It's been HOT!

This week was one that was filled with service and being outside in the heat. We had somewhere around 8 or 9 service opportunities this week. A couple of them were to wash a member's cars. Another was to tear up a cobblestone path, and re-lay it all in a better pattern. One was to work at the zebra farm again, and we ended up working outside while it sprinkled a bit. It never got to be a full rain, but it sure was wonderful. And we also helped a member with their yard, moving some trees, and fixing his Ford Excursion. And I can promise that it's been up in the 100's this week, because it has been SWELTERING. For some reason, these last few days just kept getting hotter and hotter, to the point that I was sweating on almost every inch of skin upon my body. It was a very neat experience to feel so very...wet...in that kind of heat. It always makes me jealous to see all of these Californians walking around in their shorts and t-shirts, or swimming in their complex pool. All of these things that I just can't do until I'm not a missionary anymore. *sigh. Oh well.

This Sunday also had a pretty great surprise for me. We were sitting in Priesthood meeting, and the whole time, the branch president and the high councilman kept coming in and out, until finally, they got up and announced that J V had been sustained to receive the Melchizedek priesthood, and move forward on his path to going to the temple. Now this is something huge for me, since when I came in, he was completely less-active, drinking coffee and refusing to pay tithing. Now, he's quit coffee and other things, he deleted his Facebook because it was taking too much of his time, and he's been paying his tithing in full, and now has the priesthood. It really was a relief to see him progress to the point of becoming that worthy, and receiving that authority and responsibility.

We had an investigator drop us this week. J, the 17 year old kid, told us that he'd found a job, and that because of the shifty schedule, we wouldn't be able to come and talk to him anymore. After that, we went and got some Coldstone, and ran into Hermana C, our member. She told us to stop by for dinner. When we stopped by, we sat and talked with their family while she prepped the food, and after eating, we decided to practice Lesson 5 of PMG, and started with Priesthood and Auxiliaries. Then after just finishing a point, Hermano C, (recently re-activated), went off on a tangent about how leaders in the church should be more attentive to certain things, and listed off a bunch of things. By the time he ended his bit, we had to leave for another appointment, so we didn't really get any lesson in with them. It sounds like they'll be moving to San Jose pretty soon.

Well. Not much else has happened this week. I've been finishing up the Letter to the Hebrews and the Epistle of James, and I've really liked them both. I especially like how James says that faith without works is dead, and gives the example that even the devils know that Jesus is the Christ. The difference is in what we choose to do about it. I thought that was really straightforward and direct. I loved it. But yup. That's how my week has been.

Thanks for sending a package! They really do make the hard days better. Have a great week!

-Love, Elder Crook