Elder Samuel Urban - 1 week in Mexico MTC

I liked my experience in the MTC.  I had a nice schedule to follow.  I traded some freedom for order  with which I kept my focus toward learning the lessons and learning the language.  My companion was Elder Schindler from Canada; he was a different kind of person.  I had two languages to learn, 6 weeks of French, then 6 weeks of Tahitian.  Just when I started to feel comfortable with French, we switched to learning Tahitian.  My district supported me when learning the language was frustrating.  I built a strong bond with those elders in that district that lasted through the mission and after the mission.  

Hola - Hello

Hello is a made up word in English in 1877 related to hola and started with the invention of the telephone.  According to a New York times articles, Thomas Edison invented the word to use to start a conversation on the telephone.  

Solomon's birthday

Solomon turned 1 year old yesterday.  I am thankful for Google hang-outs so I could see him crawl and play with one of his birthday gifts.

OK, I missed a day.  I forgot to post on Friday evening.  I posted on Saturday morning, thinking I might catch up and post again on Saturday evening.  I did not.  Now, I am posting again.  At least, I am posting, I can feel thankful for that and that people may forgive me for missing a day.

I am thankful for feet.  Sam had a blister on his foot that popped. Now, he is hobbled a few days.

Mary's Birthday

I am thankful for Mary Ann Urban Clark.  She is my firstborn child. While being her parent, I made lots of parenting mistakes and for the most part Mary forgave me for most of those mistakes.  She has made a lot of right choices in her life.  One of the highlights I remember about her life was her first date when she was 16 years old.  The planner that she is, she had planned that night very well.  Sometimes things don't go as planned.  I told this joke about her.  One time when Mary was three years old, we sat as a family in sacrament meeting.  Mary was making noises as a three-year old does.  I was embarrassed, so I said to her, "You better settle down, or I will take you to the foyer."  Mary replied, "But daddy, I can't go to the four year, I am only three year."  

I am thankful for order.  As a group, we cleaned up our sample storage area.  We discarded old samples that we no longer needed.  This gave us lots more room in our sample storage area.  Sam visited my office.  A few months ago, Sam was a great help to clean up my office.  Upon seeing my office, he offered his help again to clean my office.  As I was somewhat busy, I did not take his offer.  I can live with some disorder and appreciate order when I see it.  

I am thankful for color-changing spoon to eat frozen yogurt.The Sweet Frog, where we bought some frozen yogurt, has these nice spoons that change color based on the spoon's temperature.  

4th Day

I must not be very thankful today. I have a block.  I had a good day today although nothing much significant comes to mind.  I am thankful that we can have meetings over the internet.  I had two meeting today that worked through the internet. Some members were in Washington, PA; others, in Kentucky, others, Detroit; one in Tennessee and one in Mexico.  We had good communication about the status of our projects today.

I am grateful for good Dentists.  Our Dentist worked on Elaine's molar today in preparation to do a root-canal procedure.  I have had a few root canals.  The nice part about a root canal is that after the pain, the tooth stays.

I am thankful that with this blog, I can decide to complete the article I am writing whenever I want; and so, I shall.  

Immunization

I am thankful for immunization shots.  Sam received his Typhoid shot tonight.  He drove me to the clinic and I drove him back home.  $62.  We paid in cash as it would cost a little more if we used our bank card.  Somehow, between the two of us, we came up with the $62.  I handed the lady $65 expecting $3 change and she asked if we had $2.  Sam had $2 and we were all happy.  Before Sam received his shot, we heard a long, loud scream or cry for someone who may have been a little boy.   That unsettled me.  The male nurse called for Sam.  He went in and took the shot on the left arm with nary a whine or whimper.  He took a little bit of typhoid now so when he confronts a lot of typhoid, his body will be prepared.  There must be a gospel lesson there.  I have had many shots.  I have not had my flue shot yet this year. When I take the flu shot, a few weeks later I have flu-like symptoms of runny nose and cough.  Or, maybe I imagine this.

