-I cannot believe we are waltzing right up to the factory! Sully , a
mop, a couple of lights and some chair fabric, are not going to fool
anyone! Just think of a couple of names would ya? Loch Ness, Bigfoot,
the Abominable Snowman! They all got one thing in common pal!
Banishment! We could be next!
-Don't panic, we can do this!
-You're right, we're just a couple of Joes, on our way to work, we
will blend right in...
-Top of the morning fellas!
-Hey! what's shakin baby!
-Did you lose weight? Or a limb?
-You got her card key right?
-Of course I got her card key, I told you I'd get her card key, I went
and got her card key, and now I have her card key!

Ah, I know, quotes form the same movies are beginning to pop up and I
am terribly ashamed if this is the same movie as last week... I feel
like I should shake it up like those fashion conscious people who
never wear the same outfit twice, and just quote a different movie
every week... Yeah, that ain't happening... neither is the expectation
that I'm not going to wear the same outfit twice either, that...
Yeah... Let's be honest there's only so many things you can do with
white shirts, slacks, and ties... But, yet again, I digress.

This was just a quote that seemed to work really well with how I am
trying to blend in to my wonderful surroundings. I get up, and when I
first got here I spent a lot o time trying to adjust and also to avoid
unnecessary attention... And... Just like the movie, it just did not
work out at all. The fact that I'm white honestly makes it impossible.
I might as well go around loudly saying things like "Did you lose
weight, or a limb?!" Honestly! But now, I've given up all attempts at
that. I've accepted that fact that I just look weird to these people,
and I quite enjoy it too, not going to lie.

One of the fun things we did this week was basketball proselyting. I
think it's my favorite one. Start up a game of ball, they would win
some, we would almost win others, then chat it up with them as to why
we are playing ball in white shirts and ties. Works like a charm. Ah!
So much fun... Wears you out though...

Ah... Well, I'll be honest, I did not know what I was going to talk
about today. But the words to one of my favorite songs popped into my
head. This was a song that I had only heard maybe once or twice before
I heard it in the MTC. I did not learn the words perfectly, so if
there are messups... I dunno, blame the nearest person to your left,
or something...

"Consider the lilies of the field
How they grow, how they grow
Consider the birds in the sky
How they fly, how they fly

He clothes the lilies of the field
He feeds the birds in the sky
And He will feed those who trust Him
And guide them with His eye"

Now, the word is either trust or love in the second stanza, but, I
personally think the words are interchangeable. I love this song, not
only for the beautiful melody that it is sung to, but for the
teachings of the Savior it exemplifies. The Savior taught much
regarding this, when referring to those who worry about how they will
be cared for. He said something alond the lines of "Don't worry. You
are doing the Lord's work. He will provide for you," and he uses the
imagery and parables of lilies and birds to help illustrate this. This
has been an enormous strength to me out here. The worries that
accompanied coming out here to the mission field were unbelievable.
There were lots and lots. And yet, it was the words of this song that
always brought peace to me in the times I was caught up in these
worries. For me, it added a whole new meaning to the commonly cited
phrase of working hard and doing your best, and leaving unto the Lord
the rest. I personally testify of this. I have discovered many times
and will still discover many times, that in the times when
discouragement and worries threaten to overpower us, push forward.
Work. Do your duty, and trust in God to take care of the rest.

I wish all of you the best of luck in everything! In jobs, school,
friends, pets, whether you be chilling on a beach somewhere or really
chilling on the ski slopes or just chilling in all places in between.

Good Luck, God Bless, and God Speed!
Elder Annen