WOW is all I can say. Wowzers. So this week somebody asked us where we were from and I said from Utah and then they asked did your family get hit by that huge wind storm? I said "I have no idea. Maybe." I was just thinking well I remember we had a bad wind storm before and the news said that the wind was up to 82ish mph and I remember not much happened during that so I just figured everything was fine and we probably just had a bunch of leaves and twigs all over our yard. I think I was wrong. I don't even know what to say except for that really stinks. I realize that I have no idea how bad it is because I'm a bunch of miles away and I didn't have to clean it up. I guess the only thing that comes to mind is just because we live in Utah and Utah is a lot better place then a lot of the world, and we're surrounded by a whole bunch of other mormons doesn't mean that we're perfect and everything is all fine and dandy. To me it sounds like something Christ foretold. In Matthew 24:7 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." and in D&C 88:90 "And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of TEMPESTS, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds." If anything qualifies as a tempest I think that does. There are many scriptures that come to mind but I think it is definitely a sign of the second coming and I imagine that storm and the effects of it humbled a few people and God will have a humble people. We can either choose to be humble or be compelled to be humble. I choose to choose to be humble. It's a lot easier that way. But anyway I hope all is well and that everything works out well. I along with Jordan would like to see pictures of everything after the fact. I knew things would be different when I get home but I didn't imagine all of our trees would be gone.
Jordan- You're training? Cool beans. Me too. I'm glad your companion is obedient, that's one of the best qualities you can have in a companion. Just be exactly obedient and remember he is ALWAYS watching you and what you're doing. You are ALWAYS teaching so don't do anything stupid or anything like that. Just be an excellent example and he'll follow you. PMG says something to the effect that a trainer has a profound effect on what kind of missionary the new missionary will be. So be exactly obedient and follow all the rules and don't be casual and everything will be fine.
Well I also don't remember what we did most of this last week. My brain has been thinking about trees and what the yard looks like and just envisioning a skyscraper size pile of trees at the park and no trees still standing in Centerville at all except the willow and those huge obnoxious neighbor trees. (I realize that didn't quite happen but it's cool to think about.) But what I do remember is that Alanna was confirmed yesterday (Sunday) and that we had a zone conference on Thursday. It was about a talk that Elder Holland gave at the MTC a while back about giving God all you have and never going back to what you were before the mission. He told the story of Peter after Christ died and how he went back to fishing and talked about how Peter was to never go back. That was why Christ asked him 3 times if he loved him and Christ was saying if you love me feed my sheep FOREVER. If we truly love God and are changed by our missions then we'll serve God forever. We may not be a full time missionary forever but we're still to serve God with all we can. It was great. Then on Sunday we met a new guy named Warren and we gave him a Book of Mormon and he has some potential. We'll see if he goes anywhere.
Mom- Good friends are definitely a huge blessing. That's one thing I've noticed about the church is that everyone takes care of each other. Mosiah 2:17 says "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Helping others is a great way to serve God and to help us grow also. The storm must have been bad if the Stake president cancelled all meetings but sacrament meeting. I'm glad all is okay though.
Dad- Wow It sounds like you had a pretty crazy week too. Thank you for the pictures and the description of everything.
Austin- Hey don't beat yourself up. I got in a car crash also when I was in high school. I rear ended a guy also. Granted it was at about two miles an hour and no damage happened to anyone so you probably wouldn't even know about it. I told Mom and Dad but they probably don't remember either. (That probably didn't help.) but I agree with Jordan. It sounds like you did a lot of work and your in the positive side not the negative. Have fun and love life.
Natasha- I'm glad you had fun getting in a car crash. I think if I didn't have to pay for it and none of it was my fault then I'd have a fun time too. Have fun in school.
Shaylee- Did a big branch come through the house and destroy your new room?
Well I love you all and I'm glad all is well. God gives us hard times so we will learn and grow. That was one of the things we were excited about in the pre existence was that we could come to earth and gain experience, even if that experience wasn't the funnest. God lives. Everything that happens to us is for our benefit. The Book of Mormon is true and can give us comfort whenever we need it. The church is true and Christ lives and died for us. Through Him we can gain forgiveness and live with God again.
Love,
Elder John Schouten
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