Monday, September 6, 2010

Starke, FL Letter #5 Sept. 6, 2010

Hello family & friends back home,
Well today has been a busy day! To start the day (for Labor Day) we went to a lake located on a military base at Camp Blading. There we had some hamburgers and hot dogs, then got to watch the members have fun in the lake while we just sit on the picnic table and watched. Lol it was a great time though and a nice day to spend with members and to be outdoors.

Something funny this week happened while doing a service project. Here is the story. Well earlier this week we were doing service (at a member’s house in Starke) helping them install some insulation in their attic. It was a crazy thing crawling up into a small attic and carefully stepping on the 2x4’s -so we don't step down on the dry rock. We had to be really careful where we were stepping. We had to crawl all the way down to the end of the attic and hang up some lights (so that we could see). It was as if I was crawling in a mine, Elder Bass and I described it as the mines of Moria!! yeah!! (from Lord of the Rings) Anyways… as we were installing the insulation; I was carefully duck taping the insulation pieces to some pipes when all of a sudden I heard this huge crash!! I turn around to see Elder Bass's lower half is through the ceiling, and then just as I registered what my eyes were actually seeing, the rest of him fell through the hole he created. So I hurry as fast as I can carefully crawling over the boards and look down through the hole. Now I can see Elder Bass dancing around and rubbing his elbows. Once I realized he was ok; I just start chuckling to myself! It was so funny... and somewhat ironic I suppose. Here we are trying to do free service to help them fix their attic and Elder Bass smashes a whole through their ceiling. So needless to say...we are going back this week to do “more service” to help fix the hole Bass left. Ha-ha!

Another interesting thing that happened to us this last week was making a big catch! We caught a moth that was the size of a bird!! (I am not kidding either; you should have seen this thing). Super crazy!! It was flying around our house, (after I let it in accidently) and after an epic chase, we finally caught it! Then we took it outside and threw it into our pet spider's web!! However, it got out so we chased it again and then threw it back into the web. So now our pet spider won’t need to eat for 2 months at least! (Don't worry I have it all on video).

But the major highlight of the week is the baptism of Michael and Katlin!!! They were married this week (on Saturday) and then baptized on Sunday!! I was blessed to be able to attend both events. However I was late to the wedding, cause the person from Ocala that was going to give me a ride… I didn’t realize that I gave him bad instructions on how to get to our house, which made us late. I did make it to their reception! Oh, man it was soooo awesome to see them again!! I was so, so, so, happy! Finally, after a long time of much prayer and fasting… they did it!!

So I stayed in Ocala for 2 days for their wedding and baptism. For the baptism Elder Day got to baptize Michael and I baptized Katlin. Man it was such an amazing event. There was a member from the ward that sang a beautiful song just before the baptism. The name of the song was “I will seek Him”. After that song, there I was; standing in the water with Katlin and the spirit there was felt so strongly, that it took me a few seconds to even begin get the words out.
Man, I love my mission; Elder Day and I had some very very powerful lessons with them last transfer. And we have just seen them grow so much! It was such an epic moment of my mission. Michael, Katlin, Elder Day and I, have certainly made a friendship for life!! Miracles like that just make my mission! I promised Michael and Katlin that when they are sealed in the temple I will not be late! I will even be a day early!!

Well, my own testimony has grown so much once again, just over the example of what Michael and Katlin have done! Watching them struggle, learn and grow…and then watching them reach this point was amazing and extremely faith building. I know this church is true and it brings happiness! I saw it in their eyes! They have found the happiness that everyone is trying to find in this failing world! And I am just so, so, so, so glad that I was able to witness the event of them coming closer to their Savior.

Well I love you guys! Ya'll stay safe now and I will talk to you soon!
Love,
Elder (still smiling) Blair!!!

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