I can tell this blog is going to take a little more time to keep up with. Mandy writes so much more than Kevin, but I will try to keep up with it all, and summarize quite a bit of it.

Here is her first e-mail to us August 25th 2010

Well I wanted to share something with you, I thought and hope will be a comfort. I know it kinda got to you that Justin and Kevin weren't homesick..... and I wanted to let you know that you should be happy about that..... in Preach My Gospel Pres Ezra Taft Benson said "I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the spirit, if he gets the spirit he will be reached by the spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be NO HOMESICKNESS, no worrying about families, for all the time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work work work- there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work." So it's a good thing you've got hard working kids who are out serving the lord and are blessed to not be home sick. The MTC is awesome! My companion is from Rawlings WY her name is Sister Russell. We get along great she makes sure to get my butt our of bed at 5:40a.m. so we can go to gym class they have here just for the sisters. The other Sisters in my room is Sister Parkin from Holiday UT, and Sister Braun from Fresno CA, and all of us have boyfriends. lol. I will have to write more in a letter cuz I am running out of time. The MTC is hard, learning how to teach is rough but I love it. It's a great experience. We get to go do a session in the temple today and I'm siked and Elder Holland came and spoke with us yesterday. I'll write to you about it. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!
Sister Brough (haha still funny to write it, I don't know when or if I'll ever get used to it.)