Welcome to OZ!

Transfer news: I’m heading to Wamego!! Aw yeah!
Elder Bischoff is shipping out to Junction City so we will be in the same zone! Whitewashing outta here! His training is complete. The 12 week call was officially completed on Saturday.

Our district meeting was profound this week! Each of us is assigned to study one attribute of Jesus Christ. The characteristic I’m asked to learn is diligence. Each of us, in turn, present the attributes we’ve reviewed. My presentation went something like this:

Wise is the man who knows his best efforts are the most exceptional to the Lord. Wrote an ancient philosopher, excellence is not a act but a habit because we are what we repeatedly do.

In modern day revelation we learn men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause. God intends for us to find joy in work. “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25)!

The work of God is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Christ taught disciples of the early church, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work" (D&C 4:3), the very same work in which the God of Heaven endeavors tirelessly.

The moment Elder Bischoff and I roll up to our apartment after district meeting, we identify a U-Haul truck with two men loading cargo into the vehicle. “Wanna go help them?” my good-natured companion asks. “Yeah, let’s!” I respond. We approach our brothers asking what service we can be. One of them is hammered. “Hey man, that would be great if you guys could help us. You guys are awesome! I’ve been drinking a little so I’m not much use right now.” The other hunches over, holding his lower back, then looks to the sky as if to say, “Thank you, God!” Elder Bischoff and I gladly jump in and do what we can and learn the man’s names: Wade and Matt. The drunken Wade slovenly requests we ‘talk Jesus’ when the job is finished. Elder Bischoff and I take our seats with these two men at a picnic bench and begin to unfold the beautiful gospel to them: how God loves us so much, made a miraculous plan, sent His son to die for us, calls prophets to teach us and continues to instruct us and care for us. “If you guys believe in Jesus *hiccup* Christ, why do you believe in John Smith?” Wade asks. Matt turns and says in almost disbelief, “Bro! They literally answered that question like three times! Joseph Smith is a prophet like Noah who was called to restore Jesus’ church!” Thanks Matt! You the man! The Spirit dominates our words. Two skeptic men, first hesitant about our message, now hold their own copy of the Book of Mormon in high regard.

Among the following days, Elder Bischoff and I assemble a bunk bed for our African refugee family with Brother Conrady. We are out until nearly 10:30 trying to put that blasted thing together. Here’s a valuable lesson in life: follow the directions closely!! What are those directions you ask? The scriptures! The words of our priesthood leaders! The admonitions of living prophets, seers, and revelators! The gospel of Jesus Christ! Learn the easy way by musing the difficulty that comes from not following bunk bed assembly instructions with precision rather than causing yourself unnecessary troubles.

This week possessed the ultimate Friday the 13th! Friday the 13th in October! This is an exciting day for us. Ian asks Elder Bischoff and I if we would like to join him for a laser treatment to remove his tattoo. Hard to say no! That sounds like a blast! The woman treating Ian’s tattoo is married to a member of the church. She instructs us to put on these stylish shades and she goes to work on Ian’s tattoo.