Like a Chevy Cruze Stuck in Mud.....

Me, cross eyed helping a burro find its way...

I think this will be the new title of my Spring rap album, but it is
still in production so things could change. I got this phrase when
this actually happened to us.

So, me, being the not so intelligent critter that I am, decided to
turn around in a driveway of mud in the rain even after my companion
told me not to. As I felt the tires slip around beneath us, I had a
humbling experience, the feeling of being stuck. We got out and I had
a feeling that we would get out in a jiffy. Nope. After putting wood,
grass, leaves, small dogs and barrel lids (we used all of those but
one IRL), we came to the conclusion that we were going to have to dry
clean our suits again. The mud that we were traipsing about in was not
actually mud, but a mud hybrid. It was about 80% mud and 20% of
something else. There are many animals that also graze where we stood,
such as horses and dogs. And we stood in what was left. Yes, it is
what you think it is. I am pretty cool under pressure, but after about
45 minutes I got a bit frustrated. Luckily, a man that we had taught
earlier came out and helped us with his whole family, but even with
little Bobby pushing on the back, it wouldn't budge. The mud was angry
that day, my friends, and several prayers were sent heavenward. We
went trailer to trailer begging for cat litter, which definitely tops
the charts of weird things I have done. Cold, soaked and my legs
drenched in... mud, and begging Hispanics for cat litter. Then we went
to the Hispanic woman who fed us Thanksgiving. She greeted us with a
smile and then she saw our appearance. She let out a sigh and said,
"Oh, Thomas." She immediately called her spouse and kids and they
promptly drove their car over and hauled us out of the mud. Yes, that
fast. After an hour and a half we were out, just like that.

Now, several Gospel application could be made here but I am not going
to make one because you have probably already created one in your mind
with the anticipation that I would make one. And I can't really think
of a decent one. We have used in just about all of our lessons in the
past couple of days though, which I think is the reason we were stuck
in it. Elder P kept asking why we got stuck, and I think that
might be it, so we could tell people about it and laugh or help them
understand baptism.

This week has been a week of growth, (that sounds a lot better than
this week has been a bummer, haha) But don't fret my young friends, I
have grown. Each opportunity I have had to go absolutely nuts and drop
kick the Chihuahua that will not stop barking in the middle of our
lesson, is a moment for me to grow. And I have had a couple of those
this week. As I look back I feel really happy because I am that much
closer to Christ and my Heavenly Father. Closer today than I was
yesterday and hopefully closer tomorrow than I was today. Just like on
the Christmas special where Santa and a penguin teach that Yeti Snow
Wizard guy to walk with that song, "one foot in front of the other,"
that is how I have taken this week. And from that I have learned that
it is only through our Savior that we can make it to the finish line.
Really rely upon Him, that is all we can do and that is all we need to
do.

Another cool experience I had was watching a kind elder man get called
to be a Patriarch. He feeds us with his wife and she knows how to
cook, but this is what he said when asked to bear his testimony at the
Priesthood Conference; "...The Gospel is true. And nothing else really
matters."

I love you all, thank you for praying for the people I teach and for
my friends and for my family
Love,
Elder Thomas

The reason Verona smells like dog food 24/7.


Lesson for the week..."Put one foot in front of the other...."