Seriously Jake?!?!?! ..... AND a crazy dog story that will make you laugh!

Okay - so this week Elder Packham says to me:

Don't send packages with junk food! No more. Please and thank you! I'm changing my diet. I've been learning a lot on what to eat and what not to eat. I've cut dairy products out of my diet and I drink almond milk. Regular milk is so bad for you. My peanut butter, the ingredients: Peanuts. That's it. The closer food is to God made, the better. I've been eating tons of bananas and stuff. "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle." I've come to realize that what members feed us isn't all that bad. You just gotta watch what you eat. Not reading the nutritional facts but reading the ingredients. That's the important part. It's all part of living the word of wisdom. The W.O.W actually says no meat. Meat is supposed to be used sparingly. The pioneers packed lots of meat because it was a hard time. Meat takes REALLY long time to digest. So I've cut meat out of my diet too. It's not a regular thing for me.

Is he for real?!?!?!  I am thinking, "Who are you and what did you do with my Jake!"  I am all for being healthy and have even begun counting calories myself but he is sounding a bit extreme.  I am still shaking my head.  Is this a phase?  Yesterday I was in a store and when I went up to the counter I see this, "Big Sky Granola."  I almost bought it to send to him but all I can bring myself to do or say is shake my head and say, "Is he serious?!"

 

Elder Packham sounds as if he is doing great and he is full of spiritual fire - which is awesome! Here is what he had to say:

 

I have a lot of good stories for you this week. One of our zone leaders, Elder Burrows is with us this week. He's going around to all of the companionship's to just help out. We did service in Thompson Falls for about 5 hours, it was "beautification" day. The whole town just cleans up. It was a great time and we really enjoyed that. After that we came back to Plains to do more service and to cut wood for the Doney's. The Doney's are an active, but really old couple. They're in there 90's. So before we cut wood we were talking and this dog to Sister Doney's slipper. I thought it was just a chew toy so I was playing with the dog for a little bit. The dog went running outside and Sister Doney yells, "Give me my slipper back!" It was funny. So Elder Burrows decided to take charge. This is a small dog, not a Chihuahua but really small. So Elder Burrows quickly snatches the end of the slipper to stop the dog from running. We are out on the porch at this time. The dog just wouldn't let go! So Elder Burrows tries prying the jaw of the dog open and this small dog has a death grip on this slipper. He tries pulling put the slipper started to tug and almost broke so he stopped. Sister Doney is just freaking out, "Get my slipper! Oh no! My slipper!" They have a bigger black dog who just went nuts. He started running around as fast as he can trying to bite the littler dog. So I'm like no way, this isn't gonna happen. So I try stopping the big dog, for a little bit. The little dog was relentless with this slipper. Sister Doney is slapping the side of his face trying to get him to let go. Sister Doney backs up and Elder Burrows lifts the slipper up but the dog came with it. So I step in, keep in mind everything is just out of control and the situation is just out of hand at this point. So I step in and start petting the little dog, Elder Burrows doesn't know what to do and Elder Ashcroft is just standing there watching like an innocent by-standard. I keep petting the dog and Elder Burrows starts punching this dog. So picture it, I'm petting the dog, Elder Burrows is punching this 3 legged dog in the side of the face trying to get it to let go, and Sister Doney needs calmed down. Finally the bigger dog came in and bit one of its 3 legs and it leg go. SO FUNNY! We left there house laughing so hard! Sister Doney was more than relieved to get her slipper back to say the least. 

One has to wonder..."Is it legal for a missonary to be punching a 3-legged dog in the side of the face to rescure a slipper?!"  LOL - I suppose it all worked out in the end.  Maybe Elder Burrows should have done like the other dog and just bit him! LOL

 

So in all truthfulness, it was a bad week for me.  Michael had left to Army basic training on Monday and I was a miserable, sad mess.  I thought for sure that Jake's email for the week would cheer me up and instead it made me grumpy.  Why is that?!  I don't really know but I must have given Jake that impression because he emailed me right back and said this:

       you sound really upset. Pray! Be happy! 

       D&C121:6-10
       Love you! praying for you! gotta go bye!

If you are wondering what D&C 121:6-10 says, it is this:

 

6 Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever.

7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
9 Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.
10 Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job.

Ok, Okay Elder Packham.....