After my good negotiation skills and $25.00 later - I Feel EMPOWERED!!! Vivian (GPS) helps me feel in control again behind the wheel.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Welcome Vivian!
After my good negotiation skills and $25.00 later - I Feel EMPOWERED!!! Vivian (GPS) helps me feel in control again behind the wheel.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Tender Mercies - Safe Move and Successful Dissertation Deposit
It was amazing how everything worked out last week, so I wanted to take a few minutes and list the tender mercies of the Lord.
1. 20 men who showed up to help us load the truck. A shed was moved from our backyard to the backyard of another member of our ward. Add that to a piano and the fact that it was snowing with ice already on the ground, they had their work cut out for them. With all that help and only so much room on the truck, there were invariably people standing around. I appreciated each one who came though. It meant a lot.
2. Movers who refused to leave until everything was loaded. We had planned to load the big stuff, then finish up throughout the day. However some of our help said they weren't leaving until everything was loaded. This was a little annoying because some of the things we still needed got packed, but it turned out to be a blessing because I ended up not having time later in the day as I will describe below.
3. Two excellent and experienced truck packers and car loaders. The ward here was impressed with how well our moving truck was packed (good thing to or we would have never fit everything on). I was nervous about loading our car onto a moving trailer because I had never done it before. One of those helping us load the truck had loaded cars on trailers before, so once the truck was loaded, we hooked the trailer up and loaded the car on it.
4. Friendly neighbors who made breakfast for everyone who helped us move. Our next door neighbors made pancakes and bacon for everyone who helped us move. We had a large crew and it was very tastey!
5. Reviewers with time to read dissertations. I guess one of the advantages of finishing up when I did is that the department and graduate college reviewers weren't swamped with dissertations to read. While we were finishing loading the truck, the department reviewer called me and said he'd finished reading my dissertation, had a couple corrections, and if I could make them, he would sign off on my dissertation. Later in the afternoon, I submitted my dissertation to the graduate college and they responded within an hour with their corrections.
6. A ride to campus. After we said good-bye to the movers, I realized our car was loaded on a trailer and our truck was packed with random items, and had no way to get to campus besides the dreaded bus. I ran out and stopped my buddy Nate before he left and asked him for a ride to campus so that I could make my corrections to my dissertation.
7. Sucessful dissertation deposit! After I completed the department corrections and the graduate college corrections, I received an e-mail saying I had successfully deposited my dissertation! What a relief to not have to worry about that from so far away and while I'm starting my new job!
8. 5 sisters who helped Brittney with the cleaning. As I mentioned above, I had planned to spend the day packing odds and ends and helping with the cleaning, but when I got the chance to deposit my dissertation, I took it. I am grateful that Brittney didn't have to do all the cleaning by herself.
9. A friend to take our spare tire. When we sold Bobby, we left his spare tire in our backyard. I know Grandpa Smith would have kept it in his garage forever, but we just didn't see the point in hauling it across the country. Some of those helping us load the truck recommended we take to it Walmart and pay for them to scrap it. My friend Dan who works with cars stopped by that night and took it for free to his work to be scrapped.
10. Neighbors who needed a washer and dryer and neighbors who knew our neighbors needed a washer and dryer. The house we are hoping to buy comes with a washer and dryer, so we were hoping to sell our washer and dryer, but hadn't had time to advertise it much. While we were loading the truck we found out from our neighbors that one of our other neighbors were looking for a washer and dryer. We were able to sell the washer and dryer and move them that night.
11. Someone who could undo our padlock. I locked the moving truck up for the night with a padlock meant for a gym locker room. The only way to get it on was backwards, so that made it next to impossible to get off. The next morning, we wanted to throw some last minute items on the truck and neither Brittney or I were able to get the padlock open. After several frustrating attempts, my fellow board member, Larry walked by and offered to help. He opened it on his first try.
12. Two traffic jams. Just outside Indinapolis, IN and just outside Dayton, OH we got stuck in traffic jams for 45 minutes each. If these traffic jams wouldn't have delayed us, we probably would have pushed through to try to make it the whole way in one day. The Pennsylvania Pike was closed that night for high winds and dangerous driving conditions for trucks. It we hadn't have stopped in Washington, PA (just across the border into PA) we may have been stuck in some high winds, pretty scary for a novice truck driver.
