Thursday, April 22, 2010

Noisy dinner...

We've been working hard with Ben to teach him good table manners....its not really working. He will put the utensil in his left hand and use it but always manages to get his right hand into the food as well. (messy!) He also can be a noisy eater chewing with his mouth open and making smacking sounds.

So tonight during dinner,  I said "Ben you need to chew with your lips together, so that its quiet and nice" and he commented back "I'm being like dad!"


This caused a huge laugh. Hmmm I guess we've got more things to work on with everyone. (PS.Jeff is a good eater, unless he is eating ribs.)

Monday, April 19, 2010

...but good weekend

Last post was sad, but this one's not. We had a wonderful Stake Conference. Elder Scott and Elder Gong came out for the reorganization of our Stake Presidency. This was a wonderful opportunity, and I appreciated the time he took to explain the process. Elder Gong was also an amazing speaker, it was great to get to know him better.

Since I was singing in the choir I was able to sit in the choir seats until we sang, I was looking over the audience and looking at the different Priesthood holders. I knoticed that 2 families, with all their children were sitting next to the old Stake Presidents family. Brother Manm's family specifically. I don't know what it was but something about him looked really happy but also very humble, and as if he had a lot of responsibilities...it was weird. I only thought about it for a minute, thought it was cute how he was holding his wife's hand and continued watching the audience...I had no clue who they were going to call. Well they called Brother Ellis (2nd Counselor in Stake Presidency) to be our new Stake President (He's amazing, and will do a fabulous job) and Brother Gibb. I don't know him but I do know his wonderful wife.


I was impressed how much peace comes when they read the names. I really only know President Ellis, but his counselors radiated with goodness. It was so easy to sustain these men. Their testimonies were so humble and it just confirms the whole process. These men were truly called of God and it will be something that I will always remember.

Tough Weekend

Jeff came home early on Friday. He was pretty shaken up, and this weekend was a tough one for him. I've attached the press release, regarding the reason.

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Tippecanoe County officials have identified a man found dead in a Purdue University parking garage Thursday afternoon.

According to a release from the coroner's office, the victim was Nestor A. Rojas, 25.

Police found Rojas in the back seat of a maroon, four-door car with Florida plates, parked at the south end of the Wood Street parking garage's sixth floor about 4:18 p.m. Thursday.

The release stated that the death was a suicide, and there was no suggestion of criminal activity.

Police officials said the investigation began after the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office took a report of a missing person at 12:56 p.m. Thursday.

As police were investigating, they used information from the victim's cell phone to track his location.

Using that technology, police were able to narrow the search to the area of the Purdue campus around the Wood Street Garage.

As police were investigating, they also noticed a suspicious looking backpack in the front passenger's seat.

Police evacuated and shut down the garage, as well as Grant Street adjacent to the garage, for several hours while a bomb squad investigated. Once a robot determined the backpack was no danger, police reopened the garage and the street at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Purdue spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg previously told the Journal & Courier that the victim is believed to be either currently or formerly affiliated with the university, but she could not confirm that.

Purdue's online directory lists Rojas as holding a student service position in the electrical and computer engineering department.

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Nestor was a member of Jeffs lab group.  His professor sent out an official email this morning stating "It is with much sadness that what has been suspected has been confirmed. The body found in the parking garage was announced today to be Nestor Rojas. It was apparently a suicide and no foul play is suspected. Not many more details have been released. He was a terrific person and will be missed dearly. He contributed much to the lab, both with his hard work and his jovial personality. He had a bright future ahead of him and this is truly a tragedy."
 
This was a complete suprise. Jeff has always regarded Nestor as one of the nicest guys in the lab, always asking how everyone is doing. Because of a death on campus when we first moved out here technology was purchased to assist Purdue with missing person reports. While no one is sure how this could have been prevented, we are gratefull for Purdue's timly mannor in working with this case.

Our prayers and thoughts go to his family and friends at this time.