Christmas morning we were in Utah at my mom's house... we were gathered around the tree with Derek, Brittany, Weston, Devin, Diana, Krew, Chad and my mom.... my cell phone rang! I looked at caller ID and it was from an area code that I wasn't familiar with... normally I wouldn't answer but somehow I knew... I answered, it was a very nice gentleman and he asked if it was Shaila, I told him yes... he had an accent, again, somehow I knew... He said, "I have one of your family members here with me" and of course I started to cry... I was so excited! (We were supposed to call him at 11, it was about 10:30) He told me to gather my family around and call him back at that number (I am actually surprised that Dallin knew my cell number!) So, we got the speakers and hooked them up to the cell phone...
And, we called "Elder Bergquist"!!!
With us all gathered around the phone we talked to him for 40 minutes. That is the rule in his mission, 40 minutes. I took notes (you can see my pad of paper there on the ground beside me) but I have misplaced it so I will try to remember all he told us - which really wasn't much! When I find my page of notes I will add to this post).
Dallin told us that there are a couple of new rules... the new missionaries coming in will be "trained" for 2 transfers and with a new training manual. So, he is now through training his companion (this is his 3rd transfer in the field). He also told us that once you have hit your 1 year mark you do not have language study in the morning, so he is done with that.
He told us that the house above them has a leak in their bathroom that runs down into their kitchen! (I had asked him why he had not sent us pics of his apartment, he said he didn't want me to worry.) Brad and Derek (who served in the mission office on his mission) both told him that he REALLY needed to call the mission office and tell them, THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
He told us how much he really likes the family of the home that they called from. He told us about their last baptism and what a great guy he is and how motivated he is. He said that he spent Christmas Eve day and Christmas Day with them... he had no family around to spend it with... he said how very much he loves him...
I really can't think of much more he told us... we just talked and laughed... it was SO great to hear his voice and his love of the mission!!! He bore his testimony in Portuguese at the end of the phone call, it was awesome!!!
One more phone call (Mother's Day) before he comes home..
His birthday is on Tuesday! I sure hope someone there knows and bakes him a cake or something! We will have cake here in memory of him... haha...
We love you Elder Bergquist! We are so proud of you! I LOVE that you are soooooooooooo very happy and love what you are doing!!! You are in our every prayer....
Love reading this blog, every single post!!!! I cried when you said you cried because I cried for our call too. Big bunch of cryin' missionary moms. Love you Elder Bergquist!!! I'm swiping the pics to send to Elder Sterling!
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