January 7, 2008

It still hasn't hit me that it's 2008. I suppose it'll be like that 

when I get home: it won't hit me until the last week or so. Holidays 

just seem to come and go - there isn't much of a buildup of 

excitement for a holiday, just because all days pretty much seem the 

same.

        It's HOT! It was in the 60s on Saturday, yesterday it was in the 

70s, and it looks like it'll be that way today. It's also kinda 

muggy. More so than it was during the summer in Springdale. 

1-800-TELL-ME says that there's going to be thunderstorms today. Ugh! 

It should get back down to the 40s by Thursday and Friday. Last night 

Elder Gregory and I opened the window before we went to bed. It was 

77ºF in our apartment last night!

        We got a call from David Shelby New Year's Day at 1:45 AM. 

Apparently he's now kicked out of the druid church, his girlfriend 

left him and took most of everything, and he's not doing too well 

financially. We went by later that morning, and I read Elder Bruce R. 

McConkie's "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane," which he gave about 

two weeks before he died. I told him that this was the only thing I 

really have to help him: a knowledge that the Atonement of Jesus 

Christ, and His gospel, are what bring us true happiness. I can't 

make his bills disappear, or his girlfriend come back with 

everything, or his church to understand, but I do know of the reality 

and the power of the Atonement, because once, in the darkest time of 

my life, I felt it's comforting power, and it has changed my life 

ever since.

        David is really progressing now. He wants to be baptized (he 

realizes that only we have the authority to perform baptism), and 

he's willing to give up a few things to be obedient to the 

commandments. He wasn't able to come to church yesterday, as he fell 

ill, but he still has time to be baptized before the end of the 

transfer.

        It sounds like Winona is off to a really good start. They have a 

baptism later this month, and potentially have three more in 

February. I'm not sure how well the members are helping them, but 

they're really excited to have full-time missionaries for full-time 

down there.

        Anyway, I can't really think of what more to say, so I guess I'll be signing off. 'Till next week!

Brady