Hurrah for Israel!

June 20, 2016

Hey,

It has been another good week here in Astoria. The high of this week
was also the low, and that was our last zone conference with President
Taylor. We are like an hour and a half away from the stake center that
the conference was held in, so like half the zone carpooled in the
minivan with us down there.

Stake Presidents from both stakes spoke. President Marshall talked
about the significance of the restoration and the courage it took to
come about. President Updahl talked about the famous quote from The
Other Side of Heaven, "Hurrah for Israel!" That same line was first
trumpeted by some of the earliest missionaries that had to leave their
families to go on a mission. To dispel the gloom of leaving loved
ones, they stood up in their wagons near the edge of town and shouted
that triumphal phrase. When we think about how large and great this
missionary effort it, we should also think to ourselves "Hurrah for
Israel!"

President Taylor spoke at the end. It was probably the shortest time I have
ever heard him speak, no more than 15 minutes. He outlined the formula
for success: VISION + DISCIPLINE = DESTINY. Then he used some scriptures
to back it up. Alma 26:22, 27 Stood out to me. After the meeting we
all said goodbye to him as we left the chapel. It was really sad.

Besides that it was a pretty normal week. Another highlight was an
exchange I went on in Longbeach. Elder Winn doesn't like to run so
Elder Clanton and I woke up at 6 and did a 45 minute run on the beach.
It was soooo nice, the sun was up but not hot at all and we saw like 4
people total.

Sunday we got a call from the hospital telling us a member of our
congregation was sick and wanted a blessing. We got there and
apparently it was a bigger deal than we thought because we had to put
on hazmat looking suits and gloves. Pretty crazy, But she looked a lot
better after the blessing!

In other news it was Father's Day on Sunday, so S/O to Allan Thomas.
Definitely my pick for the #1 dad award!!

Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Paul Thomas