Trip to Utah

Salt Lake City
This year marks our two year Anniversary. It has been great. We have gone through a lot. From the traveling ,buying our home, even at one point having four dogs in the house....(that did not fly for Christina, two were out quick.). I thought a lot about what I should do for Christina. The best thing that I could think of was to learn more about the church history along with her own.

We got to Salt Lake and stayed the afternoon at the Plaza Hotel which is across the street from Temple Square. I then called one of my aunts that I had not seen in years and went over to her house for dinner and seeing that most of the Lauritzen family has not met my wonderful wife I thought this would be great. It was nice to see them along with one of my cousins. The weather was just beautiful. It snowed and added a great look to some of our pictures. Oh and man was it freezing.





MOUNT PLEASANT UT

The next day we went to Mount Pleasant were my Grandpa and Grandmother Lauritzen and my Aunt Gay lived and now buried there. I never was able to go to their funerals so I thought this would be the best time to go. I showed Christina the house that they built and told her of some of the things that I remembered of them. It was a nice time up there. The snow was coming down pretty good.







TEMPLE SQUARE

On Monday night we walked around Temple square looking at the lights and going though some of the buildings on temple square.







LINKING FAMILIES TOGETHER

I think this was the best day that we had while in temple square. Unfortunately we were not able to go into the temple because it was closed. We will have to do that another time. I took Christina around temple square and learned more about the Church history along with a little surprise. In the morning we went to the Joseph Smith movie were she learned a lot. Then we went to the genealogy family history building were Christina got the surprise of her life. We had been there for about 30 mins and she had found 5 generations of her family. She found her Great Grandmother and her siblings along with their parents and her Great-Great-Great Grandmother's name and age in 1920. This just made her day. This is what I had hoped for, I think I was just as excited as she was. It was a wonderful experience for the both of us. On top of that it was on our anniversary. The day ended with us going to dinner and going to a few Christmas concert performances on temple square.





This day showed not only me but also Christina that Families can be together for ever. That Our Heavenly father is watching over us.

We were also able to go to the Conference center. I have been there before. I was there the first conference that was there. Christina though it was cool. There were things that I learned also while taking the tour.





Overall we had a wonderful time.

To My grandpa and grandmother and Aunt Gay Lauritzen .....God Be with you till we meet again.


To my pequena

After two years I have learned a lot from my wife. I learned that money and things of this world do not matter. She has taught me to love someone more than life itself. I believe so much that the Lord chooses who we spend our lives with. I am very greatful to be part of her life as she is a great part in mine. I look forward to spending this life and the next with her. So thanks pequena for all that you have shown me and all that you will show me.

Last week of training pt 1

Well this week was not as bad as I thought..Well except for the pouring rain for three days straight.

This week we did our training as though we were in IRAQ in a FOB (forward observation base ). We got three missions a day to either getting information from the locals , conducting an ambush or a raid. We even had to rescue a downed pilot. Overall it was a pretty fun week.

The downed pilot

Ready to rock

This was one of our tents that we stayed in.

We also had to observe a Islamic building that ended in a fire fight.

We also had our very own laundry mat

Like many soldiers the last day of being out in the field we are not worried about going to bed at all. So we engage in some fun ...night operations.

Lets just say these are not the right uniforms

Its always good to know that we can enjoy ourselves even if we haven't gotten much sleep .

A lot of this training I think has been good for me. I have gotten a little more proficient in the occupation that army chose for me. I would have to say hands down that the MOUNT stuff was the best. There is something about entering and clearing rooms that I enjoy doing. It might be the adrenaline pumping.

By this time next week I should be on my way to see my wife ...I cant wait

Oh ya it is funny on what the army will make us do...The last time I racked leaves I was like 12 it took 15 years for me to do it again ...to think I had to join the army to have to be told to rack leaves

Week 5

Well this week was a heck of a week. All I can say is that my feet are dead and my strength is gone. I am glad that I was able to rest a little bit this weekend

This week was MOUNT week. This is were we learned how to enter and clear buildings. I would have to say this has been the best week that I have had. I enjoy learning about entering and clearing buildings.

Then we did our ten mile ruck march. Here is were the feet just died

You know I have never been a fan of ruck marching. The reason is this My feet look like this .......

It took me all week to get them to were I could walk like I did not have a load in my pants .....

Anyways with the mount training done and the ten mile ruck we felt pretty good till the end of the week when we had Land Navigation and squad competition. Lets just say it did not help my feet

We also did night operations that was pretty cool....

On of my buddies in my squad

That is me..... looking in the Night vison goggles.

Well the next week is the last week of training ant it is going to nothing but 24 hr operations...so I thought I was tired this week im going to be even more tired this coming week

Shortest Week Ever

some of my squad goofing off.

the LDS member I met is the one that is in the middle with the big gun

Me and another one of my buddies

Again I get the biggest weapon and I one of the smallest.

Ok for some reason the pictures are not dragging. I just got a new computer so I am getting used to it. So the pictures are all on top.

