WEEK 53 - Protecting My Personal Purity

Howdy everyone, hope y'all had a great week! I have some great news, my brother Calder is getting engaged! Nope I am just yanking ya chain, he is still on the NASDAQ for eligible men in provo, the good news is that the google photos is back: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qwGY1QhS99ne5wGy8 My new favorite talk these days is a talk given in 1983 called "Anonymous" by Thomas S Monson. When I listened to this talk my soul quaked, I have since listened to it probably 5 times a week, it is so dang good. In the talk it quotes one of my favorite scriptures: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." This talk literally changed my perspective on life and I am so grateful that it did. When I think about people who exemplify this verse I cannot think of a better example than my parents. Throughout my entire life I have never seen them deny an opportunity to serve someone in need. They were just always volunteering themselves to do things for others, my dad especially had a knack for volunteering his three sons for any available service opportunities. If only everyone reading this could see what I have seen, but you cannot, because they did not do it to be seen by man, but out of the pure love of Christ. You just won't ever understand how many times I sat in the back of the car as my busy mom delivered a dinner to someone in need, or how many grueling hours I spent complaining and putting minimum effort into shoveling snow for people as my dad shoveled like 90% of their driveway. I want to be more like that, we can all be more like that. Great shall be their reward in heaven. Anywayssssss sorry for making you cry mom here are some fun little events from the week: - I've been pounding a lot of peaches. My dad is a fiend for a ripe peach, so it has been interesting watching myself genetically have no choice but to enjoy the peaches I am consuming - Our carbon monoxide alarm went off in the night and we had to call firefighters and they pulled up in the middle of the night to come help us. They got out of their big truck with their carbon monoxide elder wand things and they were jacked and just the definition of pure masculinity. I felt like an entirely different gender compared to these guys, they were legit men. I watched them sweep the apartment with their co2 ghostbuster wand things and they were like "all zeros." and jostled their way back into the night. I may take testosterone supplements, time will tell - Wei Ming established a ingenious business plan to sell priesthood blessings in Elders Quorum - I am so hyped for my friends who made it home last week! Lance, Seth, Benny you all are such great examples and I love you Anyways those were neat but here are the most fun parts of the week: - We had a super fun dinner with some members and friends at King Buffet this week. I used to love King Buffet, but I genuinely think I have lost maybe 3-4 years of my life with the amount of King Buffet I have consumed on my mission. I got one plate and I was already feeling as obese as one could feel, so pounding another 6 did not help. Apparently one of our friends we are teaching thought this was more like a date with Elder Horsley type thing while also his 2 companions and her mom and 2 other members were there, so that was slightly uncomfortable. Her mom kept saying things like "Elder Horsley take her and go help her get food" and I would be like "sounds like a great idea, shall we Elder Cox" and Elder Cox was a dawg per usual so it worked out. While we were getting food she took a different route and I was hyped to be not stressed for like 30 seconds and then this older chinese lady comes up to me and says "you are very handsome how old are you" in a seductive manner, I laughed and thanked her and then made evasive maneuvers, grabbed some freaking black pepper chicken, and headed back to the table. Me at King Buffet is not my most flattering biome so idk what was going on. Anyways I come back and I told her mom that one of my childhood friends Lance just came home from his mission. She then said a saying that is apparently common in chinese and I forgot what it was, but I do remember that it was "open crotch pants" related. I didn't know what that word meant so she pulled out her translating app and started asking me for tips on how to pronounce "crotch." I was like 6 plates deep in at the point, and completely fatigued from trying to protect my purity, and this whole crotch translation thing was heavy on my soul. So it was like 5 minutes of her saying "crotch" really loud, but it was good. Oh King Buffet, so many memories haha. - Billy got baptized! It was so lit, and I was just so proud of him! The best part was just seeing how genuinely happy he was the whole time, except when he told me that he was appalled that Elder Campbell left without letting him take him out to dinner, other than that slight dismay Billy was hyped the whole time. We started the baptism and Elder Christensen was our pianist. There was a young child who I love named Henry who decided to just absolutely pound the keys throughout the songs Elder Christensen was playing but it was all good. Children continue to blow my mind out here with what they are allowed to do at church haha. Back in my day if I wasn't as quiet as a church mouse at any church event my life would literally end, but it was all good, everyone in our branch is used to Henry doing devious things at church events. It was finally time for the tism and me and Billy got in the extremely shallow water and I was able to baptize him, it was wonderful! The past few baptisms I have had the opportunity to participate in, my friends have gotten really emotional and you could tell the baptism just shook them, I guess I was kinda expecting that with Billy but that was not the case haha. Billy went underwater and went completely rogue by not plugging his nose, and he came up and he was like "alright" but at least he said it with a big smile so it was hype. But ya I am so proud of him and was honored to be able to help him! - I am so grateful for my Savior and I am so grateful for everyone reading this! I hope this week is just amazing for you, remember how much you are loved! Pictures: 1. Billy's baptism! 2. Father and Jake Johns 3. Me being a screenager 4. Firetruck 5. Me in Vegas 6. This book made me laugh 7. Dinner was fun 8. Chu Yang encounters bison