Well greetings from Portlandia, land of the weird and the social. Portland was hopping from the game last night, which I thought was a little funny. In the Alameda ward boundaries we have really two classes of people, very middle-class rich and poverty. Not too much in-between. All the people within the poverty side of the area are always watching sports, so that was no surprise. What was more interesting was that the richer side of the area never watches sports and complains how everyone is too caught up into sports and those sorts of things when there is so much more out there (like sports...don't ask...it still doesn't make sense). Anyway, everyone was watching the game last night, so there wasn't too many people to talk to on the streets and all of our investigators were at someone else's home watching the game. That is when it FINALLY hit me, as much as I love to watch the Superbowl (and sports in general), sports are one of Satan's greatest twists in this life. Innocent and simple, we get too caught up in the trivial things of this world and replace the hierarchy of God's gifts for the simple yet complex "releases" of the mind. Sorry it sounds like I am blowing up on this, but we have had a few too many people not willing to give up what they want at the moment for what they want most. It can be a little frustrating, but in the end when they DO realize what the kingdom of God has to offer them, it is completely and totally worth all the frustration and disappointment that we express while in the conversion process. For those who stick it out to the end, rewards far greater than Superbowl glory, musical immortality, and yes even monetary wealth, will be honorably bestowed upon our heads for each true blessing we can count.
Yes it can be said that it is much easier to stew on only one conceivable imperfection in our own imperfect mortal plan, than it is to simply count the bounteous blessings contained in the pure and perfect Plan of Happiness created by one who loves us much more than we can love ourselves. We seem to follow the example of Laman and Lemual much more than that of Nephi or Sam. As we look Heaven-ward and seek out those blessings which only God can bestow, freedom of choice is granted to our moral agency. The opposite can be said of our other choices. Freedom is clearly taken away as we think only of our immediate reward. Anyway...
I am staying here in the Alameda ward for at least one more transfer, and the best part is that Elder Ehrenzeller will be staying with me! This will be the first time that I will have had a companion for this long since I had Elder Olsen the first time! So there are blessings in counting blessings and that is for sure! Sorry there isn't more to this letter, but I have been having a blast. Sometimes when I e-mail, life just makes so much more sense.
I love you all and pray for you always!
Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin
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