The Devil's Pork Chops

An-yang-ha say-oh!

I must be completely honest and frank with you all. The title of this electronic epistle has absolutely no relation to anything at all that has happened this week. I haven't had pork chops. Even if I had had some pork chops, they certainly wouldn't have been prepared by any sort of despicably wicked and malignant being bent upon our misery.

I simply found the title to be alluring. You know, it sort of has a ring to it. Perhaps I will find an application at some later point in my communication.

I must also apologize in advance because the whole and simple truth is that nothing especially entertaining has occurred over the past week. Well, that's not entirely true, but not as much as I would have hoped. However, I shall fill the empty void of this letter by describing for you the beauty of the area. At certain moments in my mission, I am completely overcome with the sheer beauty that is displayed before me. God has created a spectacular world for us. If you simply take a moment to notice the utter brilliance and allurement of the world about you, you can quickly discern the fact that this world is bursting at the seams with evidence of God's love for us. All it takes is an eye of gratitude. This week I walked down a tunnel. It was not a man made tunnel. No, it was a tunnel of bright and vivid foliage and flora lovingly crafted by our loving Father. It was a tunnel of life, a fertile field of knowledge rich in symbolism pointing the avid seeker in the direction of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

For you gamers, I felt like I was a Level 7 White (Oops, I meant Caucasian) blood cell traveling through the arteries and veins of a Level 28 Radioactive (and hence, fluorescent) Vivacious Goblin Skirmisher. I am not quite sure how to apply symbolism in the gamer sense, but I'm sure one of you bright and religious MMORPGLDSers can figure it out.

Probably the most interesting experience of the week occurred  when an extremely drunk citizen attempted to give us a twenty-dollar bill. I appreciated the sentiment, but I also would have felt bad taking advantage of someone who was not very accountable or mentally awake, so I just slipped it inside a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and gave that to him. We then thanked him for his kindness and walked away.

The work has been critically hit this week (probably by a level 666 Devil's Pork Chop), and took some pretty substantial damage. Our most solid investigators were impeded by family issues, sickness, fear, and all sorts of things easily recognized as the handiwork of the devil. Just when things start going well, the devil shoves his fat little fingers into the work like a child shoving Marvel action figures into the freshly cooked raspberry pie his mother has just made (Hulk Smash). Or, perhaps a freshly cooked pork chop.

Though we were sent reeling backwards by the blow, our armor of faith, righteousness, truth, salvation, and preparation of the Gospel of piece held up pretty well under the barrage, and our spiritual avatar is about to send back a fatal blow using our Sword of the Spirit. All damage can be healed through the Atonement. 

I love the scriptures. I love God. I love the people in this area. Please pray for them. Pray that they will be able to make the right decisions. Pray for their welfare. Remember to have gratitude in all things. I listened to Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk on having an attitude of gratitude. It was amazing. Having gratitude in times of prosperity allows humility and charity. Having gratitude in times of turmoil brings faith and hope.  I plead with you, dear brothers and sisters. Heed the words of the modern prophets and apostles. Search the scriptures. Ponder. "The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." 2 Nephi 32:3

"The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

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Elder Benge