13. Amazing rearview mirrors. I was nervous about driving all our stuff in a moving truck pulling our car on a trailer in the middle of winter. Once I got onto the freeway and got the hang of watching my rearview mirrors to make sure I stayed in my lane and keep track of cars passing me or semis I was passing, it wasn't bad at all. Just had to remember what our friend Denny said. Most accidents occur when you go too fast or are backing up, so whatever you do, don't back up fast!
14. Brittney didn't get sick while driving our truck. I'll let her tell you why that was such a tender mercy later.
15. I'm teaching nutrition classes. When I applied for the job, they wanted a dairy professor to teach reproduction classes. My emphasis is nutrition, not reproduction, but the job sounded perfect for me otherwise, with 100% teaching assignment, so I applied. The nutrition professor quit at the end of fall semester to take a job with USDA. The immediate need for a nutrition professor was greater than the need for a reproduction professor. I think that's part of the reason I got the job, and it's a great blessing because I am more familiar with nutrition and would have a much harder time jumping into teaching reproduction.
16. Smart home-teachers. When we told our home-teachers we were going to have to find temporary housing until we could get into our house, one of them recommended we ask the college to pay for our temporary housing since it was because of them we were moving before we had a house. I did ask and the college responded by providing an apartment on campus for us to stay in until we get into our house.
17. Co-workers who care. The apartment does have its drawbacks, like no stove, oven, washer or dryer. When one of my new co-workers found this out, she invited us over for supper and invited Brittney over to do laundry anytime.
I feel this is where the Lord wants us to be and He is blessing us for our willingness to follow his will, even though sometimes we have to take a couple steps into the darkness.
1. 20 men who showed up to help us load the truck. A shed was moved from our backyard to the backyard of another member of our ward. Add that to a piano and the fact that it was snowing with ice already on the ground, they had their work cut out for them. With all that help and only so much room on the truck, there were invariably people standing around. I appreciated each one who came though. It meant a lot.
2. Movers who refused to leave until everything was loaded. We had planned to load the big stuff, then finish up throughout the day. However some of our help said they weren't leaving until everything was loaded. This was a little annoying because some of the things we still needed got packed, but it turned out to be a blessing because I ended up not having time later in the day as I will describe below.
3. Two excellent and experienced truck packers and car loaders. The ward here was impressed with how well our moving truck was packed (good thing to or we would have never fit everything on). I was nervous about loading our car onto a moving trailer because I had never done it before. One of those helping us load the truck had loaded cars on trailers before, so once the truck was loaded, we hooked the trailer up and loaded the car on it.
4. Friendly neighbors who made breakfast for everyone who helped us move. Our next door neighbors made pancakes and bacon for everyone who helped us move. We had a large crew and it was very tastey!
5. Reviewers with time to read dissertations. I guess one of the advantages of finishing up when I did is that the department and graduate college reviewers weren't swamped with dissertations to read. While we were finishing loading the truck, the department reviewer called me and said he'd finished reading my dissertation, had a couple corrections, and if I could make them, he would sign off on my dissertation. Later in the afternoon, I submitted my dissertation to the graduate college and they responded within an hour with their corrections.
6. A ride to campus. After we said good-bye to the movers, I realized our car was loaded on a trailer and our truck was packed with random items, and had no way to get to campus besides the dreaded bus. I ran out and stopped my buddy Nate before he left and asked him for a ride to campus so that I could make my corrections to my dissertation.
7. Sucessful dissertation deposit! After I completed the department corrections and the graduate college corrections, I received an e-mail saying I had successfully deposited my dissertation! What a relief to not have to worry about that from so far away and while I'm starting my new job!
8. 5 sisters who helped Brittney with the cleaning. As I mentioned above, I had planned to spend the day packing odds and ends and helping with the cleaning, but when I got the chance to deposit my dissertation, I took it. I am grateful that Brittney didn't have to do all the cleaning by herself.
9. A friend to take our spare tire. When we sold Bobby, we left his spare tire in our backyard. I know Grandpa Smith would have kept it in his garage forever, but we just didn't see the point in hauling it across the country. Some of those helping us load the truck recommended we take to it Walmart and pay for them to scrap it. My friend Dan who works with cars stopped by that night and took it for free to his work to be scrapped.
