Sigma Chi bruh 8-14-20

Life is all about change, whether we like it or not. It's been something I've struggling with as a missionary (getting transferred would have broke this camels back, thank goodness I'm staying in Moscow)

Some of my best friends back home just got engaged. Another dear friend hit his 1 year mark on his mission. I've been out here for 9 months. I've already missed so many things (new Spider-Man, weddings, graduations, music albums, etc)

There is an old adage out here in the field, "forget yourself and go to work." It's crazy how much joy and fulfillment there is in the work when you truly "forget yourself and go to work." 

In the last few weeks our mission has seen so many miracles. Jesus Christ is at the head of this church, I bear solemn testimony of this divine truth. It's humbling to think that He has entrusted me, as weak and inefficient as I am to be a part of this marvelous work and wonder. 

In the words of the long honored hymn Praise to the Man, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven"

Our friend Tony was baptized and confirmed!! He was found months ago when he approached the missionaries and told them he really liked Brigham Young and especially Steve Young. (He's a huge 49ers fan) I started teaching him with my previous companion Elder Peoples, and I continued to teach him with my current companion Elder Rouland. It was a miracle to watch him grow in the gospel!

Over the last week or so we have been finding a multitude of ways to choose happiness! Thank goodness my comp and housemates are able to put up with my goofiness because I have been extra quirky this transfer. We have been doing loads of service (helping Scott in the pit, bailing trash at the recycling center, unloading/loading lots of U-Hauls, etc) People are moving back to town and the city of Moscow has been going crazy recently. We went to the farmers market again and there were tons of people! We saw our friend Chris and escorted him to the blueberry stand. We also ran into a family from a ward we cover who wants their 11 year son to get baptized! On an exchange with Elder Tytan Montgomery (he's from Snowflake) we attended a baptism for Sharam Askari and went on a trip down New Greek Row (collection of fraternity and sorority houses) with the arrival of the new transfer of University of Idaho the college kids are partying it up. We toured a frat with a drunk dude and he told us a story of how a few years prior a freshman kid shot a cannonball through the sorority down the road. We spent a few days helping our friend Scott at his trailer, we used an electric bug zapper and destroyed a whole nest of hornets. It's been nuts over there. The other night we had about an hour left so we swung by a dot, a kid we've been trying to meet. He wasn't home (supposedly) so we started teaching his roommate the message of the Restoration. As soon as we got to the First Vision the kid we were looking for comes out of the shadows of the door and grabs my shoulder and with a look of terror on his face, looking directly into my face he says, "call 911 I'm having a heart attack " we helped his roommate call the authorities and waited for them to arrive. I held the flashlight while they ran some tests. Turns out the brother just had a panic attack, false alarm. We raked hundreds of apples for a random guy and they smelled like vinegar and I got mush all over myself, eww. Rush week is crazy! And lastly, as we were downtown we noticed hundreds of people in blue aprons were going crazy setting up for a big event. It was Christ Church and they have a big event every summer. (This church is wild, they literally seek out opportunities to argue or call us heretics pretty much everyday. They are a majority of the city population. We got bashed by a 16 year old kid the other day)

I am well, I hope you are too. I may have embellished some of these stories. Have a good week!