11/11/07

Yo boyeeee,

I just got my computer fixed. It’s been out since Tuesday night. I have been battling this software beast known as PC-cillin that I installed for spam, spyware, etc. protection. And all it did was camp on my computer, prevent me from opening any programs, and refuse to be un-installed, stopped, or generally contained whatsoever. I literally put 4 days and some countless hours into fighting this thing with all I had. I just got rid of it literally at 9:15 tonight. Just in time to squeeze out a late e-mail to you. It’s Brinlee’s big numero quatro birthday tomorrow. She has been having fun with her little parties she’s been having already. She thinks she is so big at 4. She’s fun though. Aynslee is getting more of a mischievous side now. She plays jokes it seems and laughs when she knows she’s got you. She has just recently been throwing little baby tantrums too where she flops back and bonks her head on the floor and flops her arm over onto the floor all loud. She’s so cute though, that it doesn’t bug. I kind of still like watching it.

It was an eventful day in Church today. We had the primary program, so Brinlee was in that. Her class got up to say a part at the microphone. All the kids in her class were timid and got up there and barely mustered out a line like “I will go to Church” or “I will read my scriptures”, etc. Then Brinlee storms the mic and blares out “I will say my prayers” all loud and woke everyone up. She had this big smile on her face, like YES, NAILED IT!. The congregation laughed after she did it and walked off still proud of herself. Then I saw my across the street neighbor there, the one that likes the little kids. I went up and welcomed him. In fact, I took his kid to the primary room, then took them to the relief society room where we have gospel doctrine. Then I took him to EQ with me and left his wife in the RS room. He seemed to have a good visit there today. So I guess that’s good. We also released our Bishopric today in a surprise move. That was unexpected to the ward. I knew it was coming from being in the EQ presidency. We have been handling some stuff our bishop normally would handle, but his health hasn’t been great. No one in the ward knew that though, so it was kind of a shocker today. The new bishop just lives a few houses up from me. The EQ president became the first counselor and a guy I used to home teach that I really like became the second counselor. So it will be a good bishopric. That means some shuffling of the EQ presidency. I’m glad I’m moving! Ha ha. In fact, TJ, the EQ Pres. Was hassling me saying are you ready to take that sign down in your yard yet? I assured him that it’s never been more solid and neither has my move been more solid. He said we need you to be the new president. I pointed to Jeremy, our second counselor that was sitting next to me while he was distracted. TJ said he’s already been there, done that in his other ward. I said all the more reason since he has the experience and qualifications already. Anyway, we have been chiding each other today. But I will be able to fly under the radar a little longer in this new ward and that will be great.

In Gospel Doctrine, we discussed the change in the introduction page of the book of mormon. I had heard them tease that in the news but didn’t hear the story. What do you think of that and how does that affect you if at all? It’s such a minor change that I don’t see it effecting anything, but as a missionary, where you may get a question or two about it since it hit the press, and because you give out BofM’s all the time, if you have seen the change already, I was just curious.

I won the main fantasy league game this week, so I move to an impressive 3-7. But I think I’ll lose in my EQ league, which may just finally cost me the number one spot. Blah! Oh well. I have been way more focused on other things as of late.

On to your last e-mail. Sounds like your teaching a bunch of peeps and doing well at progressing them lately. How is the dude who was getting wrapped up in JW stuff?

I never got a companion bio answering the questions I asked on your new companion. Make sure I get that this week. It’s not optional. I’m sure he’ll enjoy having the spotlight for a while anyway. I’ll paste the questions back in here in case you don’t have them from the last letter…

Full name:

Where are you from:

Where did you work before you came on your mission:

What are your hobbies:

Girlfriend at home:

What are you going to be when you grow up:

What will you do the first couple of weeks after you get home:

What do you like most about your mission:

What do you like least about it:

What is your favorite Cold Cereal:

Where is your favorite place to eat:

What is your favorite movie:

What were your favorite TV shows before you left:

Favorite talk of last General Conference:

What is your favorite scripture verse(s):

Just copy and paste this in your e-mail and fill in the blanks or print it off and write me a letter this week with the answers. But let me know in an e-mail if you are going to do that anyway. Here is the quote of the week for this week…

“A Man’s mind should be single to the glory of God in everything that he starts to accomplish. We should consider that of ourselves we can do nothing. We are the children of God. We are in darkness, only as God enlightens our understanding. We are powerless, only as God helps us. The work that we have to do here is of that nature that we cannot do it unless we have the assistance of the Almighty.”

-Lorenzo Snow

I know you already have a firm testimony of this concept. You learned it at an early stage in your mission. But the more you know it, work according to the precepts that you are nothing without God’s assistance and everything you accomplish is through His will, so you should keep your mind single to His Glory, the more effective you will be.

Keep up the good work. You make us all proud constantly. Thanks for being a good example to the family and sacrificing your time and talents to the greatest cause you will ever be a part of. Make the most of your fleeting time as it will be over before you know it. We pray for you daily.

Love you,

Trav