Anathema iIs My New Favorite Word

Hello hello hello again, everyone! Coming live and from a 9 day work week, it's Elder McMullin! As always, feel free to send me any Pokémon cards or pepto-bismol, and I will happily accept. But, without further ado, here we go!
    This extra-long week was kind of buns for work, and people continue to be few and far between. We had a couple of good referrals, but commitments to church somehow, some way, are all magically forgotten at 9:55 when we are desperately calling to see where you are after you promised on 3 separate occasions to bring your wife and 4 kids. Besides that, JAMES! I was sick and tired of watching him putter in and out of church this week, so I admit, Elder McMullin snapped. I lengthened my stride something fierce to get to him before the Elders Quorum, and dragged him and some of his friends to a spare classroom to teach him. Lo and behold, all he needs to do to be officially "On Date", is pick a day that works for him! It was a great lesson, and the spirit was so strong as he told the story of how he needed help- and we showed up. I have so much faith in James, and I just hope that the day he chooses is before I leave.
   Besides that, we got to be absolute road hogs this week for Elder Adams. Turns out, the cars we drive come from all over the state, mostly from whatever Toyota dealership happens to slip the price tag a little lower for us. This narrows it down to two locations: Glen Allen and Chesterfield. And wouldn't you know it, we were part of both. The Glen Allen drive wasn't bad, a simple 10 minute van ride there and scenic drive back, then repeat. It was cute, Elder Adams got us lunch, and we still had plenty of time to do other things.
Not so much with Chesterfield.
That was a 40 minute van ride that took us PAST Richmond Central and down to the burbs on the south side, where we waited another 30 minutes for the salesman to greet us and get everything in order, and then a 40 minute drive back. AND WE DID IT THREE TIMES. The only fun part was comparing who had the lowest miles (we won with 2) and seeing the dealer wave to us more passionately each successive time we pulled out. Elder Adams told us that it would take a fat second, but we got started at 8:30 in the morning and finished at 2:30. Elder Adams again got us lunch (although it was more of a "linner" at that point) as we crumpled into our office chairs to sit after a long day of sitting. It was great. 
   The highlight of the week came from District council yesterday, when Elder Rinquest assigned me the "spiritual thought". Usually, this entails reading some charming little section out of the BOM or the Gospels. Deciding to shake it up a little bit, I command my now captive audience to go to Acts 24: 14-15. While doing this, I write in big cardinal letters on the board, swooping out in scarlet felt-tip markings the buzzword of the middle ages: HERESY. I spin around and start finger-gunning the now bewildered district, asking for definitions. Some were very scientific, others were basic, and at least one person was horribly confused. But, we all settles on the definition that heresy was "an unorthodox belief you hold that the majority doesn't like". I list off some famous Heretics, like Galileo, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther, John Clavin, and others. Then we read Paul's words, where he calls himself a heretic for believing in "the God of his fathers". I then force them to list off their own heresies, like golden plates, sacred groves, handcarts and temples and angels. I then explained we're all heretics, according to the definition, but be proud of it. Don't hide the good stuff of what you believe because some ot it is disagreeable. Live what you believe, even if you are labeled and scorned and hated for it. Because as Paul says in the next verse: "16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." If you are right with God, no matter the belief and no matter the cost, do it.

Needless to say, you could hear a pin drop by the end of it, and Elder Miller shot me the slanted complement of "you outshined Elder Rinquest."  I thought it was pretty great, and I hope it brought the spirit in to that room. Plus, I got to flex pretty hard in front of the district, which is always a plus. 

Anyways, I hope yall have a great week, and see you soon!

From your favorite about-to-be-burned-at-the-stake friend,

Elder McMullin

Photos!
1: the Kar Krew
2: gettin ready for the road trip
3: 7-11!!!!
4: this freaking Gas burger from "Ma's burgers and Pa's dogs"
5: phone, phone, phone, phone, phone




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