Ben's Mission to Toronto

From Ben - Tips on Fighting Dragons Some of the Knights of the Ice Castle have made their journey yonder, to fight the dragons in other lands.  To save the townsmen who need their protection.  Elder McNabb, my fellow swordsmen, now to Brampton, to join Elder Blum, my prior brother in arms.  And Elder Ellingson, to his original homeland,  Lethbridge, shedding his coat of arms to unite again with his family, and maybe find a princess of a royal character, to which an even greater adventure then dragons and dungeons could ever produce will he embark upon. Summoned from the feifdom just south, a new brother I have been encouraged to fight alongside. Elder Surdu  I'm going to miss Elder McNabb. He is again, one of the most reliable people I've ever served with. It was so great to hear that he is going to serve as the Zone Leader with Elder Blum. I'm excited for both of them and to see what they will accomplish.  Elder Surdu might just be the most hilarious perso...

From Ben - Elephants and Anti-Christs "I thought about what you said, and I've decided I really do need to change... I've only got one question though. If I try to start going to church, will you help me find a beautiful Christian wife?" We got a call something like two days ago from a friend of ours we had stopped teaching in the middle of the transfer. It was surprising because he was resolved to live his life in his way, irrespective of any council, rules, or good reason.  In the final phone call before we dropped him, I, in a manner blunter then I've ever been, explained that if he continued to live the life he was living, that he would one day find himself terribly lonely, miserable and hopeless; but that if he chose to live a life in tune with God's commandments, that there would enter into his life a new light and joy.  He had acknowledged that the things he was doing, and the habits he held on to were incorrect, but then explained that it was what he d...

From Ben - Good Timber He came really close with both fingers pointed at our noses, his tone of voice, angry and intense.  "The Bible was written by man! I'm a believer in Jesus, but here are holes in that scripture" Then he turn around, and stormed away.  I hesitantly piped in, talking to his back "Actually, our message addresses and solves that!" "Don't try it with me!!" he replied, and kept on walking.  --- On a bridge, waiting for one of our friends to show up to talk, he (a different fellow) walked by, and under his breath, mentioned.  "We worship Jesus Christ, not Joseph Smith" To which Elder McNabb offered, "of course!"  to which he snapped back "Joseph Smith wasn't a Prophet!!" and kept walking along on his way. ---  On that same bridge, at a different moment, a man and his dog were walking by.  "Afternoon! We know you're walking along your way, but would you have a quick minute? We share a message...

From Ben - To Wrap One's Head Around it "Can you help me lift up my friend?" asks the blind drunk man.  Elder Gallup and I look at each other, then look at this massive man, laying on the ground.  "He's had one too much to drink, and we just want to get him standing" So I position myself in a titan squat and open the gate to the reserve of strength and energy that I keep secret (it grows by every short person joke I hear. I store my anger and use it to my advantage) and Elder Gallup positions himself on the other side, and we HOIST.  After much grunting, and a couple of curses from our friend laying on the concrete, we got him seated on his walker.  After a salute, Elder Gallup and I walk away.  Downtown Sudbury will provide adventures. One just has to walk the streets.  We got to go on exchanges with the Assistants this week!  Elder Gallup and Elder Christensen are basically perfect men. They both have prince charming jaw lines and physiques, and have...