A letter from December 23rd, 2017

Dear Sarah, Right now I'm writing to you while driving to a hotel in Richland to have Christmas with our extended family. Grandma is looking forward to seeing us. Grandpa has Santa duty tonight. James and Zayn are brand new babies we are excited to meet, and Rex just ruined the surprise about our Silver Mountain vacation, hahaha. Sarah, I hope you know how much I love you. Today you turn 18 (if my math is right). Happy Birthday. You have been such a light to my life, a joy, and a help to me. I hope that your future is still bright and that your teen years have been fulfilling. You have such a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and temple work. You desire to keep the commandments and live as a daughter of God should. I am always so impressed with how you strive to choose the right, especially outside our home. Thank you for the example that you are to your sister Katie and to the young women on your volleyball team. I hope you have continued to shine light in the darkness of our wicked world. Lauren and Ben, your snuggy bugs, are still so little. Helping to raise them has given you tools to be a fantastic mother some day. I hope you will seek to date men (not grown up boys. MEN.) Who honor their covenants and take their priesthood responsibilities and temple worthiness seriously. Dad doesn't do it enough, but let me tell you, guys that do their home teaching are sexy, and going to the temple is the best date ever. Bonus if beards are involved. Thank you for encouraging me to take care of my body. I've fallen behind on working out, and hopefully by now you've helped me get skinnier and stronger again. Always honor your body through living the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. It is such a divine gift and privilege to have a body. Remember that Satan and his followers didn't get one, so they want to do all they can to get us to ruin ours. I've fallen victim to that with too much candy and donuts and french fries. It's important to curb our mortal desires for nookie and cookies or we'll get ourselves into trouble. Well, your dad and I love you and think very highly of the woman you have become. Please continue to be the leader that your siblings need, my firstborn. Serve the Lord and your fellow man, and seek righteousness in all things. We love you SO MUCH. When you get this letter from 5 years in the past, please let me know so I can marvel at how cool technology is. Families can be together forever. ❤ Love, Mama