Plumbing

Sawing trees in two is the best work out I have done since I was a professional body builder. We have been working with members as spring cleaning has begun with a bang. Imagine you're in a jungle somewhere between the tropic of capricorn and the equator. You are hired to level the jungle so that the owner can have a nice lawn there to play football on. However there are some restrictions. No chainsaws, no bulldozers, just you and a friend with an eager elderly gentleman who owns two bow saws and two clippers. This week my right bicep has grown a good 3 inches and so has my shoulder. Lots of sawing and lots of dangerous hillbilly attempts to dislodge trees from precarious places. Mom, don't worry, I only was swinging on one of the 450 lbs branches to free it from where we cut it. 

      C, an investigator with a baptismal date, is progressing really well. We taught him the Word of Wisdom. We mentioned coffee and he said he really enjoyed it but he committed to change. The following day we stopped by and he said, "Guess what? I gave away all my coffee". His excitement was apparent as we continued the lesson. He has grown to see a change and a love for the Spirit. I asked if he needed help with anything as I put my scriptures away. He only said, "You're leaving already?" He can feel the Spirit and we are praying that he can continue.           

     We arrived on the scene at approximately 9:07 a.m.. The cold Missouri wind blew in from the west and our blind member backed up his tractor from the south. He hopped off and led us to the shed where he needed help. The rectangular shaped plot of land was to be a house eventually and today was the plumbing day. Our member who can barely see, asked us if we had any plumbing experience. I said 'kind of', as I remember laying in the crawl space between a house and the ground for 6 hours spraying 'as seen on tv' sealant on a pipe. He must've taken that as good enough and began to explain. After the plan was explained, (which could be equivalent to 3 semesters worth of plumbing knowledge), in 4 minutes, he left us with the tools. After a quick review with my companion we began to work. 

     We were cluelessly digging and cutting PVC and gluing but every once and awhile the member would come out and say, "If someone trusted a blind guy to do there plumbing they can trust you two". Miraculously, with the help of two incompetent plumbers and a chicken named Bessie, who aided briefly in the digging process, we had successfully completed the plumbing. Many times in life we are asked to do things we don't necessarily feel qualified to do. All of these moments are meant for our growth and learning. We will mess up once or twice or much more, but we have promises from our Friends that they will not forsake us. That is a pretty incredible blessing. I am glad I have received the help of the Savior and much like the member helping two new plumbers, we always have that help as we follow His guidance.

Thanks for your prayers, I have seen miracles because of them!

Adios

Elder Thomas    

Snoopy's House

Kansas City Temple