Summer in Alabama

Hey, hey!!

It’s blazing hot out here in Alabama! I love it! Getting a tan right quick. But I have a heat rash underneath my watch. Kinda gross, but its all good ;) I am feeling fine and I’m able to do everything I need to. I can even breathe through my nose every once in a while. But what’s up with you going to two funerals this week?  I talked to so many Baptists this week my head is spinning. I even met an apostle :)!!!! But he said uh-post-stle ... haha his name was Apostle R. Our investigator tried to get us to argue, it was so funny. But he don’t know that I’m mellow like a kitty cat. Haha so I didn’t argue with an apostle. Good news! Also, I got trapped in a minister’s house and I got talked at for like an hour ... the ministers aren’t the problem, its their wives ... they just take the role of a minister too, and as they are preaching at you the husband just goes, "Praise Jesus!" and stuff like that haha. She said she wanted to teach us so I couldn’t help but let her talk. It was draining though. I was glad to get out of there.

Nick’s graduation party sounds like it was a blast! Pulled pork is the best party meal ever. Can’t go wrong with that. And it sounds like y’all had a good time with all of the cousins and Kris' family there.

You had a missionary experience!!!!!!! Sweet! The daughter will probably get baptized if the dad will let her. Older kids have a big impact on the rest of the family. I’m glad y’all were able to experience that and share your testimony! Just keep fellowshipping that family and invite them to things.

Since when does Dad polish his shoes?? Let’s get real haha. And then you have 2 weeks of vacay? Shoot, that sounds like it will be fun. You are going to have to find something to do to live it up. You should rent a boat and sail around! So Mom can get all seasick and throw up and stuff. That would be so fun. Just do something fun for me ok? You gotta live my dreams.

Les Miserable sounds fun but I have no idea what it is ... I’m sure its a musical or something but not very important to me haha. Dinner at Claim Jumper is more important. That sounds so good! I love food so much. I’m going to get fat when i get home because all I’m going to do is make Jackie go eat stuff with me haha. El Burrito Jr....Chronic Tacos....In-n-Out......Wahoos...i’m gonna be a busy boy :) But seriously, don’t let me do that haha.

How was it seeing Becka? Does she seem very different to you? And I’m glad you were able to hang with them yesterday or Saturday and get the scoop on things. It’s kinda weird to be out of the loop all the time. And thank Lauren for me! Marcel is going to dig all of those pictures! Are they good? You should have sent me some of them so I could check it out.

Everything is going great out here. Elder Ojelade is a great guy, even though he is taller than I am, and we get along great. It’s good to have a companion who can keep up with me on the bike. I’ve been going on exchanges lately with a bunch of new missionaries and we have to stop like half-way up hills and stuff haha. It wastes a ton of time, so I’m glad I’m in shape and I have a companion who is in shape. I love biking! But I am way sore! Not from biking but from racing these 2 kids in Center Point the other day when I was on exchanges. They were playing catch and i asked them what position they played and one said running back. And so I challenged him to a race right quick hahaha. It was so fun! But I was sore! I haven’t sprinted since the turkey bowl. So my joints were a lil rusty. But it’s all good now.

And yeah, if you ever come to Birmingham you have to come to Gus’s Hot Dogs! That place was bueno!!!! Got me a slaw, sour kraut, and special sauce dog. That thing was so good. It was funny how president tracted us down haha. He is a great guy. I’m so glad that he is my mission president. He is a great example to me. I love being on a mission!

But that’s about all that happened this week. I think. I’m so busy I can’t remember all of it, but I know it was good. Just pray for Mr. Dean that he can quit smoking, and keep praying for Regina. They are both coming along great and just need some more encouragement. By the way, I’m going out teaching with president tonight! I’m a lil nervous for that, but I know that he will be able to help me become better and help out the people we are going to teach.

Praise Jesus!

Elder Oppenlander