because I'M happy

sooooo

long week 

sick companion

life

so what to talk about today...........

moving swiftly 

many of us do

trying to connect to others

constantly seeking something

some stand above the rest

they are the ones that throw caution to the wind

those that really truly care about one thing

that they 

without causing any one any kind of pain

without losing sight of important things 

without abandoning sanity

embrace happiness

so what if i'm strange

what if I do things a little 

differently 

or 

in a less 

"conventional" manner

i'm happy 

and isn't that what we all look for

being 

HAPPY

like

true

"i'm giddy about it so much I'm jumping up and down excited about life"

happy

so yes i'm gonna dance like a fool

or party hard

or just beam with excitement because 

I CAN

and i'm happy 

and I hope you are too

love ya'll 

be Happy

Elder Bone

OCM

GOOD MOR... Oh wait I've used that one....

subject lines are hard :P

thanks for all of you that emailed me :)

as for the rest of you 

DISHONOR

DISHONOR ON YOU
DISHONOR ON YOUR COW
DISHONOR ON YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

JK

if you didn't get that reference and you are my age..

how?

anyway

The good news is I've had a much better week that actually involved quite a lot

like

• We tore down a old wooden porch covering
• taught some people the gospel
• met our downstairs neighbors who are legit and really fun as well as interested slightly in the gospel as one lived in SLC for like 10 years 
• (it's hard to avoid us Mormons there for some reason)
• fixed a fridge 
• and actually did something for preparation day! 
• for like the first time in what feels like years but really was only months 

so all an all a better week for sure 

Love ya all thanks for the boost and encouragement 

I don't think I could do it without ya

Elder Bone

OCM

Trees and trial

Ohio, is full of trees, thousands, possibly millions of the things, the branches reaching over the roads and the fields, they provide shade and comfort as well as good timber as the early pioneers in Kirtland no doubt discovered. The wood that built the Kirtland temple as well as all the major (and minor) buildings in kirtland could have been and probably were planted long before the restoration of the Gospel began in 1820.

Trees are amazing as they build and grow yearly strengthening themselves in times of ease for times of trials. They can start out so small, the Acorn is a good example, a small seed of a tree growing to the large and majestic oak trees. they learn to absorb extra water in times of great rain and to use that water quickly to fund new growth of branches to increase leaf production to in turn help with photosynthesis also to build up their internal structure and weather them against the Storms that are sure to come

we are much like tree's, for those of us who grew up in the gospel we had things rather easy as the floods of spiritual water flowed from our primary classes and all those songs we never really forget. 

those early years led us to branch out and explore, then came harder times and harder years as choices we have to make came into play, school got harder and kids got meaner and sometimes it was all we can do to sing "i'm trying to be like Jesus" in our head and not deck someone.

as we get to middle school and high school we notice the flood of waters are gone and we recede back to our reservoirs to protect us and sustain us through what could be a long winter. we can keep the water flowing as we read and pray and attend sacrament and dwell on the Lord but it's not as "free" as it once was, we must start growing strong roots to reach the water far below us to lift it up to continue helping us grow. 

this is a pattern that continues throughout life as we have ups and downs but we know that as long as we keep digging for water we will be sustained 

so keep digging and know that we are all here together to bless and uplift and inspire

thank you all for your support during the harder times 

Elder Bone

OCM  

(i'll be honest sometimes I just type and I have no clue where I am going with it but it's therapeutic to me)   

Youngstown ain't clowning around

look up that title, if you dare, know that I am safe and so far haven't sighted any so that's good

( I intend for it to stay that way...)

and oh yes they are real and I hate the fact that that's true....

This has been the "welcome home" I got to YT, I'll admit I haven't had the best attitude about having to leave Solon for this... place..

oh I also almost got jumped yesterday... so that was fun.

yeah my letters keep getting worse don't they :P

Some days are full of struggle 

others full of strife

some nights I wrestle 

with a desire for the light

but as we all know 

and as is very clear

sometimes God needs you to walk in darkness

for you to come near

to strengthen the grip upon the Iron rod

to be steadfast

sometimes you don't see the finish 

till it's done at last

Love you all

Elder Bone

OCM

Sayonara Solon South

Getting the boot back to YT AKA Youngstown AKA all the way back to my old district when I was a wee lad new born in the mission of the Ohio

(just forget that Columbus and Cincinnati are also Ohio missions...) 

Well Sorry it's short but we have plans for once to go hang out and say goodbye to some peeps in the zone and have some fun but know that I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Bone

OCM