Sorry I'm writing this so late. We came back from a P-day of fun and adventure!!!! We went to the Carnegie Science Center with one of the service missionaries and it was soooo cool!!!!!! I got to see C3P0 and R2D2 also play basketball against a robot arm and lose in air hockey against another robot arm. So you could say it was a time of disappointment hahaha!!!! We got to go in a submarine and man, I got nothing to complain about! They had to live in this tiny submarine 80 days. It was crammed. I mean not only were their sleeping quarters just a cot but the whole submarine was so small the kitchen they had consisted of a stove and a small pantry and that was it!!!!!!!!
Let me tell you how much of a blessing it is that I don't have to worry about school!!!!!!! No finals. No teachers. No homework. Life as a missionary is truly a blessing! Sure I can't do a lot of things but there's a lot of things I don't miss-like taking finals! Hahahaha Sorry Tyler and Austin but I'm living the good life!!!! Wow, Austin you're gonna be 16! You are gonna be a Priest. Go on dates man. I thought I was gonna go on a date every week when I turned 16 but that didn't happen!!!!! I doubt you'll do that as you seem super focused on football which is a blessing. I think I was just girl crazy hahaha!!!! Speaking of girls, Elder Cantwell's getting married!?!?! Jeez everybody's getting married. I better not come home and find out everyone's married- I'll be mad!!!!!!!! I'm happy for Cantwell. He was a very nice, funny guy when we met up with him and his mom in Utah. Such a nice family!!!!! Dad, I laughed when you threw in the joke about BYU and telling me the "bad" news because I don't like them. hahahaha That was good!!!!! However, Elder Richens, my MTC companion, is a die-hard BYU fanatic and he spent an hour trying to convince me to go to BYU instead of BYU-I. From the sports, to the school, to the dorms, you name it. He was trying so hard to convince me. I told him I would send in an application and if they accepted me I would go but if I didn't get in, then I was done with them. So he was happy that I agreed!!!!!!!
I bet the Ward Christmas party was a lot of fun. Yes Dad, I remember Sister Bayless. I remember teaching her. That was my first real missionary experience. I wish I would have been a better home teacher. And I do remember Justin. That's awesome that he's looking to go on a mission. I wasn't quite sure what his future plans were. I am happy to hear he wants to do that!!!!!!! Mom, I love that you shared the story of Joan of Arc in your email. She really was an amazing woman. She fought and died for the Lord and was willing to stand against the world and its practices while she fought against England. She truly was devoted to God and following His will. Also mom, I've always believed you to be so strong. I remember one time I told you (if you remember this let me know) that you had a spirit like Emma Smith. I remember we were reading in Doctrine & Covenants that year. I remember learning about what a wonderful woman she was. I just pictured you as Emma Smith. You didn't go through the same trials she did but she didn't go through some of the trials you did. You were always willing to put the Lord first. No matter what trial you had or what you were going through, you were always so strong and had a testimony that everything would be okay in the end. You have endured so many things and it's because of your faith and love for the Savior you were able to push through those trials!!!! Sorry Dad, I'm leaving you out. You've been a great influence on me as well! What a wonderful example you both have been to me! I don't know how you did it but you did!!!!!!! You weren't perfect (which is ok) because none of us can be but you both tried so hard to be!!!!!! You truly are the best parents I can ask for. I now see much you sacrificed for all of us 4 boys. The selflessness that I wasn't able to see when I was younger and living at home, I see now. You could've done so many things you wanted but instead you wanted to do what we did. I love you both sooooooo much!!!!!!!!!! I wanted you to know that.
So tomorrow (Tuesday) in Zone Conference (this is where a lot of missionaries go for a meeting to learn how to become better missionaries than they are now), I will be playing the piano and singing the song, "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly." I've been practicing the piano and my singing. I pray that it will go how I want it. I really felt the spirit tell me that I should play this song. It touched me and I want it to touch others!!! I also sang in the McKeesport Branch Choir along with the Branch President. Tonight Sister Macbeth asked if I would sing in a male quartet and I said yes!!!!!!! I'm so excited that I am still able to exercise my talents. I am truly happy that I am increasing my talents and obtaining new ones!!!! I've learned that- like in the parable of the talents- we should practice our talents and increase them instead of hiding them or being embarrassed by them. We need to exercise them!!!! No one talent is greater than the other. God has given us all different abilities and skills and if we don't exercise them, they will shrink. But if we do exercise them we can use them and be as a lighthouse upon a hill and let our talents and abilities shine. We increase our talents not only for our own benefit but for the benefit of others!!!!! I have a testimony of this. I have a testimony that God knows each and every one of us and because He knows us He will bless us. He will give us what we need so that we may grow spiritually and He is also there to uplift us. As we are blessed and recognize his hand in our lives, we are to stand as witnesses of Him!!! He is there for us. He is listening. He does care. I KNOW THIS!!!!!! Have a great week. Allow Jesus Christ to enter into your heart so that during the week He can guide you through the Holy Ghost. I love you all. Take care. Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Elder Gronk the Baboon
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