Happy Birthday!

Goodmorning!!

 Things are still going great over here in the dirty South! My birthday has been amazing so far with the packages, decorating my apartment, and taking my blue pill...woke up with a headache haha. I got the box and thank you very much for the cake mix and all that good stuff! I haven’t gotten my license yet, or gift card but I’m sure I will soon. And I’m not planning on doing anything today besides getting my haircut by a less active member. I hope she doesn’t mess it up. The guy who was supposed to cut it last week forgot....so I’m looking pretty shaggy up in here. And yes, I took a pic of me wearing the hat and holding two little Martinelli’s bottles of sparkling apple juice that Jackie got me right before my camera died. So I need to go buy some new batteries for that.

Gma’s service program looked really good! Her and Gpa were pretty young when they got married, shoot! And when was that recent picture of Gma taken? I am sure glad that you were able to see all the family and spend some time up there. From what I heard, Dad was just glad to get out of the snow haha. I feel you, Dad!!!! It snowed all over me this week. I went out to Scottsboro to work for a couple days with the missionaries there, and it was crazy cold. It hailed, snowed like inch wide snowflakes, slushed, had freezing rain and regular rain. And I biked 14 miles in all of that haha. So my face and butt were frozen. Face from the wind and ice, and butt from the freezing water getting splashed up on it from my bike tire ;) I have lost like 5 pounds enduring the cold out here haha. I still love it! I wore the missionary out who I was working with though, he hadn’t biked that far before, and he barely made it home. But all is well.

And how come Aunt Wanda didn’t make it to the funeral? What’s going on with her?? But other than that, it sounds like the funeral went great. How does it feel to be back home and winding down after that excitement from last week? Hopefully tonight’s Mr. El Dorado contest will put a smile on your face! Sounds like that will be pretty funny.

And have you taken Uncle Rick to In-n-Out yet??? I can’t believe I haven’t been there in almost 2 years! I hope I still like it when I get home!  That would be a shame to lose the taste buds for all of that haha. Like I lost the taste for milk..........I haven’t had milk to drink since October!!! I know its crazy, but that’s how it is haha. I tried to get healthier by drinking almond milk. So all my cereal has almond milk in it now. Also I just try to drink water with meals and stuff. Plus Jackie being allergic to it made it easier to stop, too!! Can’t be drinking milk in front of her and cause her to have an allergic reaction haha. So yeah, I thought that would blow y’all’s mind. Mr. Milk hasn’t had milk in months! So tell Lauren she needs to keep going strong!

But yeah, that’s all that’s going on over here. Not too much excitement for my birthday. Just going to buy some exercise pants so I can start running in the cold around here. I need to start getting my beach body going haha. Watch out ;)

I love y’all very much and thank you so much for raising me up the way you did. This week has been a struggle with some missionaries who just aren’t mentally ready for a mission. I felt like a therapist and it made me never want to become one haha. So thank you for helping me be the man I am today. And thank you for raising me in the gospel. I don’t know how people deal with loss or trials without it. It really does comfort you when you need it, and strengthen you so that you are ready for anything that may come your way. I am very grateful for it and the many blessings it has brought to me. Even though Lauren thinks I’m not being sincere about it haha. Tell her to read her scriptures and write in a journal! She won’t accept it from me, but if all 3 of us do it she will break like a wild horse haha. :) Anywho, have a wonderful day and celebrate a lil bit for me! Be safe and enjoy Family Home Evening with the young adults tonight. Vote for me!!!

Love,

Elder Oppenlander