The crowd gathered. The bets were placed. The challenger was patted on the back, arms were wrapped around his shoulders, there were cheers. He sat down, surrounded by the crowd. Then, the challenge began. He worked, muscles constantly repeating their motion as he pushed himself. He felt the strain, he felt weighed down, and sluggish. Women were crying, and men's hearts sank. He was nowhere near the end... and he stopped. There were groans from the crowd, and they dispersed.
Such was my Thursday morning as the Lodi California Zone missionaries came together to encourage me to eat 15 pancakes at iHop - one for each of the 15 baptisms that our Zone had - to break the Mission record. I stopped at 10. I was okay having not eaten fifteen pancakes, but then my Mission President told the entire Lodi Stake, 10 congregations all gathered together, that a missionary among them attempted, and failed, to eat fifteen pancakes. Challenge accepted! That night, I cooked up and put down a stack of 15 pancakes, one pancake at a time. I was victorious!... and then paid for it this morning when I ran 12 miles. I felt pretty bad this morning, but hey, I was a winner!
This week was quite the roller coaster. A missionary attempted to light my room on fire last week, but I was able to douse the flames before they spread too far. That was rather fun! I have also been listening to a number of church songs, compliments of the Pond family's wonderful package to me, and have been trying to learn the song 'Saviour, Redeemer of my Soul.' I got to go on team ups with my District Leader, Elder Boeke. What a fun guy!
This last Saturday was a lot of fun. Our Zone Leaders came into our room and asked 'Wanna help us cut a tree down?' I ironically stated that I would only do it if I got to borrow a pair of Wranglers. He agreed. We cut the tree down. It was a ton of fun! There was sawdust all up in the air, limbs flying toward the ground, and now and then the resounding thud of a huge branch slamming into the earth. I got lunch out of it. It was Thai food. So goooood! I now own those Wranglers, and am looking into getting a belt and buckle, and really hope I do not turn out to be a Cowboy poser... so I might very well have to help out with branding this fall.
I want to testify to everyone who reads this blog: I know Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that I have found true happiness through serving Him and by turning to Him. This last week was a witness to me that the Gospel is true, the Church is true, and that the love our Heavenly Father has for us is true. It is powerful. The Book of Mormon inspires and directs. Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God leading the Church today. And it is up to every one of us to choose for ourselves to follow those promptings from the Spirit.
Elder Gavin Strawn
8267 Deseret Ave
Fair Oaks CA 95628
gavin.strawn@myldsmail.net
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