10. Neighbors who needed a washer and dryer and neighbors who knew our neighbors needed a washer and dryer. The house we are hoping to buy comes with a washer and dryer, so we were hoping to sell our washer and dryer, but hadn't had time to advertise it much. While we were loading the truck we found out from our neighbors that one of our other neighbors were looking for a washer and dryer. We were able to sell the washer and dryer and move them that night.
11. Someone who could undo our padlock. I locked the moving truck up for the night with a padlock meant for a gym locker room. The only way to get it on was backwards, so that made it next to impossible to get off. The next morning, we wanted to throw some last minute items on the truck and neither Brittney or I were able to get the padlock open. After several frustrating attempts, my fellow board member, Larry walked by and offered to help. He opened it on his first try.
12. Two traffic jams. Just outside Indinapolis, IN and just outside Dayton, OH we got stuck in traffic jams for 45 minutes each. If these traffic jams wouldn't have delayed us, we probably would have pushed through to try to make it the whole way in one day. The Pennsylvania Pike was closed that night for high winds and dangerous driving conditions for trucks. It we hadn't have stopped in Washington, PA (just across the border into PA) we may have been stuck in some high winds, pretty scary for a novice truck driver.
13. Amazing rearview mirrors. I was nervous about driving all our stuff in a moving truck pulling our car on a trailer in the middle of winter. Once I got onto the freeway and got the hang of watching my rearview mirrors to make sure I stayed in my lane and keep track of cars passing me or semis I was passing, it wasn't bad at all. Just had to remember what our friend Denny said. Most accidents occur when you go too fast or are backing up, so whatever you do, don't back up fast!
14. Brittney didn't get sick while driving our truck. I'll let her tell you why that was such a tender mercy later.
15. I'm teaching nutrition classes. When I applied for the job, they wanted a dairy professor to teach reproduction classes. My emphasis is nutrition, not reproduction, but the job sounded perfect for me otherwise, with 100% teaching assignment, so I applied. The nutrition professor quit at the end of fall semester to take a job with USDA. The immediate need for a nutrition professor was greater than the need for a reproduction professor. I think that's part of the reason I got the job, and it's a great blessing because I am more familiar with nutrition and would have a much harder time jumping into teaching reproduction.
16. Smart home-teachers. When we told our home-teachers we were going to have to find temporary housing until we could get into our house, one of them recommended we ask the college to pay for our temporary housing since it was because of them we were moving before we had a house. I did ask and the college responded by providing an apartment on campus for us to stay in until we get into our house.
17. Co-workers who care. The apartment does have its drawbacks, like no stove, oven, washer or dryer. When one of my new co-workers found this out, she invited us over for supper and invited Brittney over to do laundry anytime.
I feel this is where the Lord wants us to be and He is blessing us for our willingness to follow his will, even though sometimes we have to take a couple steps into the darkness.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Only in Doylestown
We have arrived safely and soundly in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. We are kind of settled in - at least as much as we can be.
The weather cooperated okay for us as Bruce drove the moving truck with our car towed behind and I drove our truck across the 800 miles of distance between Champaign, Illinois to Doylestown, Pennsylvania. We made sure to tighten the straps on the tow trailer at every stop. $60.00 in tolls later we exited off the Pennsylvania turnpike and found our new temporary residence.
We successfully put all of our belongings (minus a few necessary things) into a storage shed and settled into the college provided apartment on campus. I've been out of college as an undergrad for 4 years, and I forgot how wild and loud college students can sometimes be. The walls in our apartment are really thin and connect to the dorm rooms - we can pretty much hear everything that goes on through the wall, and outside. It's worse than my old dorm room. Needless to say, we are not complaining because we are grateful that we were able to be set up with this arrangement. Loud nights sure beats camping out on the street in the middle of winter.
The apartment is equipped with a double bed with bedding, a couch, a sofa, cable TV (I've enjoyed watching the Price is Right every morning), a table and chairs, a coffee table, a couple of closets, a microwave, fridge, and coffee maker.
The only thing we are missing is a stove or oven. Yes! What kind of apartment doesn't come with a stove or oven? What have we done to eat? What any prepared person would do. I searched through our storage unit until I found my crock pot, my electric griddle, and my camp stove. We ate sandwiches and soup warmed up in the microwave until I could buy some propane for our camp stove. When I went to use it the first time, I realized we didn't have any matches to light it with. The next day, I went to the store for matches. Last night I wanted to make spaghetti, but realized that the camp stove lets off carbon monoxide and shouldn't be used indoors. Rather than taking the chance of death, I set up the stove on the porch outside the apartment, put on my coat and gloves, and made spaghetti while sitting on the porch outside. That spaghetti was good and worth the frozen nose it took to make it. At least we will have some vivid memories. Our meals have become very simple, and we've realized the little things (or big things, like a stove/oven) we can live without. I suppose I can handle anything for a 2-3 weeks.
