Zip-Ties and Psychotic Terriers

We walked into a Zone training meeting and our mission President stood in front of us wearing a full army get up. I thought that we were either about to get chewed out or we were in the wrong chapel, which isn't hard to do out here, due to the church on every corner dilemma. President Shumway told us that we were going to lose a lot of missionaries in the next few months. Due to the age change there was a huge increase but now it has begun to plateau. So he challenged us to become 'Special Ops Missionaries'. Better, smarter and spiritual-er. I was super motivated after this. So motivated that immediately following the meeting I was messing around with a zip-tie and got it stuck around my wrist. So my first move as a 'Special Ops Missionary' was going outside finding a zip-tie on the ground and, after believing it was broken, getting it stuck fairly tightly around my wrist. And we don't keep scissors in our bags so I wandered the streets of South-West Missouri wearing a zip-tie, I was pretty good at hiding it with my sweater, though. So, Mom, don't worry I didn't look like a vagabond. Not the best start, but it got better.

I would like you all in your mind's eye to imagine a dog from your childhood. That dog that lived maybe on a shady road, was small enough to drop kick and barked just because it enjoyed seeing the human race in a state of annoyance. There is a dog similar to this on one of our streets. It has a leash that is tied to another leash so it may roam freely around the yard without much restriction. My first encounter was during my first week. It was dark and we walked down a road, abundant with trailers and broken down trucks. then out of the darkness sprinted a full sized terrier, ready to feast on my ankles. With no restraining device seen my companion ran to the hills. I stood in a state of shock and the dog was pulled back at the last second. This week we had to give them a card. So with the English elders distracting it we ran to the door. But the dog was bright, and knew of our plan and ran after us as we stuck the card in the door. I have never run faster in my life. We lived and that is all there is to say about that.

Angels watch over us and the Atonement will carry us, if we are willing to ask for help.

Love y'all,

Elder Thomas