Hola!!!
You better believe this week was another good'n! It was different
than usual but it was still great. Monday night we drove out to Fort Payne and
worked with the elders there until Wednesday evening, then drove home for an
appointment Wednesday night with a member of the ward. So it was fun working out
there in the country and learning from other missionaries, and I got to push 2
cars that broke down on the side of the road. One was an old lady and we pushed
her car forever!!!!! I told her "ok, we will push you into that parking
lot. So turn in there..." and we started pushing and the power steering
went out, so she tried to turn but just turned into oncoming traffic and then
right into the curb hahahaha. So we had one of us steer as we pushed. It was
exciting for sure haha. Had to use the force to stop traffic a lil bit. It was
so fun :) Also saw a wolf! I got a picture of it. The people said it was half
husky, half wolf but that thing was howling like a strait up wolf haha. I got
to pet it!!! And we had to eat at Stevi B's again. It is the most amazing pizza
buffet place ever. I could eat there all the time and not get tired of it. So I
enjoyed my time in Fort Payne.
We slept at our apartment that night and the next day started
another exchange with the Winchester elders. So that was from Thursday afternoon
until Saturday morning. I worked in our area and we were able to teach some
good lessons and yes, Nicole does have a baptismal date --- January 26th. She
will for sure make it! She is doing so well. She loves the gospel. But keep
praying for her! Don’t’ want anything popping up and ruining the vibe. I doubt
anything will, but keep praying. Then on Saturday we had the baptism of Chance.
He wanted me to baptize him, and it is so much easier baptizing a little kid
than a full grown person haha. They go down in the water super easy. ;)
The whole service went very smoothly and it was nice to not stress out over
anything. It was smooooth.
Then yesterday morning we had our Stake Conference. It was a
broadcast to the area and Elder Cook, and Elder Scott spoke. So that was cool,
and Elder Cook talked about our mission and dropped Pres. H's name!! So the
whole of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and a couple other states
heard about President Holzapfel haha. And then of course, we had the Church
Education System broadcast last night. That thing was super good! President
Uchtdorf is such a good speaker. I loved the analogy about the 6 blinds guys
and the elephant. There is only one truth about things. You can’t go around
making up your own truth and expect everyone to agree with you. God is
the one who tells us truth, and it’s up to us to accept it or not. I loved that
talk! So that has been my week pretty much.
Had some friend of a less active member try to disprove our church
yesterday haha. I humbled him right quick haha. It was funny --- his friend,
the less active member, was getting all pumped, but he doesn’t really believe
in the church either! He was all ''hold on,I need to get my punch in,
too!" and he would say something that he was confused about, but I was
able to answer it his questions, and then he would shout, "man, these guys
are hard core!" haha. I ended up teaching them the first lesson and they
didn’t have much to say after that! I love how the church makes sense haha. If
you just sit down and think about it you would have to be dumb to not believe
it. But then the football game they were going to watch got good, so they
started freaking out about that. Oh, and Alabama won again!! I must be lucky or
something :)
I seriously love being a missionary in Alabama. I have so many
opportunities to grow and strengthen my testimony. I hope all my kids go on
missions! I don’t know how you could NOT want to have this learning experience
and see all the miracles you do. There is nothing better for me right now than
to be out here doing what the Lord wants me to do. I hope y’all are feeling the
blessings of serving in the church as well! It’s going to be funny to see dad
as a bishop haha. And some person at church this week said their physics
professor at BYU was Dr. Oppenlander...??? I went along with it, but I doubt
there are any other mormon Oppenlanders. We might need to find out though!
And I’m glad that Gma B doesn’t want to die anymore haha. I
seriously prayed about that this week! So I’m glad that she has a desire to get
better, and she has to see at least one of mine and Lauren’s kids. Tell her she
isn’t allowed to die yet.
And how was the reception for Ashley and Ryan? Was it at our
building or Woodruff? And sounds like Jackie is still the go-to for wedding
hair-do's and what not. That is good! I need to get my hair did right about
now. It’s starting to get all long and curly again.
And Bryan is home already, too! And I think I’m going to pull a Kyle
and look exactly the same when I get home. I don’t think I age anymore.
Everyone who sees pictures of me says I haven’t changed at all ever since I was
like 8. Just grown a lil bit, but I look the same. I'll let y’all be the judge
of that though.
Tell Lauren I love the wooden tie, I probably won’t ever wear it out
here but I have it hanging up with the rest of my ties. And Becca should spend
every Christmas with the Oppenlanders ... ain’t no party like an Oppenlander
party haha. Thanks for all of your help, mom! You da best!!! I hope you enjoy
the weather out there in California. It was in the 70s all week here except
today ... its back in the thirties ... :( I'll survive. The south can’t beat
me!!! Tell Jackie I didn’t send a letter last week because I’m sending the
recorder back, and I didn’t’ have time to send it out on Monday. My conscience
was killing me to break a rule to send it out any other day, so I didn’t. I'll
be sending it today, though! Please let her know, mom :) Thanks.
Love,
Elder Oppenlander
Southern gent
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