Phoning Home?

We saw the news this week that missionaries can now call home and skype on Pday. How is that being implemented? I am sure there will be rules to prevent abuse. We are excited for real-time discussions with Haley.

We have been getting a lot of rain. I tried to go for a motorcycle ride this weekend but didn't get far because of all the mud. This is the first time in all the years I've been riding that the mud was so bad I had to turn around and come home. It was hard to keep the bike upright it was so slippery and finally coming down a hill into a wash the rear end slipped out and sent me off into some deep wet sand where I went down. Fortunately I was able to pick it back up without help, but some hunters came along a few minutes after I picked it up and asked if I needed help. "Not anymore, thanks!"

After picking it back up

Out of control track before crash

See mud on road

I heard today that Bro Ward had double bypass surgery yesterday and I went to visit him in the hospital with the EQ Pres, Brian Hyatt. We got there and they said they didn't have anyone with that name. We called his wife to see if we went to the wrong hospital and she said he was home already because he was doing so well. We sat in the hospital lobby and talked to him on the phone. He sounded fully alert and normal which was amazing after having his ribs cut open to work on his heart the day before. His ministering brothers gave him a blessing before the surgery.

We had a high councilman speak today. He was a history buff and spoke about the city of Tyre that was on a rock island 200 yards off the coast of Lebanon. The bible tells us Solomon got his wood from the Hyram, King of Tyre, to build the temple in Jerusalem. He said that sometime after that Tyre was attacked by Alexander the Great who built a causeway out to the island so he could bring catapults and battering rams to break the gate down. Ultimately that worked and Tyre was conquered. He said that no matter how strong you think you are, the enemy is stronger if you don't rely on the Spirit for strength.