I am thankful for batteries.  My laptop computer runs on batteries.  Sometime, I can run my laptop by attaching a chord that charges up the battery.  Yesterday, I was using the laptop with the plug in to the wall outlet.  When I packed-up my laptop for travel I forgot about the chord and left it behind.  Later on, I remembered I had left behind my chord.  This morning I went to the place where I left my chord and it was still there.  I felt good to see it there, grabbed the chord and packed it into my laptop bag.

I am thankful for pizza.  Today is pizza day.  Elaine went to the store and bought some frozen pizza,  We had pizza for dinner.

3 days of thanks

Today is Veterans Day, So I am thankful for Veterans.  My Dad,,  my half brother, my Father-in-law, my brother-in-law are veterans.

My wife, Elaine, had some harrowing times while driving today.  She visited her niece, Marissa, in Cranberry, PA.  While going there, she had some near misses.  We are thankful she returned home.

I am thankful for my work.  Some people at my work trust me to do certain things.  One of our Vendor's, ExxonMobil, took a group of us to dinner this evening. It was a nice dinner.  I learned today that another one of our competitors announced that they are leaving the business.  So, more opportunities for us.  So, in the last few months, two major competitors quit competing against us.

I am thankful for nice weather.  We had a sunny day in the 60's.  The weather is changing and cold weather is on its way.

Sam received a call from the mission office.  They will be sending him a package.  He is to report to a Mexican Consulate so he can receive his visa.  They recommend he go to either Atlanta or Washington D.C.  If we go to Washington D.C.  We can maybe fit a visit to the temple.   We will plan to do that.  Our time is well booked for the next week; we will see what we can do.

I am thankful for feet.  My ankle felt good today.  No issue walking and my walking improved during the day.   I walked over 5,000 steps, which is good for me.  Many others walk ten times more.

Today I am thankful for healthy legs or ankles.  This morning I stepped off the cemented path and my foot twisted.  The foot had little pain this morning; as the day progressed, I had more difficulty walking such that I had some difficulty waling to the car.  Sister Harden, who visited our home because her son is taking piano and violin lesson from our family, brought me some items to assist the healing of my ankle.  So, I am thankful for Sister Harden and her compassionate service.

Today, I heard the news about Maylyn in a car accident.  I am thankful that he survived the accident with, so far, no major body injuries.

This morning the ankle twisted as I was walking to Elaine to assist to take leaves to the curb.  We moved quite a few leaves to the curb.   Later our township's vacuum truck came by and vacuumed up those leaves.  Many leaves remain for us to rake, move and vacuum this week.  So I am thankful for people who come by and vacuum our leaves.

I am thankful for Sarah Jane Murdock.  She commented on yesterday's post.  With the pain I felt, I felt that was a good excuse not to blog today.  Then I read her comment and I had to blog.

I am thankful for Elaine.

I last published in 2009.  We had some nice talks today in sacrament meeting.  I stayed awake.  One of the talks talked about a study by two professors, Michael E. McCullough of Southern Methodist University and Robert A. Emmons of University of California, Davis.  "The study required several hundred people in three different groups to keep daily diaries. "The first group kept a diary of the events that occurred during the day, while the second group recorded their unpleasant experiences. The last group made a daily list of things for which they were grateful.  ....In light of his research, McCullough suggests that anyone can increase their sense of well-being and create positive social effects just from counting their blessings.  Also, Sister Harden said that the people keeping grateful diaries were more likely to keep them over a 3- month period.  

So, I shall try this out.  Can I do this for 3-months posting my blessings. 

Today, I am thankful for the talks at sacrament meeting.  Normally, I am not, I considered it a good time to sleep.  I remained awake today.  I am thankful for Mahonri Wolfgramm, Jeanette Kelso and Mindi Harden, who gave the talks today.  

Elaine blew leaves today.  Leaves are nice in summer because they give us shade.  In fall, the leaves fall.  My wife says that if we don't rake them up, the grass underneath the leaves will die.