WEEK EIGHTY FIVE - SO WINDY

General conference was wonderful, as usual. The themes that stood out in particular were repentance, and the importance of becoming a home-centered, church-supported church. The text for the talks is up today on the church website and in Gospel Library, so go and start reading them again!

I've started running in the mornings again! It's impossible to run in the winter, but now that we can actually go outside without a jacket, we can run!

We've been trying to set another appointment with Gina, but she got sick this week. We called her on Monday to see how she's doing, She told us that she has a brain tumor and a lot of other health issues, and so it's been difficult for her. She really wants to learn though, so we're hoping to meet with her on Friday!

It's been SUPER windy the last few days, and the locals are saying that it's the annual price they pay to the Winter Warlocks for a brief reprieve from the everlasting snow and cold. They exchange the freezing temperatures and snow for a constant, hurricane force wind accompanied by dust. It's a fair trade, but that's just because they're equally terrible.

Our apartment is great because it gives us many opportunities to feel like we're on a messed up TV show. The latest episode yesterday was dropping a small and important item down the gaping, black hole style drain in our bathroom sink. (A small plunger for taking out contact lenses.) It's literally just a big hole. I was really not happy about that.  So I decided to dismantle the pipes underneath our sink. I tried to unscrew the pipes, but I couldn't get it to come all the way off. I said a short prayer to be able to get the pipe off, and tried again. It worked. I was very happy, because usually when I say those kinds of prayers, the Lord decides that it's not necessary to answer it in the way that I want, and so I usually end up having to accept it. But I got the plunger. I felt like a really cool, but very unhappy plumber. I got everything back together afterwards, and so far nothing is leaking.

We had dinner at the Broadhead's house again this week, and while we were eating, two Mexican guys showed up. Sister Broadhead (she's from Mexico) commanded them to come inside and eat with us. They were really nice, but spoke no English. Sister Broadhead translated for us, and instead of our planned dinner message, we taught a condensed restoration lesson! It went really well, and we invited them to read the Book of Mormon. Hopefully something happens there!

Our mission president asked whoever would be interested to write an article to have published in Canada's regional church website (currently canada.lds.org). I wrote one, and they are going to publish it, which is pretty cool! I felt like I should write about the Holy Ghost and how we sometimes don't fully appreciate the many ways that the Spirit can speak to us.

I wrote: There have been many times when I have read the scriptures and felt no emotions, especially if it is a passage that I have read many times. If I stop and pay attention, though, I realize that “my brain” is telling me very simply that what I just read is true. When I read the scriptural admonition “love one another” (John 13:34), my thoughts are: “That’s a good thing to do. If we love others, it makes us feel good, and it makes others feel good. Everyone wins.” The more I think about it, I start to imagine what it would be like if we all showed love for each other. Those thoughts are uplifting and enlightening. We could call that moment a combination of “logical thinking” and “daydreaming”. What is really happening is the Spirit testifying of truth. When we recognize the constant, small trickle of impressions that the Spirit gives us, we will feel closer to our Heavenly Father. As we continue to ask, seek, and knock, that small trickle can be turned into a stream, and eventually a flood of personal revelation. A testimony is not defined by a one-time event but is powered by an ongoing connection to the Holy Ghost.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

To all the women reading this: Please click here to listen to this talk from Brother M. Joseph Brough from the Young Men General Presidency called "The Modern Mighty Women of Israel". You are all amazing, and I admire you so much.

"It would be impossible to measure the influence that [covenant keeping] women have, not only on families but also on the Lord’s Church, as wives, mothers, and grandmothers; as sisters and aunts; as teachers and leaders; and especially as exemplars and devout defenders of the faith." -President Russell M. Nelson

Love,

Elder DeWitt

PICTURES

1) Me and Elder Francia walking

2) Me and Elder Francia having "Tim Tam Slams". Doing a Tim Tam slam involves drinking milo (an Australian malt drink similar to hot chocolate) through a Tim Tam cookie. It's amazing.

3) Vegemite

 

Me and Elder Francia walking

Me and Elder Francia having "Tim Tam Slams". Doing a Tim Tam slam involves drinking milo (an Australian malt drink similar to hot chocolate) through a Tim Tam cookie. It's amazing.

From Elder Francia's package from home...