Campus is nice and small. I had to get our basketball out of the storage shed today so Bruce and I can challenge each other to a game at the campus gym - conveniently located across the street from our apartment. We have already attended a DVC Men's basketball game that we surprisingly got in for free because Bruce is faculty.
As far as finding my way around???? I desperately need a GPS or I may never find anything. I am tired of turning around, driving in circles, and nearly getting hit by cars because I don't know where I am going. The roads are extremely confusing here.
Where else can you find a hexagonal intersection? (Yes, 6 roads intersecting - each going different directions)
Only in Doylestown! :)
The weather cooperated okay for us as Bruce drove the moving truck with our car towed behind and I drove our truck across the 800 miles of distance between Champaign, Illinois to Doylestown, Pennsylvania. We made sure to tighten the straps on the tow trailer at every stop. $60.00 in tolls later we exited off the Pennsylvania turnpike and found our new temporary residence.
We successfully put all of our belongings (minus a few necessary things) into a storage shed and settled into the college provided apartment on campus. I've been out of college as an undergrad for 4 years, and I forgot how wild and loud college students can sometimes be. The walls in our apartment are really thin and connect to the dorm rooms - we can pretty much hear everything that goes on through the wall, and outside. It's worse than my old dorm room. Needless to say, we are not complaining because we are grateful that we were able to be set up with this arrangement. Loud nights sure beats camping out on the street in the middle of winter.
The apartment is equipped with a double bed with bedding, a couch, a sofa, cable TV (I've enjoyed watching the Price is Right every morning), a table and chairs, a coffee table, a couple of closets, a microwave, fridge, and coffee maker.
The only thing we are missing is a stove or oven. Yes! What kind of apartment doesn't come with a stove or oven? What have we done to eat? What any prepared person would do. I searched through our storage unit until I found my crock pot, my electric griddle, and my camp stove. We ate sandwiches and soup warmed up in the microwave until I could buy some propane for our camp stove. When I went to use it the first time, I realized we didn't have any matches to light it with. The next day, I went to the store for matches. Last night I wanted to make spaghetti, but realized that the camp stove lets off carbon monoxide and shouldn't be used indoors. Rather than taking the chance of death, I set up the stove on the porch outside the apartment, put on my coat and gloves, and made spaghetti while sitting on the porch outside. That spaghetti was good and worth the frozen nose it took to make it. At least we will have some vivid memories. Our meals have become very simple, and we've realized the little things (or big things, like a stove/oven) we can live without. I suppose I can handle anything for a 2-3 weeks.
Campus is nice and small. I had to get our basketball out of the storage shed today so Bruce and I can challenge each other to a game at the campus gym - conveniently located across the street from our apartment. We have already attended a DVC Men's basketball game that we surprisingly got in for free because Bruce is faculty.
As far as finding my way around???? I desperately need a GPS or I may never find anything. I am tired of turning around, driving in circles, and nearly getting hit by cars because I don't know where I am going. The roads are extremely confusing here.
Where else can you find a hexagonal intersection? (Yes, 6 roads intersecting - each going different directions)
Only in Doylestown! :)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Pennsylvania, here we come!!
It is official. After nearly a year of searching, Bruce was offered a job as an assitant Dairy Professor at Delaware Valley College, in Doylestown Pennslyvania. Dr. Richards accepted the 9 month tenure track which primarily focuses on hands on learning - no resarch involved. What more could Bruce ask for?
I sent in my letter of reisgnation yesterday, and will be done teaching and coaching on January 7, 2011. After Christmas, we plan to drive to Pennsylvania to look for a place to live and hopefully buy our first house. After that, Bruce will start teaching his glasses on January 18th, and I will take my time finding a job - if I find one at all. :):)
Before that, we have a lot of people to visit, a lot of boxes to pack, and a lot of loading up to do. Not to mention celebrate Christmas and show gratitude for our many blessings. We have enjoyed living these 4 and a half years in Illinois, and there are plenty of people we are going to miss. However, despite all the nerves about buying a home, working a real job (for Bruce), and moving even further east, we are really excited to start this new chapter in our lives.
