My Brother, the missionary

My brother, Brycen, entered the Missionary Training Center. After three weeks of preparation in the MTC, he will live in West Virginia for two years sharing the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and eternal families with anyone who is willing to listen.

Being in the MTC brought back so many special memories of when I served a mission. We sang "Called to Serve," and tears came to my eyes. I feel so much love for the people I taught in Bolivia. Christ changed their hearts as they kept His commandments. I know that the message of the restored gospel is true. We are all called to serve God and share His message of love and peace and joy.

Go with God, Elder Mills!!!

Top of Timpanogos

Saturday, Pedro and I hiked to the top of Timp with my brother, Brycen, my dad, and a couple of family friends, Sharon Larkin and Gary Brimley. The wild flowers were incredible, so many varieties. It was my last hike with Brycen before he leaves on a mission to West Virginia. I loved chatting with him along the trail. We made our way down quite a bit shorter by sliding on our feet (or rear) down the snow fields - steep, a little scary, but exhilerating.

Happy Independence Day!

We enjoyed Independence Day Weekend in El Centro, California and in Mexico. The long drive was worth it to eat authentic Mexican tacos with Pedro's grandparents in Mexicali on Thursday. They showed us old pictures of when they were teenagers. At 17, his grandma was absolutely gorgeous. She still doing pretty good. Later, we visited his other grandma, Nana Flora, who fed us way more than we were capable of eating. She loves to tell stories about Pedro when he would visit her as a little boy. She explained how his mom would dress him in spotless white shirts, shorts and shoes, but when he got to grandma's house, he was free to take it all off and run free. In the evening, we ate the traditional shrimp with Pedro's dad. After dinner we went to the stake center for a ward basketball game. Pedro got to see some of his high school friends and play basketball with his dad. It was nice to see family and friends before taking off to the cold north of Minnesota.

Friday, the fourth, we enjoyed a pancake breakfast with the ward in El Centro. Their ward does a kids parade with red, white and blue decorated bikes and lawn mowers just like we did growing up in Holladay. Later that afternoon, we headed out of the 110* heat into the mountains above San Diego for a camping trip. At night, from the top of a hill, we could see thousands of stars. I sang quietly to myself some of my favorite songs: "America the Beautiful" and "My Country Tis of Thee." The next day we headed to Ensanata, Mexico, where we enjoyed a boat ride in the harbor and shopping in the streets.

Going back and forth over the border so easily made me grateful for my citizenship. How blessed we are to live in a free nation. I LOVE AMERICA!!!