Wednesday, April 15, 2009

TAKE A GUESS WHERE ELDER MAURER'S FIRST AREA IS??

CASPER WYOMING!!
I got a call from an Elder in Rapid City, South Dakota today asking for Elder Maurer's mom...hmmm that would be me! Talk about make your heart drop! It seems that Keegan took his Visa debit card with him that had expired, who knows where the real one is, so he had no way to pay for his bike. So mom comes to the rescue again!
After quizzing the salesperson at the bike shop which is located in Rapid City and the Elder calling for Keegan as he wasn't allowed to get on the phone with me (RATS) I finally got the Elder to slip up that the new debit card needed to be sent to the mission home not to Casper...HEH HEH
Elder Maurer did say in the background to tell my mom I have sent her my new address! Ahhhhhh
All letters, parcels, packages need to be sent through the Mission home address they told me when I called to ask about Keegan's debit card. The address is listed before but I will list it here again.
GO ELDER MAURER!

Elder Keegan Maurer
South Dakota Rapid City Mission
2525 W. Main Street, Suite 311
Rapid City, SD 57702-2443

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE...

Keegan and I decided we would see a new temple every week from the time he was endowed until the time he went on his mission. I cannot recommend this enough if possible for anyone who is going on a mission or for any parents who are having their children get ready for a mission and are about to be endowed. This gave Keegan and I a unique opportunity to learn together and it was such a spiritual experience for us both!

Keegan got to go to the Open House for the new Draper Utah Temple before he went through for his own endowment. It was a "meant to be" moment.

All the temples Keegan has been blessed to see since he was endowed...
1. Mt. Timpanogos Temple, American Fork, Utah
2. Provo Temple, Provo, Utah
3. Manti Temple, Manti, Utah

4. Seattle Temple, Bellevue, Washington

5. Salt Lake Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah

6. Provo Temple (while in the MTC)
7. Provo Temple (while in the MTC)

NEW PICTURES ON OLD POSTS!

BE SURE AND SEE SOME NEW PICTURES THAT WERE ADDED TO OLD POSTS, I FIGURED OUT HOW TO ADD THEM ALL BY MYSELF...NOT BAD FOR AN OLD GAL!
I have just learned how to put pictures on the blog and finally can take over for Brianna. Her and I will be doing it together.

The only kissing he can do is with his mom!


His Sissy-Brianna, ahhh the love of a devoted sister!


Bonding time with the three women in his life...Sissy, Mom and Keegan's girlfriend Kristen


Just the three of us at "Color Me Mine" trying to not miss our Keegan so much!

OUR LAST GOODBYE FOR TWO WHOLE YEARS...

Ted and I thought it would be fun to give Keegan a last "farewell" message so we bought a bunch of plastic cups to stick in the fence on the overpass above the freeway...well maybe we should have measured first because we got too big of cups. After our second attempt we got the right size cups and had the message almost completely finished when what do we behold but "BUSTED BY THE POLICE!" Yep we had to take the sign down while the Lehi Police Officer waited in his car with the lights flashing ever so brightly.

The sign was supposed to say "WE LOVE (HEART) U KEEGAN"!


This is the back of the sign, the front is over the freeway in bold red color!


Yes that is a police car in the background...BUSTED!!!!


Our second attempt was to make a sign out of a shower curtain since it was Sunday and we didn't want to "break the Sabbath." We used some super bright pink paint and hung it over the Pleasant Grove overpass, unfortunately Keegan missed it. But when I got to talk to him Monday morning via the payphone at the airport he got a chuckle out of the story. He told me to send pictures of that!

Ted spray painting the shower curtain


Mom helping with the second try...


The finished product!


Keegan left on Monday morning, April 13th to fly to the South Dakota, Rapid City Mission. He got to call me the morning of and talk to his "MOM"! He had to throw the homemade jam away at the airport (a gift for his mission president and his wife) because we forgot it is considered a "liquid." He improvised by buying Utah jam and honey at the gift shop in the airport.

He was a bit upset because Elder Sequin's family came to the airport to see him off. On the back of the card they gave to us in the MTC they told us no visiting or phone calls including the airport...so he was frustrated but handled it ever so politely.

He had a Sister missionary that told him he had 5 minutes while she was tapping her watch because they could be proselyting while at the airport. I told him to put her on the phone with me and I would let her know that he was doing exactly what he needed to be doing and that was saying goodbye to his mother! We got a good laugh out of that.

