Protecting the Crops:

Hello from Fairbanks Alaska. Today, tomorrow, and the following day I will be spending my time in Fairbanks and the North Pole. This past week was super cool. Elder Havenar and I have been doing a lot of missionary work here in Delta J.

Like I said before, I'm currently in Fairbanks enjoying the Pday with other missionaries. I will be able to spend a couple more days in North Pole for exchanges. I'm excited to be able to see North Pole. My first companion, Elder Agad served there and has told me a lot of awesome stories.

This past week was super solid with receiving blessings and referrals. Elder Havenar and I made the extra effort to try a little harder with our obedience. Well that same day we received a self referral from a young woman who recently returned from a 14 month trip in Uganda. She met with a senior couple there and absolutely loved their sweet spirit. While she was on her trip she read the entire Book of Mormon and loved it. It's been awesome working with her. It's been a bit of a struggle due to some Word of Wisdom issues but we're working on that.

We also received another self referral. This time it was a man. He doesn't like sharing too much personal information so we've had all our conversations and lessons over the phone. He said he might be interested in meeting up at a library or something once he realizes we have similar beliefs. He too has read the entire Book of Mormon. He also has done a lot of research on lds.org. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to religion. He received a PHD and bachelor's degree in religious doctrine. The phone calls are very lengthy. One of which was over two hours long and he seems to do all the talking.

Both investigators are wonderful people. I'm excited to continue working with them.

Something funny happened a couple nights ago. We were at out dinner appointment and half way through the dinner the father received a text from a friend warning about a golf ball sized hail storm coming their way. He and his wife both turned to each other and said "The Crops!" In sheer panic he and his wife ran outside and the children soon followed. Being left at the dinner table me and my companion decided to hurry after to see what was going on. We soon realized they were setting up a tarp over their crops to save the plants. We ran after the family to help. In all of a matter of seconds the weather went from lightly sprinkling to full out buckets of water falling from the sky. As soon as we got the tarp over the crops the hail started to come. Running back inside we realized just how wet we were. All of us were just completely soaked from head to toe. Standing in one spot seemed to make a puddle on the floor. We all watched in our drenched clothes as the hail did not turn into golf ball sized clumps but we were able to have a good laugh at the whole situation. We of course finished dinner shortly after that.

I hope everyone has a good week.