So Rachel got her dance suit-uniform-outfit-dress-thing. I'll bet she's excited. But she hasn't written me so...jk. Sounds like life at home is going well. Busy as always. January is not very far away. That sounds really close. Is this a professional competition or gold or bronze? How is “So you think you can dance?” I Is Rachel showing them up yet?
Matt sounds like he is having the senior year I had. Always busy with a thousand different things. It makes it hard to have an established group of friends. My soccer, track, singers and Mormon groups were so different that I just stayed on the edge of them for the most part. It wasn't very comfortable but it was good I think. I'm glad cubby got a goal. I remember seasons where it felt like I hardly ever scored. But being a good team mate is more important. I still haven’t heard anything about Ali. How is he? I was thinking about Tom Tyndale the other day. Just tell him I miss him and love him. He was a really good friend to me. There are some memories I will never forget with Tom. As I grow up my perspective has matured and I respect Tom now more than ever as well as my parents and family. I hope he is well. One of those memories is his creative nature. I loved the cake he'd make cubby on his Bday. Speaking of Cubbies Bday... I think that's tomorrow.
HaPpY BiRtHdAy CuBbY! I got you a bike but I can’t tell you anything about it. It's being shipped....in two years. Anyhow, Cubby how are you? There are a few things that are indelibly tender when I think of you. One is your relationship with our mother. I love both your independence and your physical and emotional closeness with Mom. That is how a true mature man should be. You perhaps matured a little faster than me. I love your goodness. You truly want people to be happy. You do things to be nice. You are aware of those around you. You seldom have ever lost your temper. Always remember that it takes far more courage to be kind than to be mean or rude or sarcastic. I learned this again this week. We are teaching a boy who is 18. He is in trouble with the law. He and his brother got into a fight. They beat up a kid real bad. The kid wanted to fight, don’t get me wrong. But they fought. He told the story of him kicking and stomping on the head of the boy. When the boy finally got up they hit him with a club. He told it with no tears, no deep regret or sympathy. The fight was caused because the boy called the boy we were teaching's girl friend a slut. The one sign of regret was when the boy we taught said that he broke up with the girl so the whole fight was pointless. I was sickened physically. They felt justified in fighting. They didn't want to fight originally but the boy they beat up taunted them and hurt their pride. The reason they eventually grabbed a club was because the boy had gotten the best of one of them originally--before the rest of them joined in and gang beat him. He didn't die--it seems he will actually be fine. But what a sacrifice. Always remember to be kind. Remember to be brave, to have courage, to live deliberately. Don’t follow the crowd but take the road less traveled by--and that will make all the difference. Cubby I know you are kind and brave and courageous. Help your friends be as well. I love you Daniel. Don’t you ever forget that. And the only way I am able to love is because I am able to accept love. One of our investigators--Who has the appearance of a 6 foot Tominocker said, "Mormons out of all the churches I have gone to are the kindest and most loving. I think it is because they know that god loves them. If someone knows they are loved they are far more capable of giving love." Amen and amen. Stay Gold Daniel.
So Winter is cold here. I will be spending some money on my credit card if that’s okay. I need some winter supplies. If there are any issues let me know. I assume that will be okay. Thanks.
So I am a traveling elder. That means that I am in an area for 3 months and try to get the area started. It is either an area that has been closed for a while or that is suffering. There is a large chance that the area will close again if we aren't successful. It is a lot of tracking. That’s my calling right now.
The 6 foot frizzle haired tommyknocker U described before is an extraordinary man. He suffers some kind of depression. The city of Brainerd is full of people who are living on some sort of government hand out. They all have some sort of medical condition either mental or physical. I have come across several people with severe schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It is sad to see and I feel helpless. But Tom Carolson said that one of the foremost psychoanalysts said that a severe mental condition is far rarer and almost entirely absent in people of secure faith. This is not the same as going to church. He is off all medication because I feel like they are very similar to the "street cure" aka illegal drugs. They don’t solve the problem at the root. I think I to a large extent agree with him. A vast amount of mental conditions are caused by faith or lack thereof. If someone wants some medical explanation, it is not a stretch to see that how we think and how we act affects our brain and affects the chemicals that are realized into our body. I assume mom will take difference with this stance but realize I am not talking about out all conditions. Alzheimer’s for example happens to the best and most faithful minds. I do believe however, that Religion and faith do play a large part even in our physical well being.
The work continues and I think will be picking up. Hurrah for Israel!
ps Dad I loved your letter. I cant remember everything so I probably do a terrible job answering any questions.
pps good luck David and Brian with girls. I have no advice and am out of the loop anyhow.
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