2/12/2018: Week 70 The State of the Biannual Weekly Address

Well hello world. It's been a long time, how are you? It's funny, while I was in Vernal I kept saying I was a sinner and that I would email better eventually... And now it's been a solid 3 months or so since I sent out anything substantial... So why don't we start with a little bit of a recap of my mission so far.

So currently, I'm just a regular missionary, the only form of leadership I currently hold is just being the senior companion. Essentially, I just choose who prays during studies. I have been out for 16 months today. I have served once as a regular district leader, once as a district trainer (district leader who trains a new missionary simultaneously) and a follow up trainer twice. To date I am in my twelfth transfer in the field and am on my eighth companion. I'm currently in my fourth area, Spanish Fork Maple Mountain, my other areas being Provo West, Ferron, and Vernal Ashley. This is also the beginning of my third transfer in this area and my second with my current companion, Elder McKinney.

About Elder McKinney. In mission lingo, he's my second step son (a regular son being a missionary you train, a step son being a missionary you follow up train - So my mission posterity currently consists of one son, one daughter, two step sons, and one grandson) Anyway, so Elder McKinney is from Maumelle Arkansas, he comes from a big family, he's the youngest of seven, but also has a sort of adopted family where he's like the oldest of five. He's been on his mission for about 3.5 months, and had an incredibly well rounded extra-curricular profile. Band, dance, twirling, modeling, volleyball, basketball, football... All sorts of stuff. He's a super cool dude.

Let's see... That's probably enough of a review... It goes fast. It's super crazy to see all the missionaries that have always been around, and that I love, go home. It's sad... Next transfer is the last transfer for the sisters that came out with me, and four more after that is game over for Elder DeFord. There's just not enough time left. I've got too much to do.

There's no way that I can go over all of the things from the months of absentee emails, no way to catch up.

Suffice it to say, I love the Lord, and am grateful for his endless for me. I'm well fed, I'm doing good, I love my mission, staying warm, learning, growing. The music is always there. If you don't know about the Church, learn about it before you throw it away. If you do know about and have left, because of your own choices or due to another's influence, there is no better time to come back than now. If you are actively participating in the gospel of Jesus Christ already, keep raising the bar, keep learning, keep progressing, and then share those blessings you receive with those that you love.

I know that this gospel and the book of Mormon are true. I know that the priesthood authority of God is on the earth, in the church, and in the lives of every one of us who lives worthy of it. I love you all, and I promise I'll make an effort to write more consistently in the future.