[1]We
have been on our bikes a lot more lately which means we can go more places
faster. But on Friday and Saturday it got really cold and windy. I never really
knew how hard it is to bike against the wind. It didn't get that windy in East
Wenatchee. On Saturday we did start walking a little bit and then it hailed
(fortunately we got inside just before that started) but we were back on our
bikes later. It is nice having a new bright light for my bike. But yesterday we
woke up to a few inches of snow. It is snowing as I speak (or rather write). I
had wondered if I'd send my boots home once March came around but I'm going to
wait with the way things are going.
Last winter it didn't get as cold as this year (we've heard tomorrow should be a low of 2) but I didn't use a lot of things I got for this winter. I didn't have thermals (I only had one pair of thermal garments, which I could only wear once a week and which are hardly warm at all), I didn't have a sweater (I think it looks kind of classy but it's boring if you have a nice tie), I didn't have boots (and we did get a lot of snow last year), and I didn't have a hat (although I'm usually fine without a hat as long as I have my earmuffs, and the hat the member gave me doesn't keep my ears that warm).
I think I use fewer commas than I used to...
I had a dream the other night that I was home but I was still a missionary. I was playing with Allie but I told her that technically I wasn't allowed to because we're not allowed to have kids on our laps or tickle them (or change diapers, which is not a problem to me!). Another missionary was there and he used an inappropriate word and you told him if he said it again you'd do something with your Relief Society president authority. I was surprised that you hadn't told me you were RSP. I think you'd freak out if you really were called. I also dreamt President Monson died.
This week I read some wonderful passages from the scriptures. Ephesians 4 and 5 were both really good (although I can't recall what I liked about them right now--I just know I liked them). Philippians 4 is another good one and verse 8 is the inspiration behind the thirteenth Article of Faith (which is my favorite A of F). James 3:1-13 is another wonderful passage and talks about how we need to keep our conversations clean because some saints have good and bad things come out of the same mouth, but saltwater and freshwater don't come out of the same fountain, etc.
If I were to read a book a week now for the rest of my mission I will have read all of the Standard Works while on my mission. I started doing this a while ago but then I slacked off. So I want to keep it going. I've already been through the Book of Mormon, Esther through Malachi, and Matthew through Philippians. The epistles of Peter and John, Moses, Abraham, etc., won't be hard, but Doctrine and Covenants (which I'm trying to get a head start on), Genesis, etc., will be harder, especially since I have my own scripture dictionary for names that aren't already defined.[2] If I do do one a week for the rest of my mission I'll barely finish. I'm going to do Colossians through Revelation, then Doctrine and Covenants and Official Declarations, then the Pearl of Great Price, then Genesis through Nehemiah.
Since you're doing the Biggest Loser,[3] my goal (which I've already decided) is to be below 200 pounds by the time I get home.[4] Since the last time I checked two or three weeks ago, that's only ten pounds, and I've already lost forty on my mission, and that was in areas that had a car at least part of the time, so I think I'll be able to make it in nine months. I'm also refusing a lot more unhealthy things and try not to eat any candy or desserts unless it's a relevant holiday food. (I don't always, though, because it does get awkward to decline stuff from members in certain situations.)
I didn't see the Church News for March 7 but I saw it for February 28 where the picture is of President Palmer. That was nice to see. He's young (although I don't know President Clark's age). I don't care for the writing style of the Church News but I will look at it occasionally, especially when it vitally concerns me or someone I know.
Um...I can't think of anything else to say.
Love,
Elder Melville
Last winter it didn't get as cold as this year (we've heard tomorrow should be a low of 2) but I didn't use a lot of things I got for this winter. I didn't have thermals (I only had one pair of thermal garments, which I could only wear once a week and which are hardly warm at all), I didn't have a sweater (I think it looks kind of classy but it's boring if you have a nice tie), I didn't have boots (and we did get a lot of snow last year), and I didn't have a hat (although I'm usually fine without a hat as long as I have my earmuffs, and the hat the member gave me doesn't keep my ears that warm).
I think I use fewer commas than I used to...
I had a dream the other night that I was home but I was still a missionary. I was playing with Allie but I told her that technically I wasn't allowed to because we're not allowed to have kids on our laps or tickle them (or change diapers, which is not a problem to me!). Another missionary was there and he used an inappropriate word and you told him if he said it again you'd do something with your Relief Society president authority. I was surprised that you hadn't told me you were RSP. I think you'd freak out if you really were called. I also dreamt President Monson died.
This week I read some wonderful passages from the scriptures. Ephesians 4 and 5 were both really good (although I can't recall what I liked about them right now--I just know I liked them). Philippians 4 is another good one and verse 8 is the inspiration behind the thirteenth Article of Faith (which is my favorite A of F). James 3:1-13 is another wonderful passage and talks about how we need to keep our conversations clean because some saints have good and bad things come out of the same mouth, but saltwater and freshwater don't come out of the same fountain, etc.
If I were to read a book a week now for the rest of my mission I will have read all of the Standard Works while on my mission. I started doing this a while ago but then I slacked off. So I want to keep it going. I've already been through the Book of Mormon, Esther through Malachi, and Matthew through Philippians. The epistles of Peter and John, Moses, Abraham, etc., won't be hard, but Doctrine and Covenants (which I'm trying to get a head start on), Genesis, etc., will be harder, especially since I have my own scripture dictionary for names that aren't already defined.[2] If I do do one a week for the rest of my mission I'll barely finish. I'm going to do Colossians through Revelation, then Doctrine and Covenants and Official Declarations, then the Pearl of Great Price, then Genesis through Nehemiah.
Since you're doing the Biggest Loser,[3] my goal (which I've already decided) is to be below 200 pounds by the time I get home.[4] Since the last time I checked two or three weeks ago, that's only ten pounds, and I've already lost forty on my mission, and that was in areas that had a car at least part of the time, so I think I'll be able to make it in nine months. I'm also refusing a lot more unhealthy things and try not to eat any candy or desserts unless it's a relevant holiday food. (I don't always, though, because it does get awkward to decline stuff from members in certain situations.)
I didn't see the Church News for March 7 but I saw it for February 28 where the picture is of President Palmer. That was nice to see. He's young (although I don't know President Clark's age). I don't care for the writing style of the Church News but I will look at it occasionally, especially when it vitally concerns me or someone I know.
Um...I can't think of anything else to say.
Love,
Elder Melville
[1] My
email title came from the song “Because It’s Spring” from the Children’s Songbook, which says, “Why is
the sky so blue and clear? . . . Only because it’s spring!”
[2] If
a name was in the scriptures but didn’t have an entry in the Bible Dictionary,
or if it wasn’t defined in the index to the Triple Combination, I would put it
in my scripture dictionary. But I think I might have abandoned this by the end
of my mission because it took too much time.
[3] My
dad’s email said, “Allison's favorite TV show is biggest loser. This week
Susanne your Mother and I plan on weighing ourselves. Then each week for ten
weeks we will weigh ourselves and then after ten weeks the one that loses the
most will get a reward. I hope it works.”
[4] I
weighed 190 when I got home.
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