Changes are happening. It's pretty crazy. Conference was really good. And to hear the announcement of 12 new temples and the Sabbath day church schedule being changed to two hours, to more fully give us time for our own instruction and family time and to better help serve those people around us. It is just really interesting, to say the least. I thought President Nelson was being really cryptic, and then the next talk explained what he was talking about. Wow. And you heard all the cheers from the audience in the conference center when they announced the temples. It was definitely a great weekend. I haven't watched it yet, but I know that President Nelson also extended the challenge to participate in a 10-day Social Media fast. Sarah asked me if I could join her in doing so. I have already done it before. I don't know if you got to watch it a couple of months ago, but President Nelson extended the same invitation to the Youth of the church, but for seven days. We did it. It wasn't easy. I guess the hard part will be when I get notifications that Briana has posted a story or picture of our new nephew Cohen. I do screenshot all her pictures that she posts, for a later date (maybe to embarrass him when he's older, or at least to show him that he has an uncle that cares). Maybe Briana will refrain from posting a story. If not, social media is always there. After the ten days are up, I will be able to look back at what I missed.
Speaking of Briana, she called me Saturday morning before the first session of conference. She actually called me three times before I picked up. First thing I see when I answer the video call is a little boy named Cohen. It's amazing how much he's grown. He's a little man, and I got to see him smile a couple of times. I also talked with Sarah during work on Thursday night. Everyone seems to be doing really good. I congratulated her on her new job. It definitely was good news to hear.
Honestly, the game was like watching the Cal game, but a little worse. Sarah called me at the end of it and so I put it on mute and was relaying what was happening in the game from my perspective. Honestly, by the end of the 3rd quarter, I was falling asleep and had no hope for our team to pull through. One thing that did happen is that they did put the back-up quarterback Zach Wilson out for the end of the game, and he had a pretty successful drive ending in a touchdown for us. The game was so bad that I don't even really remember the score. Over 40 for Utah State, and I think we reached 20. We missed a field goal by a little and a PAT hit the uprights. Our kicker, Southam, was probably kicking himself after those two mishaps. Anyways, we're 3 and 3 now with 6 more games to play. Who really knows how well they'll do now?
Other than that, this next week Mesa High School is on Fall Break. So, normally I wouldn't be doing anything, but now I'm a working man, so I picked up 25 hours worth of shifts at Amazon. I know that sounds good, but I couldn't get the shifts I wanted because they were all taken by the people that work there already. I wanted to work in Fresh, which is what I was really trained for. But instead, the majority of the shifts I'm working are PEL, or Project Eagle Landing, shifts which I've been trained in once or so. In them, I am basically customer service, in that we find out why certain packages haven't been delivered. Then, we probably have to call the driver and see what his reasoning is for not making the drop off. Hopefully it isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be. I'm kinda scared that I won't be able to find a shift that will fit my schedule at Mesa High. I only got the five or so shifts next week because I'm not working those days. It's for 11am through the afternoons Monday thru Thursday.
I did pick up two Fresh shifts. One I had yesterday (so I missed the Women's Conference), and let me tell you, it was really really nice and easy. It's not hard because if you have a question, there are always some people over you that you can ask. I mostly dealt with deliveries made in California. I also have an early morning Fresh shift on Thursday of this week. They actually trained me in something called Fresh Risk. It is pretty easy, just a lot of protocol of stuff you need to do, and so maybe I'll get shifts for that too. A nice lady helped train me in that.
That leaves me to Friday. On Friday, after I had gotten to school to help out with the SpEd class, the head teacher told me that Patrick wanted to see me. I was unsure what the outcome of this meeting could be and was a bit apprehensive on my walk to his office in the main building. Well, the first thing he says to me is if I am still planning on doing the TIR (teacher in residence). I was caught off guard and told him I didn't know. He then explains to me that one of the Special Ed Algebra math teachers is resigning, and if I wanted to, I could apply. He also told me that I didn't have to take a particular test to get the job, that I need to talk to Ginger, who is over TIR. This whole weekend I have been contemplating the pros and cons about taking this job, discussing it with various people, including my wife, parents, and Aunt Kerry and Uncle Jesse. It is definitely a good opportunity. By next week, I should have my answer. (Sorry, cliffhanger, I know).
There wasn't really anything too exciting at work this week that I can think of. I took Thursday off once again because of the late night Amazon training schedule that I had had. Training is over and yesterday was officially my very first day without training. It went well, with a few things that happened, but I feel confident in my ability to work Fresh, for sure. The hardest thing about working so late at night, is that it is terribly hard to find a parking spot in the complex that Aunt Kerry, Uncle Jesse, and Gracie live in.
I'm really excited for the new changes to take into effect. I was reading from the Come, Follow Me booklet yesterday, and it looks pretty cool. I like that we have an extra hour for greatness, as prescribed by our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and Prophet.
Uncle Steve and Aunt Janell are both up in Utah for the weekend, so I wasn't able to watch the game with them. Fortunately, Mom and Dad have let me have access to their ESPN, so I was able to watch it. The UMASS game seems to be on a weird UMASS channel. Hopefully I'll be able to watch it. But, like Mom says, we'll cross that road when we come to it.
Actually, I'm planning on going to California this next weekend on Friday, to pick up the rest of our stuff that is in storage, spend time with mom and dad before Sarah and I make the big move and get settled into our apartment on Monday. So, hopefully everything works out this week.
Sarah has been with her sister Christina this conference weekend, helping with her classroom (she works as a home economics teacher in Torrance) and help with her two daughters, Fiona and Brianna. It just gives me supernal joy when little nephews and nieces call me Uncle John, you don't even know, but soon you might, I'm sure.
Well, I love you, and hope you are finding joy in the work and in the ever expanding revelation that comes through the prophets. Tell Elder Toomer Hi for me. Send me a line, please. I missed ya last week.
Love,
John