He can't tell us enough how much he loves us and how much he appreciates all that was done for him to get on his mission, ahhhh now we are sooooo reaping the rewards!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

South Dakota Rapid City Mission Address

If you want to write Keegan before his new address is posted here is the mission home address where mail will be forwarded to him:

Elder Keegan Maurer
South Dakota Rapid City Mission
2525 W. Main Street, Suite 311
Rapid City, SD 57702-2443

South Dakota, Rapid City

Keegan leaves the MTC on Monday morning and heads for Rapid City, South Dakota to meet with President & Sister Cannon, his mission president and wife. He will be flying out of Salt Lake City, Utah with two Elders and two Sister missionaries. The two Elder missionaries were his roommates while he was in the MTC and the four of them were in his district.
Keegan has sent pictures of his companion, district and of his branch. He also has sent pictures of other missionaries that he has made friends with while at the MTC. He has written every week and has done quite well while at the MTC, working hard and growing spiritually in leaps and bounds.
On Friday, April 10, Keegan got to make a phone call to his mom! Yes you read this right, he got to phone home! It was so much fun takling to him after a few weeks of no phone contact. He will get to call again on Mother's Day and Christmas but besides that all contact will be made with the United States Post Office or if lucky through a weekly email.
We will be loading pictures of the MTC after we get a scanner so stay tuned!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

MY LAST WEEKEND IN THE MTC...COUNTDOWN!


Keegan is on his last weekend in the MTC. He leaves Monday, April 13 for Rapid City, South Dakota. He will meet with President and Sister Cannon first and then be sent to his first area. Four of the missionaries in his district (two Elders that are his roommates and two Sister missionaries) are flying out with him. Keegan is their district leader in the MTC. This will be at least a bit reassuring for him as he won't be going alone or without knowing someone.

Keegan has sent home lots of pictures already. He is working hard and is loving being in the MTC. The homesickness has ebbed and so now he is just interested in learning the work. He can't wait to get out into the mission field and share the gospel with them.

DON'T FORGET ELDER MAURER NEEDS LETTERS TOO!


Keegan tells us he loves to get letters often! He says he doesn't get so homesick if he is hearing from people. He doesn't have much time to write but he loves getting letters. He says he can never get enough mail.

PLEASE WRITE ME!


We will be posting his new address as soon as we get it.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

MTC HUMPDAY!

Keegan is over half way in the MTC (Missionary Training Center). He will leave in a week from Monday. He will go to South Dakota, Rapid City Mission Home and from there to his first area. We won't know until he writes us where that will be, so we will keep you posted when we find out.
Keegan has written two letters now, we just received a long letter from him on Thursday. We were a bit worried that he didn't write since his p-day (preparation day) is on Monday, but he doesn't get to write until later in the evening and it doesn't get mailed out until Tuesday so the letter doesn't arrive until Thursday and by that time we are all anxiously awaiting the news!
Keegan is doing amazing. He has been working hard, he says his companion is having a hard time keeping up with him as he makes sure he is on time to everything. He also states that his companion Elder Webster is very patient with him as he has to return to his room at least once a day as he forgets his wallet, key or chapstick...hmmm somethings never change.
He has gotten to go to the temple and also been asked to give a blessing to one of the sister missionaries. He is teaching a young man who is recently separated from his wife and girls and is into football. Keegan says he is trying to find scriptural references to use to help him find some happiness in his life. He will teach him for the first time this Monday.
He also got to bear his testimony after a missionary conference and he told the story of him and mom going to the Salt Lake Temple. There were many experiences that happened in the temple that day that were very sacred to Keegan and mom and they both talk about it very reverently.
I think the thing that stands out the most right now is how often he writes home telling us how much he loves us all, especially mom & sissy (Brianna). I think that has been the thing that has made it all worth while to see how much he loves his family and appreciates them. He seems to be growing up over night!

Keegan's MTC Address

Keegan's MTC Address is:
Elder Keegan Maurer
MTC Mailbox #183
SD-RAPI 0413
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

This is the card they give out to the parents...on the other side is explicit instructions of obeying all the rules...basically stay out!


Please don't forget to write me!


Keegan will be in the MTC until Monday, April 13th.
When we get his new address in the mission field we will post it!

If you want to write Keegan you can either write through DearElder.com and they will print it and send it for free the same day or you can go "snail mail." We are ALL trying to get use to using snail mail again...we feel like we are back before the era of computers and email!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

One Week!!!

