NOVEMBER BLOG #27

NOVEMBER BLOG #27

November can you believe it? It is still sunny, not quit as warm, but still really nice.   I did wear my lightweight jacket tonight as we went to the Institute for the BYU devotional. Elder Donald Hallstrom gave a great talk on building on a rock foundation. How many times do we stress this point? Sometimes at church, well maybe all the time at church they Turn the temperature up to the highest cold mark and expect everyone to be content and happy, I wasn’t I was freezing.  And then on top of that we served ice cream -- banana splits, and root beer floats   cold cold cold  oh well‼. I think that I should have served hot chocolate now that would have been great idea. Next time!    I know I am in Florida and I should be warm all the time, but we are finding that it is hot and a lot of humidity and hot and cool with humidity funny‼

Elder Judd’s thoughts:  Thursday went smoothly with my OT class, which had about 10—pretty good number for this area. We discussed the Passover and the exodus out of Egypt into the Sinai. Brother Patrick’s class had about 43 in class. The dinner Sister Judd prepared was highly acclaimed--It was South West Chicken Bake with a green salad and Pumpkin Cupcakes. The students seem to prefer just mingling after class and dinner rather than playing Volleyball the last several weeks. The net was set up later than usual and only about 10 or so went in to play.  All of that ended at about 10 pm.  We stood around talking to Alex for about another 30 minutes about various Institute issues, so we didn’t get till home about 11pm.  It was a long day but a positive one. EtienneVawters, who I baptized last week,was in attendance and I can see some real growth in him. He is a sharp young man and I believe he has a lot of potential.

Andrew Allen, who I baptized about three weeks ago has gotten into some anti church material on the internet and he has “left” the church as he puts it.  The sister missionaries and I talked to him for over 45 minutes on Monday night without any progress. His countenance has fallen and there is no light in his face. I have called him and left messages of encouragement as have the Sisters but to no avail. It is so sad to see how easily we can lose our way if we fail to be consistent in our prayers and reading the scriptures. We will continue to reach out to him. He is such a good young man.

Saturday we had it off or a P-day as they called it, but do not believe it-- we were at the church at 10 am helping clean the building with the YSA ward. Elder Judd and I washed all the door windows he was outside and I was inside which I was thankful for—the wind was blowing and it was cool. During this time frame I was asked by one of the sisters in our area to call her mother for her. The rule is no talking to parents unless it is Christmas or Mothers day! So while the sister was sitting next to me I talked to her mom. It was concerning a health issue and she needed some insurance  information.  It was fun to be able to talk and hear her mom talk to me as though the sister missionary was not around.  I did find out that this family is from Syracuse Utah and knows my uncle. SMALL WORLD‼  Shopping was next and then home for the laundry that never goes away.  We then went to the next YSA event of the day but it was about 1 hour away from our apartment .It was a outdoor event with a  HUGE BON- FIRE. I WAS REALLY WARM on one side  AND THE OTHER-side WAS REALLY COLD.  I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING WARM all night, but the some-mores were really good.