gave them 5 highlighters. One for each of the principles in the missionary purpose. "My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end." And we read... We started at 8:00am and read till 9:00pm one day...we started at 8:00am and read till 5:00pm the next day, missing only the book of Ether along the way. 33 hours of intense reading, pondering and praying. We were uplifted and edified and we rejoice together in the knowledge that God loves all of His children. God had prophets in the Jerusalem area and they wrote books in the bible. God also had prophets in the Americas anciently and they wrote books in the Book of Mormon. What a blessing to know God is the same yesterday, today and forever. We testify He is real and He lives! 

Christmas time on a mission is wonderful. We were far less focused on ourselves and more focused on the Savior, His birth and what He has done for so many. We were also focused on our missionaries. More than half of them had never been away from home for Christmas. For some it was hard, for most it was sacred. Time spent in the service of our fellowmen and women, teaching what Jesus taught is precious. About 40 of our missionaries received very little for Christmas from home, especially those who came from foreign lands. We were blessed by local Utah members who provided anonymous gifts and gift cards for our indigent missionaries. The Saints in Utah provide so much to our missionaries as well as to the rest if the world. My eyes have been opened to their charity and love. I'm stunned when I contemplate their contribution to the growth of the church in every way. The Members here in Ogden are so committed, hard-working and humble. We truly love them. 

Happy new year to our friends and family. If you are ready for change, embrace and set simple goals. We use the SIMPS model. Goals that are 
Spiritual 
Intellectual
Musical
Physical
Social
All our missionaries wrote their SIMPS goals to me yesterday. Moms and Dad's...ask them about their goals. 

We love you. 

Friday, 27 November 2015

Week 21 in the Utah Ogden Mission

Week 21 in the Utah Ogden Mission 
The Atonement of Jesus Christ 
When I as a young missionary serving in my first area in Ashtabula Ohio, my companion and I taught many people the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most of those that we taught experienced great hardship and trials in their lives. Many were physically and sexually abused. Many struggled with drug, alcohol and pornography addictions. Many were financially destitute and devoid of hope. I observed and felt a small portion of their pain. 

Nine years later, living in Henderson Nevada with my wife and two daughters (Mackenzie 4, Emma 2) we rushed to the hospital as our third child Stewart wanted to come to this earth...too soon. We prayed and prayed for a miracle...I pled with God to spare my wife and son, finding out that her body was in a state of significant infection. I felt acute and exquisite mental and spiritual pain thinking about the potential loss of life or debilitating effects of infection. That evening as I cried and prayed for hours, I told the Lord I would accept His will, whatever that was. I was immediately overcome...rescued...revived by a warmth and peace that engulfed my body. I knew things would be ok. I returned to the hospital where my wife delivered a bruised and beautiful baby boy. He took a few breaths and went "home to that God who gave him life." 

The atonement of Jesus Christ helped me then and continues to help me during life's struggles. It helped my family understand that this life is brief but important. What we do here makes a difference in where we will go when this life is over. Without Jesus Christ atonement and resurrection there would be no opportunity for my son to "come forth in the morning of the first Resurrection...that both spirit and body shall be reunited in a perfect frame." 

The great convert Amulek before Jesus came said this about the Atonement of Christ in about 74 BC 
Alma 34
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

The gospel writers in the New Testament each gave a bit of a different summary of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 
Matthew said this in Matthew 26
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Luke the physician described it in Luke 22
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And Mark described most tenderly the suffering of Jesus. His suffering was so intense he called out to his "daddy" (Abba) Mark 14 
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

I've thought about "bitter cup." Isaiah called it the Cup of Fury. Everything that is not joyful, sublime, peaceful and perfect was in the cup...and that's what Jesus symbolically drank. He did it for all of us...every person who has lived, does now live and will ever live...he did it for us. If we accept him he can take away the pain my family and I feel for my 
Special needs sister, Mental illness in our family, an alcoholic uncle, the pain my gay cousin has felt since our youth, the loss of my son 14 years ago, loss of Amy's father 5 years ago, all my sins 

Pmg plan of salvation
As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

D&C 19
how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.
16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

Last week Elder Ringwood of the first quorum of the seventy toured our mission. He instructed our leadership, conducted interviews, took our family to dinner and gave an amazing sermon on faith. I learned that desire, belief and hope are "particles of faith." I learned that the best definition of faith is simply "action." If we can have particles of faith, we can have an "eye of faith" which leads us to "act in faith." I love these concepts taught by a servant of the Lord. 

Sunday, 15 November 2015

Week 20 in The Utah Ogden Mission

Week 20 in The Utah Ogden Mission
We can do hard things. I was reminded of that while reading about the passing of a mission presidents wife in Africa last week. She went to a hospital for a minor procedure and passed away while there. She taught her missionaries the magnificent principle that they could do hard things. I naturally contrasted the experience we and our young missionaries are having serving in Utah with the experience of those that serve in Africa. Certainly not having running water, sleeping in huts, traveling everywhere by foot, not seeing other missionaries for weeks is hard work in Africa. Our missionaries certainly don't have those challenges.

 The challenges of our missionaries are very different. Serving in the heart of Zion is a privilege. But with that privilege comes the responsibility of living the standards of the gospel in word and deed on a different level. Each week a general authority visits a different stake conference in our mission. Frequently the young missionaries are asked to spontaneously share their testimonies or a first discussion in front of 1500 people. How is that for pressure? 

The missionaries have a saying..."every member a mission president." Everywhere they go, they are being watched. At least 3 times a week I receive an email or a phone call about various and sundry mistakes the missionaries make. Examples of some of these... "they were riding their bikes too close to the traffic and they didn't have any lights." "I saw them at the bowling alley on Tuesday. What are they doing there on Tuesday?" (It's their pday) "The missionaries hung out at the family history center all afternoon." (I ask them to do family history for their investigators and less actives every week). 387 Bishops and ward councils expect a deep spiritual thought and advice to hasten the work in ward councils weekly. The missionaries are expected to teach 21 lessons a week, baptize every month and take recent converts or recently activated members to the temple every month. They are expected to smile and be happy everywhere they go. (Even in the snow and rain) They enter smoke-filled rooms and work with disaffected members daily. The local members have the best intentions in mind, but consider the scrutiny the missionaries face. I love these missionaries. I love their commitment. I love them in all of their 18 and 19 year old weakness.  I love that they can do hard things. 

As Gods children we can all do hard things. Why? Because our greatest exemplar and Savior did hard things and set the example of how to endure difficulties. 

He endured and "drunk out of the bitter cup which the father hath given..." What was in the bitter cup? Isaiah called it the "cup of fury." What was in the cup? All that is painful, all that is harmful,  all that isn't perfect. He made all that wasn't right, right. 

 Consider the following scriptures in D&C 19:15-19
15 "...how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

If Jesus can give glory to His Father after doing the hardest of ALL things, so can we give thanks in doing our own hard things. 

We thank you for your love, support and prayers. We need it and feel it! 

Love, Jeremy, Amy and Family