Keegan's been in one week today!!! We haven't got a letter yet this week but we'll let you know how he's doing the moment we hear from him!

First Letter!

We got a letter that keegan wrote his first night of the MTC! He said that his companion is Elder Webster and he's from Omaha, Nebraska. His companion is going to be serving in the San Francisco, California mission. He has two other missionaries (Elder Grarit and Elder Sequin) in his room with him and Elder Webster. Elder Grarit and Elder Sequin are both going to the Rapid City mission and will be flying out with him. His district is made up of him and the three other Elders, along with four Sisters. They called Keegan to be the district leader!!! He said that he's praying for Heavenly Father to help him with his home sickness! But seems to be enjoying it. Keegan said that he can only write letters on P-day, which is Monday, so we wont be getting another one for a few days!

Entering the MTC

Keegan entered the MTC! On Wednesday we all had breakfast at the house, Ted cooked biscuits and gravy and omelets there was bacon and cantaloupe too! It was super yummy. Afterwards we all sat and visited until it was time to leave. We met up at my house and walked over together. It was way fun getting to see keegan go into the MTC! We've lived next to it for so long and now he's finally in there! After we dropped off his luggage we went inside and got his name badge. Then you go in and watch a short movie (that was my favorite part) and hear a short talk. Then it was time for him to leave! We all did a great job of not crying to much!!! We're going to miss him so much, but I think everyone is so excited and proud of him for choosing to serve the lord! We love you keeg!
Got to get one last good family shot!


Being goofy!


Classic MTC picture, it's a must.


Keegan and Mom.


Keegand and Sissy.


Keegan and Myrna.


Keegan and Dylan.


Keegan and Ted. Aren't they tuff!!!


Keegand and Greg.


One more family shot!


A couple shots with Joseph Smith!




Him and his Luggage.



Almost time!


Missionaries go in here!



Families go in here!


Getting his name tag! (the plus of having some one tall in the family! He takes pictures of everything)




Putting it on!




One last hug with Sis!


And one last hug with Mom!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Keegan's Last Night of Freedom! A Very Busy One at That...

Keegan and mom went to the temple one last time on their Temple Trip Adventures. We saved the Salt Lake Temple for last. We had such a unique and very tender experience in the temple as we got to be the witness couple. It is a moment that both him and I will cherish forever.




We also got an amazing tour inside the temple where there were many things that we were privvy to see that we didn't know about. It was amazing to see the sacrifices made by our early pioneer forefathers and foremothers. The blessings of their sacrifices are being enjoyed still today and the spirit was so special and it gave both Keegan and I the courage to send him on his way...I cannot tell you the peace I felt with him as it finally came the day before he was to go! WHEW just in the knick of time!



On Tuesday night Keegan was getting Ordained and Elder at 9:30. We decided to go out to eat as a family and then go to his ordination. We met up at my parents at 6:30 but keegan wasn't home yet. He had gone to say good by to Kristen (his girl friend). When he got home he was pretty upset about it! I gave him a hug and told him he could hug me or mom since we were the only girls he could hug anymore!

Hugging Sissy

Hugging Mom

The only two girls he is allowed to hug, his mom and sis!



Keegan wanted to go to Olive Garden so all 6 of us climbed into one car (it didn't work so well with all four grown kids in the back seat) and made our way to the restaurant. We had a great time eating and spending our last meal as a family... especially since our awesome server brought us the Mint bucket and told us we could all have more then one!!!!

All of us "kids" waiting and waiting and waiting to eat...


Greg my brother-in-law, me and my sissy!


Me and my "little buddy" Dylan


Me, my mom and dad Ted


Celebrating my "thunder day" with my family...ahhhh!


Then we went over to the Stake Center for Keegan's Ordination! That was an awesome experience that I'm glad none of us missed! I'm so proud of Keeg and his Choice to serve a mission! Have fun in South Dakota Elder Maurer!

My mom and dad with their new missionary!


President Scott Anderson and Keegan


I'm an "official missionary" now!


A lot later that night...
Keegan's "guy" friends for one last trip down memory lane...no girls allowed!

One last breakfast before we leave for the MTC with my little brother Dylan

Sissy and Auntie Myrna and my dad Ted as the "master chef!"

Keegan's bedtime buddy Scamper...ahhhh I am going to miss him!

Time to leave the nest and fly away, first stop the MTC
(Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah)