Ben and Grandpa

Grandpa is 72 and Ben is 14.  Last summer I went on a backpack with our son Matthew and grandson Ben.  We climbed Kings Peak in Utah.  We went about 25 miles and climbed to the top of the highest mountain in Utah - 13,528 feet in elevation.  Ben was always right beside me making sure I was OK.  Two months ago Ben started writing to me and I've kept up the dialogue - enjoying every minute of it.  I'm having a hard time topping Ben's imagination.  

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

it sounds like you are having and awesome time in Trinidad. its sounds like a beautiful place to serve the lord. i have to run bye

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

We are having a wild a crazy time here.  We are in the office learning a lot about computers and financing.  We drive on the left side of the road so our car has the steering wheel on the right side.  It scares grandma half to death when I drive - she was always nervous, but this is even worse.  The vendors on the street sell fresh fruit that is always in season like watermelon and pineapple.  We have an apartment that looks into a swimming pool - I haven't taken the opportunity to use it yet.  We are talking about going to the beach this Saturday, they say it is beautiful.  Almost everyone is black but they are very kind people.  We really stand out with our light skin and grey hair.  Our apartment is on a street with many very large homes of people from India.  They have a little temple in the yard and we see them picking flowers and going into the temples to pray or have some type of ceremony.   It is always warm here and right now it is probably 80 degrees.  I have never felt that it is uncomfortably hot but it is now in the dry season and when it starts to rain it will probably be very humid.  We are doing well and loving the opportunity to serve in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

i am back had to help a friend. so what was i talking about o yes about your mission it sounds like you are having an awesome time serving the lord.. so i heard you got a crazy e mail, so i guess its my turn to send you one first off in the 2 weeks you were gone i won the Nobel prize in science for engineering animal DNA so animals will no longer make excrement and thus making the world a more harmonious place. mom has been recognized for her talents in cooking and got a job at  Texas roadhouse. Zachary has become so smart and rich that he bought Microsoft and Apple. Carissa married someone rich from Sweden who's name cane not be pounced in the English language. Annie became so good at drawing that she is making millions and is creating the next Mona Lisa. that's all form our family see you in 2 years.

p.s. i almost forgot dad cured cancer 

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

Humorous boy - and grandma and grandpa just converted and baptized 3,420 people - the missionaries are stunned by our efforts.  Keep us posted on your remarkable family and we will do the same.  Love you grandpa and grandma.

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

look what happened when i went to the Gym for 4 hours

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

Buff boy, be careful and don't get too caught up in that crazy body of yours.

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

Annie started to draw the Mona Lisa

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

Looks like the Cowa Lisa to me!

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

look who carissa married she married him about a week ago and you missed out. the party afterwords lasted for 4 days and to be honest i cant remember most of it i think i had laceration with a table a couple of times. p.s i think he looks handsome don't you

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

He does - perhaps their kids will be the first of a new race - talk about evolution in reverse.

Ben wrote to Grandpa:
can evolution go in reverse because that would be cool to see. maybe if i run some tests i could win the Nobel prize again!

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

I say go for it - you need to split the prize with me for thinking of the idea - if not, I have a brother who is a mean lawyer and I will see you in court!

 Ben wrote to Grandpa:

OK i will go for it and if i fail i will have uncle don back me up. but i cant picture uncle don defending me. i think it might be because no one can take uncle don seriously.

  Ben wrote to Grandpa:

guess what happened to Zachary! he ate a hair growth potion i was working on and it was unstable so  he now looks like this

Grandpa wrote to Ben: Boy, I'll bet your mom and dad are mad!  See if you can mix another potion and turn him back but this time try it on yourself first. Ben wrote to Grandpa: i'm trying to work on it and the results are still coming back from Nelson labs i got a picture from them and this is what one of the test subjects look like Grandpa wrote to Ben: Not bad - now throw a little peach fuzz in the mix and you might have something. Ben wrote to Grandpa: i will keep that in mind and see if it works out. i'm getting close to finding a cure.

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

Well Ben how is school and how is life?  I hope you are enjoying spring and you are helping your mom and dad plant the garden, mow the lawns, weed the flowers and anything else they would like you to do.  Grandpa loves you and thinks you are a great kid.

 

What would I like to do? - climb a mountain with you.

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

life is good grandpa, the garden is planted and the first weeds are coming up and i need to get out there and weed. i mowed my neighbors lawn last week and it looks really dead but that's OK because its the start of spring and most of the lawns still look dead. i hope your having an awesome time on your mission. i heard that you got transferred to Tobago, how is it there.  i have to go world domination is calling me! bye

Ben wrote to Grandpa:

grandpa in the short time i emailed you last i have been halfway around the world in search for the lost city of Danu Talis but most people call it Atlantis. it was at the bottom of the ocean. in its glory it was an island that started on the tip  of Africa and went across the to the america. i have been across the world looking for it and i have found it. the thing is that other people are looking for it and i have gone into hiding. they will not rest in till they find me so i must go i fear they are closing in on me. bye

Grandpa wrote to Ben:

Well... I am half way around the world too - at least it feels like it.  Foreign language, foreign food, foreign driving and most of the time I'm the only white guy in the grocery store - now that's foreign!  We move to Tobago next Saturday.  We bought an estate on the golf course.  It has a guard house, two swimming pools and an 18 hole golf course.  I have an order in for two new limo's to get around in - one for me and grandma and one for out dog skipper.  I've been buying up a lot of real-estate here and last night decided to buy the whole island - I like my privacy.  The biggest problem is moving the 62,000 current residents to another island - but it always surprises me when you offer somebody a million dollar bonus, how quickly they decide to go along with your plans.  I will need to dip into my savings account to pay for it all but it shouldn't be a problem.  I'm still keen on my gold reserve and have been sending it to that underground vault I built on the moon - I think you remember that being in the news.  I can only send up twenty tons at a time and can't schedule more that a weekly flight so it will take a while to get it all there but I believe it will be secure.  Well all of this work and planning has made me kind of tired so I think I'll take a nap.