July 9

Hello!

 

I know that this makes me a horrible person but the puppy isn't so cute there. She will grow into her face I am sure but without getting to see her personality I don't know for now. I am super excited about it though. I knew that you would get another dog one day even if it was one that I bought and just dropped off (The precedence is all ready there). 

 

The Fourth was fun. It is interesting though that holidays are not the same. It really feels like I am not missing them because it seems as if they don't exist. It was fun though. We played five crowns, bunco and croquet (which I won). The Smiths and family all love me. I have always had the ability to have people drawn to me though. When we move we will be right across the road from the Smiths. Brother Smith said that now we will show up at their house everyday! Probably not though but that would be an easy way to save on the food bill:)

 

So Sunday Elder Osgood and I started the "Purification Challenge." It is super hard! In order to do the challenge you fast and pray for things that you need to get rid of in order to become more pure. So through out the day every time that you think of something that you need to do or not do you write it down on the list. So on my list I have things like not joking around or teasing. So for forty days you do this. It is basically a "forty day fast" and is meant to help you become more in tune with the spirit. I will keep you posted as how things are going but I can tell you that yesterday was really hard. As soon as you put those things on your list that is all you want to do. All though I think that it more comes from the fact that you are more aware that they are happening.

 

Funny story from yesterday. I think that I told you about getting locked out of our apartment until 11:30. Well the lock smith told the manager that she needed to change the door nob because it was super old and was going to malfunction. So we are gettong ready to end our p-day and go to an apointment and we are supposed to meet them at 5. Well as seems to always happen in we are at the door leaving at 5 so I am all ready stressed because its hot and late. I go to open the door and the nob won't turn... I think to myself you have got to be kidding. Well there are 8 missionaries locked inside our apartment, its hot and we are late. I don't get stressed out or upset very easy but this did me in. So I call and cancel our apointment because we are all ready running late we take the door nob off and get the door open. I was so mad. So we haven't had a door nob since yesterday but I  think that we are going to go and talk with tthe manager today and get a new one.

Also really cool on August 18th there is one of the 12 coming to the mission and then on the 21st and 22nd there is a member of the 70 doing a mission tour. So we get to have a very uplifitng couple of days. And if I dont get transfered that sunday there will be a special stake conference with the General Authority.

 

Lots of great things taking place in Oregon. Love you all so much and pray for you often.

 

Love Dustin