OK this last week of training was ok seeing that it was only three days long for us. Well really 2 and a half. We did some squad attacks along with some convoy operations. This week I think went by really fast because I was waiting to see my beeeeeeautiful wife. This week was turkey week...which means what ? FOOTBALL and eating time. I will get to all that later.

FT Benning

The convoy operations to me was kind of a joke because I am in 4th squad, which means that I am in the rear. By this I mean that we have to pull rear security. Let me tell you there was nothing going on in the rear. so for about two hrs we did nothing but sit in the back of a cargo Humvee and talk about what we were going to do for the Long weekend that was to come.

Wait wait let me start from the beginning of the day ...we woke up at 0500 in the morning thinking that instead of doing PT we would do rehearsals for the squad live fires. Well that did not happen we drew are weapons and sat for 5 hrs . The reason was that we did not have ammo. The story behind this all is along one so Ill give you the short one. First of all the Cadre went to get ammo in PT gear which is a huge NO GO at that station. So they had to go back change and then go back . By the time all that went by they had lost their place in line and moved to the rear. This allowing us to sit and wait. So that was convoy operations.

The next day was a little better. We had squad live fires. I was a little scared about this one because some of the members of my squad were turning their rifles as they got up and if there were any live rounds in their M4's I could have gotten shot. It was a long day but went really well. My squad was the only ones to go through without having to do it again.

Then it was clean up and off to see the family. This went well also. We had a good time in SA and got to be with family. Christina and I goofed around with Dan and Jessica. Even though they had to work we still filled in time to be with them. We supported Jessicas Crack addiction( inside joke) and went to were she works part time at the Cracker Barrel ...nice place I might say.. The football also was great The Cowboys won and UT bet A&M so I had a great thanksgiving.

All in all it was a great. I enjoyed being with family which is the most important thing I think. Also on a spiritual note. There is this one guy in my squad how like to joke . So him and I from the start hit it off good we would joke back and forth on eachother. Then during the convoy operations I was saying how I need to find a certain building were they conduct the LDS services and he said he know ...so I though he was lieing ...he responded and said that he was Mormon also....again I responded with " you liar...long story short he and I have been talking about the Church a lot and I have found someone to go to church with...

Training at Ft Benning

UPDATE ON TRAINING AT FT BENNING

Im about half way done with the first part of my long 6 month training. Things have been pretty good I have been doing a lot of PT (physical training) both at the butt crack of dawn then in the evening when I am done with training for the day. There really is nothing for me to do so I figure why not.

The weather has been ok here but in the morning it is about 27 degrees. This week has been ok during the day it was about 65 degrees.

These past weeks I have also learning about all kinds of weapons. Some of which I had never seen. For me I will probably never have to man any of these weapons, but it is nice to know this stuff as an Infantry officer. Some of the weapons that I learned and got to shoot were ......

1. M4 rifle

The M4 is the new rifle that the military uses to replace M-16. In this picture I have 2 weapons the one on the bottom has a m203 Grenade launcher.

2. M203 Grenade launcher

3. MK 19

4. 50 caliber machingun

There were more weapons that I fired but I could not get a picture of the 240B which is a big machingun.

The final thing that we did this week was the Army combatives. The good thing about this was because I had already gone through the course I did not have to go through it again. I was able to teach other soldiers. So that was a nice break.

All is going well I miss my family but I get to see them in 4 days.

FT BENNING GA

OK OK I KNOW I have not been the best person to keep up with this stuff. There is a lot of things that we have done and I will get to those when I get a chance. I have to teach Christina how to input the pictures and do all of this while I am gone.

FT BENNING GA

Anyways as some of you know I am away from my wonderful wife for the next 6 months. I am here at the home of the infantry FT Benning GA. I have been here for five days and it has not been that bad. The only thing I can say is that this week is nothing but briefings and class room stuff which is a bore. Next week we will go out in the field and do what I love most and that is fire my weapon. There are a lot of things that I am going to be doing while here and although it has been about 5 years since I have been at an Army school I think that I am adapting pretty well.

Let me start from the beginning. I flew very early Sunday morning 02NOV and arrived late Sunday afternoon. When I got here The airline decided that it would best to leave on of my bags behind in Atlanta. I have yet to see that bag with a lot of my essentials. Hopefully I will get it today I found were it is located at. Then since I got here we have been getting up earlier and earlier....it went from 530 to 500 to 420 but today it was more like 545. So I have been really tired these last few days. I have been meeting a lot of new people from all over the us...some starting their careers some have been in for as long as I have if not more. It is weird to think that I have been in the Army for 10 years now. Some of the LT's here look at me and say man when did you get in when you were born.

Now that we are pretty much caught up. Today has been an ok day so far. We got some of the medical stuff done and tomorrow is shot day and because I could not find my shot records guess what....I get them all again...That is about 5 shots oh and by the way it is all at once. The Army is like that. The rest of the day will be more classroom stuff along with my field gear issued to me.

Once I find the other bag which has my camera in it I will post some pictures to show everyone how fun it is to be in the Army.

Anyways all is good here and hope the same for others.