I sent in my letter of reisgnation yesterday, and will be done teaching and coaching on January 7, 2011. After Christmas, we plan to drive to Pennsylvania to look for a place to live and hopefully buy our first house. After that, Bruce will start teaching his glasses on January 18th, and I will take my time finding a job - if I find one at all. :):)
Before that, we have a lot of people to visit, a lot of boxes to pack, and a lot of loading up to do. Not to mention celebrate Christmas and show gratitude for our many blessings. We have enjoyed living these 4 and a half years in Illinois, and there are plenty of people we are going to miss. However, despite all the nerves about buying a home, working a real job (for Bruce), and moving even further east, we are really excited to start this new chapter in our lives.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Official Job Interview #2
Bruce has had a couple of phone interviews since the last time I posted about the job prospects. However, this is only the second one he has flown out to. Bruce will be interviewing on Friday at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown Pennsylvania. This is primarily a teaching position, with little to no emphasis on research. :) A perfect fit for Bruce. Delaware Valley is a private college whose primary focus is on animal science and other science related fields. He is really excited, and anxious to find out how he does on his presentation about genomics. We'll keep you posted.
Basketball season has come to an end. This was the end of my 4th season as a basketball coach. Each year gets easier and easier, but it is still disappointing when we lose; especially when I know we can do better. We ended the season with a record of 11-9 - barely above 500, but at least we could say that it was a winning season. Now, I get one week off before we start volleyball practice next Monday.
Basketball season has come to an end. This was the end of my 4th season as a basketball coach. Each year gets easier and easier, but it is still disappointing when we lose; especially when I know we can do better. We ended the season with a record of 11-9 - barely above 500, but at least we could say that it was a winning season. Now, I get one week off before we start volleyball practice next Monday.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Fall Fun
October 30 I ran a 5K with my buddy, Jeff. I ran it in 26:10. I think that's my best race time yet.
On Columbus Day, Brittney and I went down to the Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois and hiked 7 miles with our friends Denise, Becca and Spencer. Those of you who have been to the Garden of the Gods may be wondering why we hiked 7 miles when you can drive right up to the beautiful scenic overlook...yeah, so am I. I guess that is what happens when you are married to someone who is young and ambitious and has young and ambitious friends :) 
Here we are near the beginning of the trail.
Along the way we found respite in an old fashioned horse town.
Brittney thought she was going to die. (You may be wondering who else besides Brittney would lay down in a cemetary, the answer is her dad. Every year when they go to the cemetary on Memorial Day, he lays down on his plot to try it out.)
Brittney quickly revived when she heard there was gold diggin to be done.
Finally we arrived at the Garden of the Gods.
We felt like we were on top of the world.
It was a beautiful view with amazing rock formations that pictures can't do justice.
Brittney's basketball team scheduled an Orange and Blue game on her birthday. Brittney and the head coach, Jeremy Richards (distant cousin whose ancestors didn't go out west with the Saints), divided their players into two teams with Brittney coaching one team and Jeremy the other. I thought it was a great opportunity to invite our friends to come watch her coach and see her school. I secretly sent out invitations to many of our friends and arranged for our cake decorating friend to make a cake to surprise Brittney with at the game. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people responded and said they would come, 19! I lay awake at night dreaming of Brittney's surprise when so many of her friends walked into the game. She would really wonder what was going on. It was so exciting!The day before the game arrived and I was busy working in my office when I got a text from Brittney saying that 23 of her 53 students had either stayed home sick or gone home sick during the day. I immediately responded and asked if the game was still on. (Brittney later told me she wondered why I was so concerned about the game and not her sick students.) The health department ended up closing the school for the day and consequently the game was cancelled. Nothing like a plague to ruin a birthday party!
We ended up having everyone come to our house instead and we enjoyed an amazing basketball birthday cake and basketball court brownies.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Lleida, my most hard and most successful area
I was transferred to Lleida (Catalan) or in Spanish, Lerida in the beginning of June 2000 and stayed there through November. 
In Lledia we did a lot of street contacting using "dibujos". We would get a large sheet of paper and draw out the first discussion on it on the sidewalk in the city where many people would pass by and see it and we would use our drawing to teach them the first missionary discussion.
