New Companion

Yo madre and padre!

Yes ma’am, I got a new companion named Elder Konold! He is from San Diego but he doesn’t like the ocean, skateboarding, or California in general....what?? Haha, its funny. He doesn’t know what he's missing. Elder Konold came out with Elder Lofthouse, Holley, and Hardy. And Elder Hardy's new companion came out with them, too. His name is Elder Taggart. So I’m the baby :) haha, everyone has been out a year and 2 weeks longer than I have. But no biggie, I hold me own ;) He's a great guy. We get along well and he enjoys being around me. I’m pretty good at making missionary work fun for him, and I can get him to chuckle all throughout the day haha. I love being a missionary! Yeah, I was glad to have a new companion. Change is good, and I bet Elder Ingersoll is doing well in Selma! And yeah, I want to be companions with Elder Clanton so bad! That would be amazing. But the Lord puts me with whoever I need to be with, so if it happens it happens, but if not, I’m perfectly fine with that too. We can hang out after our mission.

I didn’t get anything from Sis. Jorgensen or Sis. Ball? I don’t know if it hadn’t gotten here yet or what, but we have a multi-zone conference this Wednesday and I'll probably get it there.

I go back to the dentist April 9th. I don’t know if they will do a cleaning too or not. Didn’t ask ‘em about that. I was too busy having a numb face hahaha. They shot me extra and the left side of my face was completely paralyzed all day hahahaha. It was so funny, especially when you try to talk to people....embarrassing! I took some funny pics of it. I would be trying to smile, but only half of my face moved and the other half was all fat ;? Kinda like that. I got a lot of funny looks but I had a good attitude about it and that made people smile.

Isaac got baptized? That’s sweet! And that tour sounds like it went great! We are having something kind of like that this week. Pres. Holzapfel and Pres. Smart (our stake president) will be speaking at a fireside. And recent converts will be bearing their testimonies. The fireside is called "Why I Believe", and its for people not of our faith to come and see what we believe and have the opportunity to feel the spirit and hear from some bible scholars. So we are inviting people to that and hopefully there will be a good turn out. I doubt Pres. Holzapfel and Smart will be able to come speak again.

Lauren Harrison is getting married this Friday?? Dang, that’s awesome! I want to go to the temple...I barely ever get to go out here haha. I’ve only been once, and I want to go some more.

Lauren has only 3 weeks of school left!!!! Shoot, that’s awesome. How close is she to finishing the film? I know she'll finish and I’m bummed I won’t be able to see it until I get home. So lame! But that is crazy! Life is about to start for her real good. And no, you didn’t tell me Joey reported to the Missionary Training Center in Brazil! Everyone gets crazy missions but me...Alabama!! Haha. And his family lives in Japan? That would be fun to travel around and live all over.

My bike is still holding up, barely though haha. I have to buy stuff for it all the time but its been doing well for like a week or two. So knock on wood that thing doesn’t get another flat tire or anything. I took the 70 bucks out to get 2 watches. They are classy haha. Lifted my spirits.

It’s raining in California? It’s been 85-90 all week here and its already summer. No joke, it is so hot --- but not too humid yet. But I’ve been sweating like no bodies bizznizz. I hope it doesn’t stay this hot. Summer is going to be like 7 months long....but I’m still loving it out here and we have another baptism this Saturday! Big Robert is getting in the wata. He has to get married first, so he is going to court on Wednesday to handle that. He is an awesome guy, and he has been loving coming to church and meeting with us. Its kind of weird to teach someone who accepts it all and doesn’t have an addiction to smoking or drinking haha. It’s weird. So you can pray for him to have a good baptism and just pray that we can find new people to teach. It’s been rough finding them lately, but now that the college is back in the swing of things it should be easier. But yeah, things are amazing.

Elder Leali'ie'e failed at the Mugshot last Monday. That was hilarious haha. Its like one of those food channel challenges. You have to eat this fat burger, fries, and a fried pickle under 12 minutes. It’s an Alabama thing. They had 12 national championships at the time it was created, so you had to eat it all in 12 minutes. But he didn’t do it! He had like 20 fries left...it was a heartbreaker. He pounded it all and we were just eating while he was and it was kinda gross... :) I didn’t even want to try it. I enjoy eating and I can’t even eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich fast. It ain’t my thang.

I think that’s all I’ve got for today. I still have 20 minutes, so if you have any questions and if you can respond to it....go for it.

Love you tons! Enjoy California and yell at Jackie for me. Tell her to go to bed early. No staying out late haha.

:) Love, Elder Oppenlander