Snyder/Cowles Clan

I’m going to reply for the family just to make sure you get an update from us. I’ll have Delys send some photos and let Rob and Erin write for themselves..

Marissa is a sophomore at Spanish Fork High School. She’s on the cheer squad, so she spends Friday nights under the lights at football games. So far being a cheerleader has not diminished her IQ as far as we can tell. Actually, cheer involves lots of service and work. Plus, she has to be sweet and smiley to everyone lest they think SF cheerleaders fit the stuck-up stereotype.

Jack is in his third semester at BYU. I think he’s finally coming around to accept the fact that he’s destined to become an English major, although he can’t quite bring himself to go to the Humanities Advisement Center and say, “Hello. My name is Jack, and I’m an English major.” He works part-time at Aeropostale at the Provo Towne Centre in support of his education and social life. He tries to stay on the cutting edge of fashion.

Steven just passed his one year mark in the Chile Osorno Mission. As of yesterday he was serving with the zone leader in Puenta Arenas, the southernmost part of Chile and, I’m told, the southernmost mission area in the world. His companion is going home today, so only the mission president and God know where he’ll end up by tomorrow. He loves his mission and the people, but he’ll be bummed out if he has to leave Puenta Arenas before the penguins come back south after wintering in the north.

Delys is busy teaching linguistic and English composition courses while she’s finishing up her dissertation. Next year we’ll have to call her Dr. Delys. She’s still the stake music chair because the stake won’t release her to make her available for a ward calling despite her bishop’s efforts. She takes care of all the music people in the stake, all the students in her classes, and all of us.

Phil has been bishop of the Salem 12th ward for over two years now and has had lots of new experiences forced on him as a result of working with the YM/YW program: rappelling, wakeboarding, snowmobiling, and so forth. Next year it’s going to be scuba diving. He’s the graduate coordinator in the English Department, which means he’s in charge of the M.A. program. He may try to recruit some of our London Study Abroad people, so watch out.

Cheers, Phil