This past week we had two days where we were told to stay inside from 1pm until 4pm in an air conditioned building because of how hot it would be. The hottest it got was 104. Normally in Utah, 104 would be bad but you could still go outside for a bit. NOT OUT HERE! With 80 - 90% humidity, you step outside and you are drenched with sweat immediately. There have been many missionaries who got heat exhaustion and that really doesn't help with missionary work.
Anyway, besides that, Satan has been throwing things in our way a lot. Apparently he really doesn't want me to do well at all because ever since I hit my year mark, it's been difficult. I'm having a hard time motivating myself because I know that once I start going, everything is going to be thrown at me. It's kind of like being in a mud puddle up to your mid-thigh while trying to make it to a really nice mansion you see up ahead. If you don't move, you're slowly sinking. If you move, you wear yourself out really fast and sometimes you trip and fall all the way into the mud. Then you have to pull yourself all the way out. All the while, the Lord is asking you to carry something and Satan and his wicked angels are whipping you with sticks from all directions, (and they've got shards of glass in the sticks). The Lord helps you by giving you a pole to pull on, but you're hands are covered in mud from when you fall and they sometimes slip on the pole. He gives us armor to where to protect against Satan, but you're covered in mud. What do you do? What would YOU do?
Me................................. After I was done crying, and after I had hit rock bottom and fallen really hard and when Satan is laughing the most, I'd ask the Lord to wash off my hands so I can hold the rod He gives me, and to start hosing me off so I can where the armor. Then, after I'm hosed off and have the armor on, I still slip and fall in the mud. So I keep asking the Lord to wash me off so that when I get to his mansion I'm not tracking mud into His home.
How many of us have felt like we've been stuck in the mud puddle for a while? I have. I'm sick of it. Seriously, it's the worst feeling ever! I'm having a hard time moving again. I'm gonna try my hardest to get moving again so that my family will be blessed.
I love y'all so dab-blam much.
-Elder Ricky-dude
Pictures:
1 - me and my MTC companion Elder Stoddard
2 - Elder White who's in the Petersburg ward
3 - 4 - 4th of July at a members house consisted of over 50 mortars and many more other fireworks
5 - a turtle I saved. He was in the road and I didn't want him to die so I picked him up and moved him to the side of the road.
6 - Staiger - one of 5 of the Mousers dogs. He's a chunky boston terrier. (And whoever said dogs can't smile?)
7 and on... This is when we hiked up Humpback Rocks last Monday. It was only a two mile hike but it was more difficult than hiking the Y because it was almost straight up, basically. Very few spots to rest. And you can see I'm drenched in sweat. But it was so worth it.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
