My recent livings, learnings, and laughings

Well what can I say that hasn't already been said?  I can probably find something in my brain that no one has ever said before...or not.  So life has been full of odd experiences lately.  My most recent funny was when I was in Utah at a thing called General Conference and I saw a man dressed as Satan writhing and screaming on the sidewalk in protest to Conference.  This was funny in itself, but the true funny was the fact that he had brought his kids, dressed in common clothes, looking like very normal and sweet little kids.  They were standing under an umbrella watching their father express himself to the pedestrians.  I can just see the kids thinking to themselves, "This is why I don't invite friends over."

Also, there was a young man dressed in nice sunday clothes and obviously a member, since he didn't have signs on his body, nor was he wearing the mask of lucifer.  This young man was standing right next to the protestors, like right there with them in the little group, holding a cardboard sign that read "spiritually starved, need tickets."  He was the only one in the group smiling and calm tempered.  I thought this man was hilarious and because I tried to take his picture, some crazy chick tried to jump down my throat for oppressing the protestors.  I think she is confused.  

Conference was AMAZING!!!!!!!  Go read the talks now!  There is nothing I can say here that hasn't been said better by higher authority.

Another funny thing I want to include so I don't forget is "The Guy and the Skateboard."  I was walking with the missionaries, as I commonly do, back to my place to feed them.  We were crossing the street when we heard a loud thud, we looked to our left to see that across the intersection a young man had fallen from his perch atop his skateboard.  I am guessing the guy's wheel had gotten caught in a large crack and he had flown to the pavement.  As he laid on his side, obviously in pain, he began to pick up his belongings: ipod, sunglasses, etc.  The missionaries and I felt bad for the poor child but we saw him get back up and prepare to ride that skateboard again.  So we figured he was fine.  However something was wrong in his brain.  For some reason, he thought he could ride over the same crack, in the same way, and somehow get a different result.  So he fell again, in pretty much the exact same way he did ten seconds ago.  A loud thud, ipod goes flying, he rolls in pain, etc.  By this time,  Elder Irving and I were trying really hard to hold back laughs and Elder Hillyard was working very hard to force back a smile.  The man got up, collected his things, and decided to carry his skateboard and walk, a wise choice.  The Elders and I then retreated to my kitchen and ate some Mac and Cheese.  MMMMmmMmMmMm delicious!

I think laughter really is the best medicine, as I have been writing this I have been suffering from Mono.  And yes, it does suck.  But I feel that looking back on these little memories has given me a little boost.  An even stronger boost can be felt by thinking of those words spoken to us this past weekend at Conference.  Lately I have been stressing out alot.  Which is rare for me, I am not a stresser at all.  But I have a heavy load this year with school, family, friends, lack of monetary funding, lack of occupation, Mono, and just my own stupidity and need to grow.  We all make mistakes and I think I have been so caught up in the fact that yet again I screwed up, I forgot I need to pick myself up.  I have been thinking so much about those that I have upset, I forgot to think about the solution.   I keep worrying about the future.  "You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you've collected alot of empty yesterdays."  I need to not stress, have faith, and do what I need to do for today, and not worry about the future.  It will come when it is time for it to come.  Its too hard worrying about the future when there's an eternity ahead of you.

~Matt