[S4E4] Anyone can cook!

So, after our first week of no member dinners, I have decided that the statement from Ratatouille is true! Anyone can cook, you just need the ingredients, and the recipes!

10: I greatly underestimated the size of our only mixing bowl. So I wanted to make crepes, partially because I love crepes, and partially because we had a ton of milk. However, our mixing bowl is not very big, and the recipe called for a ton milk and eggs. So I made a bit of a mess. But the Crepes were good, and I’ve been re-heating them for breakfast all week. 

9: We helped rake this ladies’ yard, and saw a small miracle! We spent a couple hours raking this older lady’s yard. She was very appreciative, and things went very smoothly. We could tell she was very lonely because she was talking the whole time. As we were finishing up, she was getting worried about where she would put the bags of leaves (there were plenty) when all of a sudden, her neighbor pulled up and asked what we were going to do with those bags. Turns out that he wanted some for his compost pile! Tender mercy!

8: Scone conference! We were late for Zone conference, because Elders Sant, Haws, Ethington (We were carpooling) and I totally forgot what time it was at. So we showed up about 30 minutes late. But I did get plenty of great notes, and we made it in time for a lecture/talk on budgeting. 

7: Budgeting is fun! So, taking the things that we learned at zone conference, we put together a budget, and I have to say, Budgeting is actually rather fun! It also feels really good, knowing that I know where my money is going, and that I can track it. So I got to follow a budget at the store today, only $24. As I was picking up food, I was punching the prices into my phone, and when I came up with $23.94 I was done! Felt very good, and I didn’t have to worry about overspending!

6: I don’t know how to spell Recipes, but I sure do have some of them now! After visiting a member’s home, and letting them know that we don’t really have any recipes, they gave us a couple cook books to copy down, so we took advantage of that. Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be consulting those, planning out dinners, and buying the correct ingredients! 

5: Moving a waterbed! (Yeah, those still exist!) So while we were out shopping, we got a call from some members, who needed help moving a waterbed. After asking them what year they were living in we headed over. MAN, WATERBEDS ARE HEAVY!! We got it out of the house on a heavy-duty dolly, rolled it onto his deck, then the member got his tractor, picked up the dolly and all, to move it. We could hear the tractor straining under the weight of this deflated waterbed. 

4: Emily is going to be baptized! After meeting with her for only the second time, we extended an invitation to be baptized and Emily said yes! She’s going to be baptized on the 5th of January, and hopefully her 2 kids too! She already knows plenty of people in the ward, and has really connected with a couple! 

3: I can sew my pants back together! So just by natural wear and tear, a pair of my pants tore down the side, just under the pocket. So I stole Elder Sant’s sewing kit (I need to buy one, but forgot to) and repaired my pants. They don’t look as good as new, but that’s okay, the stitch looks really tight, and no one looks right above my pocket anyways.

2: A less active was going to come to church but didn’t 🙁 We have been working with this fantastic older couple, Jim and Darla, who don’t come to church for various reasons. We made a whole plan and everything for them to come, but only Jim came! Darla was sick, so she couldn’t come. So sad.

1: We got a griddle! After cooking on a stupid little hot plate, with a crappy tiny, aluminum frying pan. So now we are cooking on a glorious, giant griddle! HAHAHAHA! We might not have an oven, or any shelving, but we have got a griddle. I’m happy with what I’ve been given.Speaking of which, that is the spiritual thought I want to end with. I know, it’s kind of cliché because it’s thanksgiving week, but I want to share a scripture to go along with the feeling of thanks. 

1 Nephi 2:6-7 After Journeying for 3 days, on foot, the equivalent distance of Saint George to Provo, what is the first thing that Lehi does? Builds an altar of stones, then gives thanks to God for saving him from destruction. Be like Lehi, find time to be grateful, show your appreciation to God.

Love you all, Elder Berky