Birthday and Thanksgiving (almost)

We went over to Aimee's house the other evening to celebrate my upcoming birthday with her and the kids. Here is a video of Bennie singing a Thanksgiving song he learned at Pre-School. I had a laid-back birth day. Went to the Dr. and had stitches taken out of my knee, got gas at Costco (wow - paid less than $2.00 for the first time in who knows), got a sprinkler for the yard, went to the gym for an hour and a half, to the bank for $$$ for Disneyland, and did the yard. All before 11 AM. Yes, I have learned to fly. Did my missionary calling from 1 to 5 and then to dinner with Mom. Yes, I know, just oh so exiciting. I thought you would all enjoy knowing how a 40 year old spends his birthday. (I wish 40....) Here is my Bennie Man -

Companions for a Day

We were in Linda for the weekend to see Josh's last soccer match of the year, celebrate Laura's 12th wedding anniversary, see the Jon and Josh in their primary sacrament program, and of course let mom see Jillian. You know mother and babies.

But for me it was a special weekend as I finally got to meet someone from my mission. Elder Lawrence Cole and I have gone through training together and still meet weekly with our "West Coast" buddies from training. So this was a kind of reunion of two missionaries who have never met. We turned a few head as we went around to the three meetings of the block together with our badges on. Laura - thanks for taking the pictures.

Mission Progess - Not bad. I took 14 phone calls in 3 days and have done 3 emails today. Strangest call - a lady concerned about a genealogist who contacted her grown daughter on Facebook and had the family genealogy down to a marriage 2 weeks ago. Her husband was sure the Church was publishing their private lives. I assured her we weren't and gave her some tips on where to look to see if their data was posted somewhere online.

Prop 8 - The update is an up and down thing. We won! But the battle is just beginning. Protest marches everywhere. Chaples and temples picketed and spray painted. This may become a good test of faith precluding the last days. I am sure we will all have more to experience on this topic.

Birthdays comming up: Heidi the 14th and Maree on the 16th. Hey, have great birthdays daughters. Don't even breath a word as to your ages - it just makes me feel older. Funny, we started and ended our family on the same week of the year. Love you all!

California Proposition 8 - A Must Yes Vote

Probably the most important election day in my lifetime will be tomorrow (Tuesday, November 4th). It is essential that we, and all we know, actually go out and vote tomorrow. Today's Fresno Bee had two entire 1 page adds supporting Prop. 8.

We had a visiting GA in our ward yesterday, visiting his son who lives in our ward, Elder Tad Callister of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy. The entire teacher's quorum went up as it was Testimony Meeting. The son of our 2nd councilor in the bishopric is a jokester and went on and on about Prop 8 and then said don't forget to vote NO and then paused. I wish I could have read Elder Callister's mind at that moment - then the youth said - Just Joking - Vote YES. It was amazing how many of the youth have taken an interest in politics for the first time because of this issue. Here are two links about Prop 8.

This first one is from the web site Protecting Marriage.com - go to

http://protectmarriage.com/tell

The other Maree sent showing a mile and a half of Poway Road near her house being "signed

by supporters of Prop 8 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7mZo-I_HTY

Are we headed into the last days? You would have to have your eyes and ears closed to not realize this is an obvious example of where our society is headed. Put with it the shaky credit situation our nation is in and the signs become clearer every day.

Hey, but don't be discouraged, just do what is right and let the consequences follow. I heard that somewhere (Ha, Ha) but it is the right advice.