That's how extreme it is!

The twig was cancelled, sad day. It was really just too cold though! It was -15 with a wind chill of -30, and it was just bad! Things just get colder and colder here! I used to like wearing my awesome coats, jackets, and sweaters, but now I’m sick of them... Today's 10 degrees, and I have to say it felt pretty nice to walk outside. That's how extreme it is!  I suppose I can't complain... I could be in Norway or Russia, or even Boston for that matter…

This week was nice! Despite being cold, we were able to still able to get a lot done. I went on exchange in Warren, PA, and Elder G is a highly dedicated walk elder. However, Warren is an area with a car because it needs one. We walked probably 12 miles to try approximately 4 people. We went all over. It was definitely the most I'd done in a while! I guess it's good to stay in practice, but it was not a super enjoyable experience at the time... We also had training on obedience with President Johnson at Zone Training, by which I take it that there have been problems lately with disobedience... Not to worry. Your faithful and obedient son is continuing on in the strait and narrow path. Cool quote though: " Obedience is heaven's first law, and order is itShoppings result," -Amalia Aubacher (President Johnson’s grandma.) It's true. As we obey, for the right reasons, things fall into place in the right way and at the best time. So yep! Keep the faith!

So I can't remember if I told you this, Brother H, a member in our area, is a martial arts and weaponry master, and he's started teaching us basic principles and fundamentals of self-defense on Pday. (There is nothing else to do here.) Gotta say, I am really enjoying it. Learning a ton. Here's some food for thought. He was teaching us some techniques, but made this observation. Learning a bunch of rote techniques for highly specified situations will get you nowhere. Better is to learn the principles, the way things work, and then allow that absolute truth to govern how you react in a situation. Ex. rather than mastering a specific parry/punch combination for every attack, understanding how force and energy work in the body to redirect and then counterstrike in the best way. The gospel parallel is this- rather than memorizing all the rules and then living them to the t, understand the gospel. Understand the fundamental truths as to how things work, and then allow this knowledge and the Spirit to help you to make the best decision in any given situation. The most annoying missionaries are the ones who live the white handbook perfectly but fail to really show compassion, charity, or inspiration. The way to really live the gospel is to understand, then act. And I think that goes for social interaction, or business, or really anything. If you understand how, and why, something works, that is way better than memorizing routines or steps. It's leadership vs. management. Food for thought.

Love, 

Elder Wright