Lukas's day, Elder Roberts arrives, lots of rain...and blood squirting everywhere. Typical week in the mission field.

Lukas and family.

Howdy y'all!

Monday we went to the trampoline park and I goofed up my knee (it’s all ok now) and we also played volleyball.  Then we had a lesson with the Logue’s and it was interesting.

Tuesday was transfers so we went to north Little Rock and picked up our new comps and drove home.  I love Elder Roberts!  We stayed for a bit to help unload the trailer.  I got to see the lovely Elder Pickering so that was rad.  We got back and played basketball with Benton Elders and members.  I did alright, not too shabby.  I only missed 80% of my shots instead of 90. 

Wednesday we got a hold of a couple referrals and then helped the north spanish Elders move into south’s apartment.  Yes, there is 4 Elders in one apartment that is 50 yards away from us.  We’ll try to keep the trust God has for us haha.  But at first, we were drenched in sweat from the sun and heat, then 30 minutes later as we were sweeping the apartment, thunder started roaring and a torrential down pour broke through the heavens.  We got drenched as we moved the last things out.  I was quite literally, as Zac Brown Band put it, knee deep in the water somewhere.  I was wet....everywhere.  We drove back home and hurried and got changed and went to the church for Lukas’s baptismal interview.  He passed! 

Always good to see old friends.

Always good to Thursday we had a TON of service.  We were running around cause we helped pull weeds for a member here in Otter Creek, then ran to help move logs and do yard work for a member in the spanish branch.  My shoulder was shot cause we lugged the logs on our shoulders.  Let me tell ya, them things were more dense than a southern Baptist trying to explain the trinity to us.  Afterward, we helped Sister Jones move for about an hour.  We then had to leave cause we went teaching with Christian (the kid going to Tempe on his mission).  No one answered, but a lady saw us and said “oh no, are y’all out with those books again?!”  Naturally I exclaimed pretty happily, “OF COURSE!”  She basically ran inside...Paul took us out for dinner later that night.



Friday we went out with Brother Devoux.  Yes, he is the son of Brother Devoux in Hot Springs.  He is super dope.  We saw Sean, he told us to come back later so we we left and met a guy the sisters referred to us named Brad Bibb.  He’s really cool.  He’s from Memphis and He about fell after I said I served around Orangemound.  He Asked if I had been shot yet so that was great.  Then we got David’s burgers and weekly planned.  We walked and tried to see a few people but no one was home. 

Saturday was a hoot.  We got to help Sister Jones move again.  My poor shoulder was once again taken out.  I had to carry a freaking olyptical on my shoulder as we walked down stairs.  We stuffed the moving truck and it was great.  It was also VERY hot.  As we were packing the truck, a couple Jehovah witnesses came and started talking to the sisters.  It was super funny cause once they saw the tags, they were gone like the wind and ain’t nobody coming back again.  Oh, and Christian, a member,  dropped and oven and the oven cut his artery on his arm so blood went every where.  Elder Short had to undo Christians belt and make a tourniquet while blood sprayed.  I had to go inside and tell everyone to stay inside.  We went home and showered, ate and studied then tried to see Marcus but he wasn’t home.   Also, Sister Jones gave us a crap ton of food.

Sunday we had a good time at church, although no one came...we came home and studied and the Bouchka’s fed us again.  They’re dope.  Their kids wanted us to stay for s’mores, so we had s’mores as well as they burned their school papers haha.  Brother Bouchka took us to try Marcus again hoping that he was going to be home.  He wasn’t.  We walked home and were so beat. 

Today was pretty great!  Lukas was baptized and confirmed!  We were on the phone from 7:12 to 9:30 no joke, non stop, trying to get all things situated perfectly and trying to gather another army of missionaries to help tomorrow to unpack the Jones.  So it should be a fun couple of days!  Also, I kinda understood a blessing I got back in November of 2016.  So, obviously all of y’all know I ain’t right in the nervous system.  Well, I was given a blessing by President Faulkner that said I would be calm and healed of my body twitching. So, as I stood in the confirmation circle today with Lukas, I realized I wasn’t twitching.  My body would literally not let me twitch.  I even tried (yes I know it’s weird, I was testing the waters). So, I have come to the conclusion, God allows me peace and calm when He needs me.  In hindsight, I see every time I have given a blessing or am using my priesthood, my body is calm.  It’s so cool to see God use me as an instrument to help others from a blessing given to me to help me.  The scriptures stand true, “when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God.”  Don’t tell me God ain’t real.  You’ll lose that argument real quick.

Look, the didn't melt, they can't be witches!

And as a last thought, I hope we all remember the reason for Memorial Day.  It is NOT national BBQ day, it is a day to remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.  For the 620,000+ men and women who never made it home since WWI, rest easy.

John 15:13
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild