A few thoughts...not because my thoughts are few

I've often wondered what the point of having a blog is. It seems that writing personal information in journals and diaries, where perhaps no one would ever see it, doesn't quite do the trick for many people anymore. I think that secretly we'd like for others to know exactly what we're going through, how hard our day has been, what's going on in our head, because just knowing that someone else knows somehow relieves a burden. Its as if it is some cathartic release to tell the world.

I can relate. I buy that definition. Something, at least within me, would like to be able to come home to a sincere,"how was your day?". Until then, I've decided that maybe letting someone know that beneath that reserved and, at times, indecipherable exterior, I'm me.

These past two weeks have been tough but rewarding. Instead of belaboring the reader with all of the difficulties, I think that I'll talk about the great things that eclipsed them.

I took my brother to the MTC Wednesday the 28th of January. He's been called to the Thailand, Bangkok Mission. When I returned from my mission in 2006, he was still in high school. It never really dawned on me that he'd be "Elder Hood" too. I'm really proud of him. I told him so at the MTC when he reported. He's going to do great.

I made a resolution that I'm actually keeping. I'm writing my pals on missions and calling converts from my mission. I've tried to avoid the TV that is inevitably on and hanging out all Sunday. Instead I'm spending the afternoon writing and finishing my Book of Mormon reading that I promised myself to have done by New Year. So far, so good.

I think that I got a wake-up call (literally) that I needed to call some folks from my mission. At 6 am Sunday morning, one of the sisters from a ward I was assigned to called. She was worried about something - I could relate it but it was hurried and complex. I called back later that day. Apparently, my companion from that area had gone inactive as had some of our converts. I promised to call them. I called the Frías family Tuesday night. Everyone was there except for Felipe, who is working in Chile. Meri never did get baptized, but she told me that if I came back to visit she would. I'd buy a ticket right away if I could, but the cost added to the fact that I want her to do it for the right reasons makes it nearly impossible. I also called the Ramírez Bendezú family that night. José, the father, is bishop now of their ward and was at the church. I got to speak with everyone else though. Their oldest son, Carlos, is serving in the Colombia Cali Mission.

There is so much I wish I could do, but I can hardly manage to stay afloat with what I have to manage now. I suppose that's when you have to trust in the grace of God that He will work those miracles that we cannot.