Love you Alekken!!! Give 'em Heaven

[Love you Alekken!!! Give 'em Heaven Elder LaMont!(; ]

"Put some Windex on it"

-- My Big Fat Greek Wedding

In my past update I *believe* I neglected to mention transfer news. As unexciting as the news is, I will officially inform all of you Elder Bischoff and I will remain together another transfer to tie up his training. Interestingly enough, Elder Smack is now our district leader! Oh, yes! Fun times ahead!

Early in the past week while at an appointment with Billy and Amie, Elder Bischoff is giving a lesson and I am distracting Vaida. We are having some fun playing tag, but Vaida decides to cheat and hop on a bike. I follow suit and mount another child-size bicycle. As I ride to the end of the driveway, the wheeled contraption decides to jump me! I tumble to into the blacktop, landing in such a way to keep my clothing from being ruined. My hands are scraped and bleeding. "You're bleeding!" Vaida yells. Nah, Sherlock I just endo-ed into the hard floor at top speed without a scrape. The wounds are not even slightly alarming, but Vaida goes into nurse mode. She grabs me by the hand, takes me into the bathroom and proceeds to drench my hands in hydrogen peroxide before mummifying my hands in toilet paper. It was adorable! If only slightly painful...

Lots of funny things happen at Billy and Amie's. The last time we were there, Elder Bischoff challenges me, "Last in the car is a rotten egg!" I smirk, lock the doors, and mosey to the driver-side door all the while Elder Bischoff is manically trying to open a locked car door. Smiling as I manually unlock my door, I slip into the vehicle and proceed to drive away. Of course I had no intention to leave my companion, but Elder Bischoff never backs down. I hear a massive THUMP and there is an Elder Bischoff laying on the windshield of the car as it is in motion! The most fiendish idea creeps into my mind: I reach for the windshield wiper controls without a second thought and spray him with all that a Toyota Corolla can offer! Some indistinct yelling is heard as Elder Bischoff barrels off the hood with speed comparable to a torpedo and lies prostrate on the warm blacktop. Vaida yells, "Elder Bischoff! Are you okay? What's hurt?" to which Elder Bischoff hollers in reply, "Pride! Just my pride!" As Vaida approaches him, she wrinkles her nose and asks, "Why do you smell like windex?" I let my poor companion clamber into the car as I ask, laughing, "How soaked are you?" Elder Bischoff responds with, "Drenched! Just my whole shirt. You'll be lucky if there's any windshield wiper fluid left! You only left it on for about ten seconds!"

You'll be happy to hear this: Steven Alexander is progressing so well! Today marks day three of his 'fast' from smoking. Steven has selected a day at the end of this month to be baptized. Our plan is to have him battle away from the cigarettes so that he may be worthy and ready to enter into the healing waters of baptism on the thirtieth of September. Ian Englebright has been a massive help in the conversion of Steven as a formidable fellowship. Last week on the day, Elder Bischoff and I met Ian for the first time and he is already teaching with us! I couldn't be more happy.

John 11:35 is the shortest verse I've had the pleasure of reading and it is one of my absolute favorites. It reads, "Jesus wept." I declare with a doctrinally sound testimony the well-known phrase 'Grown men don't cry' is blasphemy. In all due seriousness, our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ do feel sorrow. Like Enoch, it is easy to question: how God? How, when the particles of a million earths cannot begin to sum the number of worlds you have created, have you a broken heart from the wicked of this world? "How is it thou canst weep?" The Lord responds, "They are the workmanship of mine own hands ... I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;"

You and I have been created by an all-powerful and all-knowing supreme being who loves us very deeply. He rejoices when we are happy in valiantly living His commands, He weeps when we do wrong. When you are faced with a right-and-wrong decision this week, remember that.

I love you! I pray for you! I thank you!

Love from Wi-Chee-Tuh