"I need to get you and your family DUNKED!"

 เฮลโล Hello!

How much do you want God's blessings? Are you willing to work for them? Willing to take whatever comes your way trusting that your struggles and efforts will be worth it? These were the questions filling my mind while we were biking to the church building at 6 AM in the pouring rain. The answers for me? A lot, apparently, and absolutely!!!

WHYS STEVE CRYING?

Cuz his wife got dunked (on)!! Mina got baptized!!! Yes, for real!!! We had a small service at 8 AM on Saturday with just 6 people and it was so amazing. The spirit and peace and just overwhelming joy of the whole thing were the best. We've been working with them for a month or so and they are the best couple ever. They've been working together on this goal and they are so solid. The sweetest, extra most bestest people ever. They were so happy and I am so lucky to have been a part of it. The meeting itself was really small, but super personal and I couldn't stop smiling! And while her husband was giving her the gift of the Holy Ghost, his angelic phone alarm came on and it was the best. Definitely unintentional, definitely fantastic.

PRESIDENT PENDLETON PULLS NO PUNCHES

While we were planning out our week, we got the feeling that we needed to visit President Pendleton, the 97 year old former stake president who can talk to you all day and who had a birthday the day before. We called him, no answer. So we made ourselves some lunch and we got a call from the 2nd counselor who asked if we had visited him recently, because he was thinking about him a lot. So we decided that was a sign and we booked it to his house. He started talking to us about his WWII stories (Grandpa Bird, you two would get along) and about all of his super strong political opinions (Dad, you two would get along). While we were talking, he got a call from one of his friends that he's been trying to get to meet with the missionaries for so long. She said she was coming over to drop off some things for him and he said, "I want you to talk to these great young men, because I need to get you and your family dunked!!" She came and we got to meet her! She's going through a very difficult time and shared her situation with us. President Pendleton says to her, "now I'm going to say something and I dont mean to offend you..." At this point I'm thinking, "Oh shoot, he's about to spew out something super politically polarizing." But NO! He finishes, "...but I'd like for these missionaries to give you a blessing of comfort." And she accepted! The blessing was great, and she was much more open and happy afterwards. I hope she gets to see missionaries again sometime soon.

LAST THINGS LAST

- bringing my "I AM MORMON" reflective vest from Thailand was the best idea ever.

- Benson Hill BBQ Club is unstoppably delicious.

- We took away Sister Jex's ability to cheat in games by speaking Lao. Thai boiz for the win.

- Seattle rain is here. Heaven help us.

- I love you! You're a legend.

เอ็ลเดอร์หนาวจังเลย (Elder is soo cold.)

Elder Barrett

The video is me throwing a lob to a BYU commit. This is for posterity.