Bentonville

So Elder Reese and I will be in Bentonville for another six weeks, which is good because the Barlands will hopefull be baptized withing that six week period. 

It's starting to get weird seeing people go home. I don't like it. One of our Zone Leaders is going home, and he's purty cool. Sad to see people go. 

This week was a little bit slower due to a bunch of meetings and stuff. I had to go on two exchanges with the Bentoville 2nd Elders. The first one I went and stayed over in their apartment. Elder Loomis has a scholarship to play footbal for Utah when he gets home, and looks and acts the part. We taught a few lessons in the early afternoon, then helped with an Eagle project by digging post holes. That's actually a funny story, so I'll tell it to you. So one of the kids in 2nd Ward is building a softball backstop behind the church building. I don't know who decided on the placement, but they're planning on putting it right behind a flag post, which incidentally was another person's Eagle project. I don't know if the plan has changed since then, but I thought it was kind of strange that they would plan a project in such a way that you'd have to dig out a big concrete slab along with a bunch of brick and a flagpole instead of moving the backstop up about 12 feet. That's just me though. Elder Loomis also broke a water line. Whoever marked the lines didn't do a very good job, and we didn't even think there was supposed to be a sprinkler line where he was digging. So that was eventful too. 

After we dug through a bunch of rock that may or may not just be refilled with dirt, we played basketball at the church. Some non-members come and it's a good missionary opportunity? I was dying. I haven't actually run up and down a court like that in a long time and I forgot how out of shape I am. It was bad. I guess I need to play a little more basketball. It was fun, but it also reminded me of how much I don't like sports. I tried hard though, and even got a few points. I also never got hit in the face with the ball, so I'm sure my Pop would be proud. 

The Barland family is doing really really well, we're super proud of how strong they are in their testimonies even before they are baptized. They're meeting a lot of resistance from all sides, and they remain unmoved. So, Ann's husband is Jewish, and apparently the in-laws were in town this weekend, and were talking about how they wanted their grandson to grow up in a synagogue and stuff. In response, Michael, the 9 year old, asked, "Do they believe in Jesus?" 

to which they answered, "No, they don't." 

he replied, "Then I don't want to go there." I myself am supremely impressed with them. Ann said to our ward mission leader, "Well this must be true, otherwise there wouldn't be so much resistance to it." Awesome awesome awesome. 

That's about all I've got for this week. Bentonville continues to impress me. Every heckle from traffic is met with at least three honks and waves a day. Going about the Lord's business is tiring, but very rewarding. Hope you all are doing well, you must've had a busy week!

Love, 

Elder Christopher Drake