"It's done"

Quote of the week explanation 

 

This one merits more explanation, so therefore I will skip over this blurb and get to it in the meat 🍖

 

Oh wow.

 

I will admit, I have been keeping things rather vague recently in these letters.

 

That has been rather intentional.

 

After all, I wouldn't want you go be getting all excited about things that may or may not be looking on the horizon only to have your hopes crushed by something falling through. By the agency of people you don't even know. 

 

Well folks, I'm here to tell you that this time around we were not let down by the legend himself: John W. Marshall.

 

I believe I've mentioned John before in these emails, and talked about teaching him in my last area over in the Golden Gate and Bay wards. He is a beast. An absolute legend. I taught him for my entire tenure in that area. I believe that he had met with the missionaries (over the phone, of course) only one time before I came into the area, and I was privileged enough to participating in essentially the entire teaching process in working with him. We had given him a baptismal invitation for the 11th, but one thing got in the way. John is a truck driver. Not only that, but what he has driven for his entire career are semi-trucks full of medical equipment. So, you can imagine what COVID-19 did to his schedule. Anyways, his date had to be pushed back a few weeks because of his schedule getting in the way. And alas, transfers fell but days before his baptism. I was to leave the area.

 

That was a blow, at first, not gonna lie. But aha, wouldn't you know it, we were still able to attend the service. 

 

Baptisms during shelter in place are weird. We have been given approval to hold a zoom broadcast, and so the number of people who are able to attend in person are very, very limited. The people who were actually at the baptism were limited to me and my companions, my old companions who are still serving in the Golden Gate and Bay wards, their ward mission leader, a counselor in the Bishopric, and one other member (the most OP member in the ward) who gave a talk. 

 

It was a great service. We didn't have any hiccups with technology. The font was warm, the talks were good... Everything went as perfectly as any of us could've hoped. John went down under the water, and as he came up he said, looking heavenward with a catch in his voice, "It's done." Beautiful, beautiful.

 

So that was a rather long-winded explanation for the quote of the week. But hey, it was one of the highlights.

 

In terms of other things, I'm rolling back into the Chinese program. Oh boy, it's exciting.

 

We've got a lot going on. One of the biggest legends ever, Mr. Li, who I was teaching last time I was in this area, was able to quit smoking, and he's on date as well. We've got some other solid people and a great branch, so things are going swimmingly. 

 

Dang, it's crazy to think that I almost had to go home and would therefore not have been able to meet any of these people. Insane. Fortunately, my time here is not yet spent. Thanks Jeff.

 

Anyway, that's all from me. Have a good one.

 

Bye.

 

P.S. Beijing huanying ni

 

P.P.S. If only Howard W. Hunter were here. He'd have something witty to say on the subject I'm sure.

 

P.P.P.S. Did you know that only 3 out of 57 florists assistants believe the stone to be genuine?