Happy Memorial Day everyone!!! I'm not too sure what you all did for your Memorial Day but I can tell you what we did: Six hours of gardening, log splitting on a hydraulic log splitter, a couple games of cards to keep an old guy entertained, and lunch...all at a member’s house. Isn't service fun! It rained like crazy for about 10 minutes with thunder and lightning. We were running around trying to cover up the things that we had been using, and trying to hide in the garage to keep dry (even though we were already soaked to the bone in water); it was a fun day and a humid one too. The rest of it was spent visiting investigators and talking to them about their latest Book of Mormon reading or their prayers and also inviting them to the Sun Prairie Ward open house that takes place June 7th (the weekend after I might be leaving DeForest because June 4th is transfer day).

We couldn't go to the party so we brought the
party to our own BBQ -- Bratts anyone?

The rest of the week was a lot of fun. I went on exchanges with Elder Reynolds in the Beaver Dam area. Elder Reynolds goes home at the June 4th transfer so exchanges with him were a little different than normal. We ate dinner with a member, and then had a really great lesson with an investigator family in Beaver Dam. I am very excited for this family in Beaver Dam to be baptized because they will be a really valuable addition to the branch up there. On Wednesday we walked to a dentist and I waited in the lobby while Elder Reynolds got his wisdom teeth checked out. The poor guy has to get his wisdom teeth pulled out the day he arrives home because he has cavities on them. Then we went to another member’s home that has an indoor petting zoo. When I say indoor, I mean in their house the animals just roam free and walk around or hop. It was crazy; they have kangaroos, emus, a lot of bunnies and Guiney-pigs, sheep, and baby chickens. Then at their farm they have a lot more animals that I couldn't even begin to name because we didn't go there. We were only in the house. They are some pretty cool members and hey, they’re active!!!

Our week as a whole was pretty solid. The normal missionary work and such. Since I forgot pictures last week, I will send some more this week that will also tell a story of what I have been up to :)

Scripture for the week: 1 Nephi 16:1-5

 1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

 2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

 3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

 4 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.

 5 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.

**Please keep in mind that June 4th is transfer day, I do expect that President Cutler will be moving me, so please be aware of this when you send letters or packages. Thank you

Love you all,

Elder Luymes

Emus

Joey

Another Joey snuggling up to me.

Spring has finally come.

Selfie -- working at the Sun Prairie Museum

Time for some new shoes.