Ally’s talk -
Good afternoon brothers and sisters, my name is Ally Pollan. Today I have decided to share with you some of the experiences I have had while doing my personal progress.
One of my favorite value projects I have completed is choice and accountability. For my choice and accountability project, I decided to learn how to play the ukulele. Very conveniently for me my mom knows how to play the ukulele. We would have lessons at least once a week, and between that I would practice on my own. After a few weeks we had completed the introductory book, and we were beginning to play a wide variety of songs.
My choice to practice regularly lead to quick improvement. I love playing the ukulele and I am glad I have that skill. Without the motivation from personal progress I may have never taken the time to learn how to play the ukulele.
Boyd K. Packer says, “We have agency. What happens in our lives and in our pattern of eternal progression is just what we decide it will be”
Another project I really enjoyed was teaching Family home evening. Every Monday I planned a lesson, a game, and a treat. My favorite lesson I taught was on faith. In our family home evening lesson that Monday, I read the scriptures about Jesus walking on water, and then I did a fun object lesson where you bend a paperclip a certain way and use it to make the other paperclips float on the surface of water, when otherwise they would sink.
We then discussed what that story meant to us and how Christ keeps us afloat in our own lives. After our family home evening lessons we often play a game. Our favorite game so far is gospel pictionary, we have shared a lot of laughs playing games during family home evening.
Alma 37:35 reads, “Oh remember my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth. Yea learn in thy youth, to keep the commandments of God.” Family home evening has helped us grow closer together and realize how much we mean to each other.
The last project I am going to share with you is Good Works. For my good works project I helped Sister Robinson with the spring sheep shearing. We herded, wrestled, and eventually sheared all the sheep. This process was difficult but I learned a lot that day. After the sheep were free of their wool, we had to clean it and separate each color to prepare them to be sold. I learned that hard work and lots of help from friends can get a hard job done.
After my day at the farm I gained a greater appreciation for hard working people and what they do for the valley.
Personal Progress has been an adventure so far, and I am so close to the end. My mom helped me so much along the way, and I don't think I would have come this far without her. Although I will miss this personal progress a lot, The new program will continue to help my testimony grow throughout my time in Young Womens. I am so excited to set goals for my life and to keep improving every day.
I would like to bare my testimony that I know my faith has increased greatly through my experiences with personal progress, and I am so grateful for all the young women and leaders that have helped me from the day I turned twelve. I know this Church is true and Jesus Christ is our savior and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Cattrons had us over for dinner with the missionaries and a lego building session to help put their christmas lego village together. The missionaries were really in their element! I think Lego is the universal language of the male species. 
Christmas Eve presents. The kids were both excited about their pajamas this year. I didn't send Carter any since he already has pjs on the mission. We sent Carter lots of other presents though.
The kids having fun at home with Byron over Christmas Break. They did a little ice skating on Cattron's pond. Penny did a little Ally sneak attack when she fell over.
CHRISTMAS LETTER 2019
We rang in the year with Byron’s family in Dallas. A polar bear plunge into the pool was a shocking and comical start thanks to Ally and Tyler. We knew right away it was going to be an adventure filled year. We have felt the love of our Savior as we have navigated our way.
Carter (19) has been serving in the Las Vegas, Nevada mission for our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It has been a surprise to us that he has served in California, Nevada and Arizona. I am also pleased to hear how much he is loving his mission and that he is working hard. I think in addition to the joy he has found in teaching the people, a few high points have been; attending the Las Vegas temple, getting to take a tour of the Hoover dam and petting a capybara. I’m sure he’d give you an entirely different list. We enjoy his weekly calls and emails, well mostly weekly emails.
Tyler’s (16) year was full of fundraising for the high school’s band trip. They were able to march in the Washington D.C. Memorial Day parade. He has also worked hard and earned his Eagle Scout award. His project was collecting, repairing and donating bikes locally. It was a great success. He continues playing trombone in the marching band, concert band, pep band and Jazz band. Tyler has worked on a few projects including building his robot, carving a miniature Viking burial ship and building a trebuchet. We never know what we are going to find when we go out to the workshop.
Ally’s (13) life is still revolving around competition soccer, indoor soccer and futsol (another type of soccer). She was able to attend BYU soccer camp this summer. She decided to play basketball at the junior high for the first time last season. It was fun to watch her figure out a new sport. A definite highlight for the year was having new neighbors move in next door. They have a daughter a year older and a year younger than Ally. The three of them have had the best time running around the neighborhood.
I have been trying my hand at watercolor painting this year. It is difficult. I also earned my Master Gardening Certificate for level I and II through Montana State University. I was able to pass a comprehensive test, also not easy. We managed a remodel of our master bathroom which was so much more difficult than anticipated. We’re mostly glad we did it. I need to pick easier hobbies. My garden is my playground though and I have enjoyed it immensely. I grew, picked and canned a peck of pickled peppers!
Byron and I were finally able to spot the ever so elusive Snowy Owl this year. It was a delight for both of us to find the neighborhood where they nested and visit them occasionally throughout their winter stay. Byron also found some time to float the MT rivers and fly fish a few times. He is trying his hand at gardening as well and grew some magnificent peppers and tomatoes. We pulled off a family vacation to Banff and Waterton, Canada this summer. Our hike up to Crypt Lake was spectacular and very challenging. The wild flowers kept us captivated as we made our way. Jackson Hole with my family is an annual treat. We did break tradition this year and drove to Mammoth Hot Springs. It was spectacular. The pineapple Jacob and Marie bought from a pineapple field was the highlight of our Maui trip this year. Not sure I’ve ever tasted one quite so sweet. A beach vacation is a welcome break from the cold winters!!
We made fun memories with those who stayed with us this summer and can’t wait for what’s ahead in the new year. May the spirit of Christmas be with you all year!
Love, Byron, Erin, Carter, Tyler and Ally Pollan
