This has been a pretty quick week, who would have thought that would happen when you work?
4: Food challenges are fun when you know Christmas trivia We had dinner with at our bishops place, and they sure do enjoy being mean to missionaries. They do food challenges with all the missionaries who have dinner over there, and this time they did a Christmas trivia quiz. When you get a question wrong you have to take a shot of something gross, like cold squash soup (Not bad), a raw egg (I mean Rocky did it) assorted jelly beans (the pear ones are the worst) lime juice (Really? How is that bad?) and Slightly fermented Fish oil. There is not word enough in the English language, or hours in the day that I would take to describe to you the horror and revulsion that was this Fish Oil. I will have flashes of terror in the future about this fish oil. It will haunt my dreams and cause me no end of mental anguish.
3: I won a pinewood Derby I didn’t even know I was participating in! On Wednesday the senior couple asked us if we wanted to go to a Pinewood Derby in a branch we both cover. We rarely go out there because we only have the car on the weekends, and often times we have things come up on the weekends, so it was an invaluable opportunity.As we were having fun looking at the cars these kids designed, the Branch President asked Elder Stringham and I if we wanted to participate too. We didn’t have cars, but he loaned us some. The one that I picked out, an orange Camero was the fastest of them all. So I got a cute little wall trophy with the wrong Elder’s name on it. Had fun anyway, talked to plenty of members!
2: I finally wrote down my Testimony! Here it is! After being asked to by President Orton, I listened to the spirit and cast my mind back on why it is I believe in Christ.
I have always known that Jesus is the Christ, that God is the Father of my spirit, and that his church is re-established on this Earth preparatory to his son’s second coming. As Nephi said, “I… having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of [the Gospel]” The same is with me. Being raised with the knowledge of God is the greatest blessing that I could possibly ask for. But knowledge is not conversion, and although I knew of the truth of divine nature of such things it didn’t mean all that much to me, because I was not converted. But as I have been anxiously engaging myself in a good cause I have gained that heartfelt understanding of who God is, and what his Son Jesus Christ has given me. All this I have learned and been blessed to receive by the third member of the Godhead. The Holy Ghost has brought me to conversion by testifying in a way that is undeniable. Although I never had any doubts, that is not enough to mean anything. Faith is the first building block that everything is built upon in this life, I didn’t have much faith, I had knowledge. But ever since I have had ample opportunity to test that fledgling faith I have been blessed so greatly. The pure joy that faith brings is truly undeniable. I am so grateful for opportunities the Lord has given me to build that faith, I am incredibly thankful for the calling I have received to come on a mission. It has made me into the man that I am. I am exceedingly appreciative for the Founding Fathers and their divine inspiration to create the only country in the world that would allow the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I write these things under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
1: I really should have put that one at the end. That would have been perfect to end on! How about I tell ya about how great Grocery Outlet is? Have I already? Too bad, here I go again! EVERYTHING IS SO UNBELIEVABLY CHEAP!!!! Sorry for that, but I just want to say that I got a YYUUGGGEEE thing of BBQ bar nuts for $7.00. Heck yeah!
I love you all, I love the Savior, and grocery outlet.
Ya Boi, Elder James Berky
