Monday, October 21, 2013


October 21, 2013

Say Ay to da U.P Ay! This was a pretty Yooper weekend: rain, cold weather, Packers ball game, beer (not for the missionaries), deer (for the missionaries), hunting, and venison tacos (for the missionary belly). Yup, I think I got it all. Right now we are laughing so hard in the Library.

This week was a pretty typical week. Not in a bad way, nor in a good way; just normal. Elder Baird and I continue to have fun serving together, working hard in the rain and cold. Serving the people as best we can (or at least for as long as they are awake) The town shuts down at 6pm and by 7pm most houses are dark and the streets are empty. That is the life of a cold weather missionary in the vast U.P. All is well though, and there is still progress being made and we are doing what we can.

A short funny story: last Monday at the conclusion of our P-day, Elder Baird and I headed out to go street contacting. We said a companionship prayer before we headed out, Elder Baird stumbled over his words and said mid-prayer "bless us as we go street hunting". When we were outside we talked about what he had said and we both agreed "street hunting" is a much better term for describing our situation. In street contacting you actually have people out on the street and you talk to them. However, in small town Manistique, we street hunt, looking for that one soul who just so happens to be out on the street on a cold Monday evening. In our 1 1/2 hours of street hunting, we saw zero souls.

To answer your questions or concerns about the deer remark made in my intro. We did not hit a deer, but we were about 1-2 feet away from hitting one, or rather being hit by a deer ourselves. On Sunday as we were driving to church, all was well on the M77 heading North. When out of nowhere a deer comes galloping across the high way. I quickly braked and steered to avoid the deer as it finished crossing the road. All was well, and no one was hurt but it would have been an interesting call to the mission president.

Last but not least. Do you remember me sending a picture of a truck that said: Hill Billy Deluxe, and Hypnotic Hydroponics? Elder Baird and I went tracting this week and we met the wife of the owner. She was very interested in reading the Book of Mormon and we were able to set up a return appointment with her. To our surprise she was very nice and I guess we shouldn't be judging to soon.

One of our members here has been a member for 15 years. He has severe cancer, diabetes, and multiple other health issues. His doctors don't expect him to live much longer. But Bro.S___ has had a goal to get to the Temple before he dies. When I arrived here in Manistique I was appointed the task of teaching him the Temple Prep lessons because I had been a Temple Prep teacher at BYU my Winter semester. I taught him each lesson twice because of his slow learning. We worked very hard with the Marquette Ward Bishop and Stake Presidency (who lives all the way down in Green Bay) to come up to Germfask and interview him and other members for Temple recommends. Finally, Bro.S___ got his recommend after several months of hard work. With all the love and delight in my heart I am delighted to say that Bro.S___ got endowed on Saturday in the Chicago temple. But it doesn't stop there. He also got sealed to his wife who passed away unexpectedly over 35 years ago. And he was able to do the temple work for his parents and paternal grandparents too. All three of the couples were sealed and the children were sealed to their parents respectively. This monumental occasion is the highlight of my mission so far. I can honestly say that all these months of slow or sometimes no progress has been very stressful at times, but the reward that has come, and the unexpected addition of Temple work for five others who we weren't planning on in the beginning has been a true blessing from God.

Press on Christian Soldier

Elder Luymes

"Lets take a selfie"

Sunrise from our apartment;
those clouds mean rain.

Red neck or Yooper solution?
Don't slam the door!
The air conditioner will fall out!
 

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