Wow. I remember thinking on Friday sometime, "Man this week is flying". It felt as if it had all been a part of one day and that it was still p-day but alas, I sit in the Knoxville public library once again! It's been such a great week! They always are but this week was the best one yet! I'll start at the beginning!
P day last week was great! We went to the thrift store and I bought an awesome three piece suit for 3 bucks! Great shopper. I also bought some Keds, to all of you who are fans, for 50 cents and some amazing Iowa state old-school track shorts for 25 cents! I am quite the spender. I'll tell you what! I wrote some letters. Among the many I wrote Taylor Swift. She and I will get married someday! She just has to write me back first.
That night, we had the traditional Monday night bachelor’s party! It has become the highlight of every week! Something I can always look forward to! We have 3 guys here, about ages 55-65, that are just awesome! One being our branch mission leader, we see him quite a bit. The other two go teach with us quite frequently, but Monday night is when the party starts! Let me just say...you get three guys that age with that much life experience and all converts to the gospel, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be a good dinner appointment. It's awesome! Great guys and I can say that I feel as if they are my best friends! We just blend in and laugh and joke the whole time! I will never soon forget them! Robbie, Tommy, and Harold! Awesome!
All of the days tend to blend together so I am not sure that I can decipher one from the other so these may get out of order! We have been working with a guy named Matt. They taught him twice before I got here and we have taught him numerous times since but we actually just moved his baptismal date up to the 11th of June and he is so excited! You can just see his life change every day! His countenance has literally changed for the better and you just see him happier every day! He is reading frequently the Book of Mormon and he loves it. He gets a little worked up over how dumb Laman and Lemuel are but hey, who doesn’t. He is a great guy and I know Heavenly Father is so happy to see him doing what is right!
We watched the Joseph Smith movie twice this week and I can just honestly say that I love that movie! It will never get old to me! I could watch it twice a week for the rest of my mission and be happy. Good thing because I will probably do that! And I just love that man! I have felt myself come closer to him over my mission. I have felt myself understand him a little better with every day that goes by. He was a great man. Like it says in the D&C, he lived great and he died great in the eyes of God. And, I love his personality. If any of us need an example of optimism at it's finest, he would be the guy. With so much oppression, he was always happy. I noticed in the movie when he is getting ready to be put into jail with Hyrum and others that he gets marched up in handcuffs to the front of the mob and he looks at Hyrum and just smiles. I love that! So many great thoughts come from that movie too! I quote it frequently!
This week we met a lady named Dixie Fee. Awesome lady who is about 78 years old. She is so funny! I have grown to just love old people! I think I may visit old folks homes when I get home just so I can continue to chat with them! I love them! She has some stories as well.
This Friday President Jergensen came out to teach with me and Elder Howard. He is such an awesome, amazing, inspired, kind hearted, and genuine guy. I think those must just be pre-requisites for mission presidents! We taught with him some great spiritual lessons where his input was much needed. He is a great president! Very, very loving too! He took us out to dinner at the Rib Shack. Great night! I walked away from that night just so spiritually uplifted and ready to go!
Sunday I got to speak in church. Welcome to the mission life again Elder Excell. Haha. Two weeks straight I’ve spoke now. It was a good talk I thought. I find myself just so at ease in front of people and so at ease sharing the gospel. That’s good because we taught gospel principles and 5th Sunday that day as well! Love it! We taught a lot about the plan of salvation! I just love that we have that knowledge! How comforting it is too that we have a God who loves us and has a plan for us. Considering that some people don’t even know God exists, I count myself very blessed. I just am so grateful for this gospel.
I found myself yesterday, during Memorial Day, so grateful for our armed forces. I have always been thankful before but not to the extent I was yesterday. If our veterans and those serving now did not do what they have done and are doing, then I could not be doing what has made me happier than I can ever remember! I love sharing this gospel. I think Elder Howard laughs at me all day because I just smile and am so happy to be here. I couldn’t ask for anything else in my life.
Things I have learned this week:
- Any tornado crawl space can be converted to a club house. (Pictures to come soon)
- Whenever my kids have bike problems...I am a pro. (Two flats and a new tire)
- Iowa is made of rock hard clay. (Service for a less active family. Shoveling out their basement so they can add on)
- Orugula is the best lettuce God invented.
- Squirrels will move for cars but not bikes. (R.I.P.)
- Sunday morning rain can flood to mid car level in Iowa by 9 o'clock am. (Ford Fusion = amphibian)
- I will buy a ford fusion someday. (See comment above) :)
- Taylor Swift, Kiera Knightley, and Emma Watson make great witches in my dreams where I get to be in the last battle with Harry Potter.
All in all. I am happier than I have ever been, and get used to me saying that because everyday just gets better. If we live our lives in the right way then we get closer to the Lord and nothing makes you happier. The commandments and "rules" of the church may seem restrictive and a little up tight sometimes but when followed, we experience more freedom than we have ever known. I can testify that Jesus is the Christ. He knows our every desire. I can also testify this week of prayer and the miracles wrought by it. How great an opportunity we have to know that our loving Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. He truly does love us. I find myself not fearing the future or preoccupying my time with those thoughts because I know that if I do what is right today, tomorrow will be better. I am grateful for opposition. Without hard times and sad times, I would not know what happiness is. I love my Savior and his father, being my Heavenly Father, and I hope to share that with more people this week than last week!
To climb a latter you must start at the bottom and climb rung by rung until you reach the top.
I love all of you so much! I sent some pictures in the mail today so expect some soon! Until next week: already one day closer than normal due to the holiday....I love you!
Elder Excell
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