Our hard work and creativeness led to the baptism of Beatriz Koppenhagen who stopped to talk to the missionaries one day on the street, shortly before I arrived in the area. My companion, Elder Parker and I had the privilege of teaching Beatriz the discussions. Beatriz was from Brazil. She had a great love for Jesus Christ and I loved to hear her sing, "Asombro me da el amor que me da Jesus!" (I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me).
Beatriz took us to meet her sister, Susana. We were also able to teach Susana the discussions and I had the privilege of baptizing her. Susana overcame great obstacles to prepare for her baptism. However through faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, she was able to accept the covenant of baptism, promising to always remember Jesus Christ and keep his commandments. God promised that her sins would be forgiven and she would have the Holy Ghost to guide her if she would keep her covenant.
Leonardo was first introduced to the missionaries through playing soccer with them. His cousin, Richard was already a member of the church, preparing to serve a mission. When we first began trying to teach Leonardo, he wouldn't answer the phone when we called and avoided talking to us. Then Richard began reading the Book of Mormon with Leonardo. A change occurred inside Leonardo and he began to desire to learn more about Jesus Christ and His gospel. Leonardo began coming to church on Sunday (not just to play soccer on Saturday) and then began listening to us teach him the gospel. Shortly after he was baptized by his cousin.
Isaac Arthur began listening to the missionaries after he saw his friend Richard (not Leonardo's cousin) talking with the missionaries on the street one day. Elder Parker and I began teaching Isaac, then Elder Parker was transferred and Elder Nielson became my companion. Shortly after I had the honor of baptizing Isaac. When he spoke after his baptism, Isaac asked us all to clap for Jesus. He was very enthusiastic about the gospel and sharing it with others.
In Lledia, I tried my first banku, an African dish. Banku is a thick potato dough which you take a piece of and make a ball. Then with your fingers you dip the ball in a soup with meat and vegetables (my first one had goat meat), stick the ball in your mouth and swallow it. It took me a while to develop the technique of eating banku, so I went hungry the first time we had it, but by the end of my mission, I could eat banku with the best of them.
Here is Elder Parker and I with Paco, a member who brought us some tasty fruit and came with us to several of our teaching appointments.
I made my first paella in Lleida, here are Elders Furse, Higley, and Parker anxiously awaiting to eat it.
One of the great blessings of my mission was serving with the two best mission presidents, each for about a year. President Mask was President from the time I entered the field until the day after my birthday, June 26, 2000. He called me to wish me a happy birthday and have "un coro de angeles" sing to me. I asked him if he wasn't pretty busy getting ready to leave. He told me, "Nothing to important to not call and sing Happy Birthday to Elder Richards." He taught me you gotta believe, be a glad missionary, do what the great missionaries do to be a great missionary, and say "Ve te detras Satanas, voy a servir el Senor." I love President and Sister Mask.President Bowen was the mission president throughout the last year of my mission. President Bowen taught us the gospel clearly using PowerPoint presentations. He taught us the 5 ordinances we are required to receive in this life: baptism, confirmation, priesthood (sisters receive it by marriage), endowment and sealing. He taught us how to manage our time, obey with exactness, and how to be model missionaries. I love President and Sister Bowen.
This picture is with President and Sister Bowen and Elder and Sister Hillam of the seventy. Elder Hillam came and taught us about fleas and elephants. He read Ether 12:12 and asked if we really believed God could do no miracle. Then taught us that God must obey laws and our faith allows God to do miracles. He told us that if fleas are put in a cup with a lid, they will fly up to escape and hit their heads on the lid, and you can hear them tapping the lid. Then after a while the tapping stops. The fleas learn that it hurts to fly that high, and they don't try it anymore. You can remove the lid and the fleas will stay inside the cup because they have learned that they cannot escape. Elephants do the same thing. Yeah, I'd like to see you put an elephant in a cup too. Actually, if you tie them to a stake when they are young and do not have the strength to pull it out of the ground, they will tug on it and learn how far they can go without hurting themselves, and then when they are bigger and stronger, they will not push their limits anymore.Elder Hillam told us that too often when missionaries are called to serve in European missions they are told they won't baptize on their mission. Too often the missionaries listen and begin to believe that they won't baptize. They come out on the mission and work hard, push their limits, and aren't immediately rewarded with success. They remember the voices of the past and think, "I can't do this." Elder Hillam encouraged us to have faith that God could do miracles. God can do miracles. I saw them on my mission.
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