Love love love da da da

My Love,

I want to say that I really love these letters. They bring out a way of reaching out and into each other that just doesn't happen other ways. I think sometimes I just freeze up when it comes to saying things; I just forget or get distracted or anxious or what have you. But in writing, I can think and speak, and stop, and ponder. It feels so pure and so much more personal. I enjoy reading what you is close to your heart and feel close to it because of it.

My day was a day. I think I narrowly avoided a stomach bug that has been getting passed around. I have felt so tired the past 2 days so I tried to sleep extra and avoided doing some of my normal things like going to the gym and running. My stomach felt a little queasy but I think it is better and hopefully with one more good night rest I should get past it. Work today was extremely busy. I truly finished my first root canal since dental school (I have instrumented dozens if not hundreds but not obturated or completed any). I have committed the clinic to Movember (mustache november if you didn't know). I started my practice mustache today. I think you will be excited!

My goals were to workout: failed; go running: failed; work on my personal statement: failed; and I think write letter: we'll see how tired I am by the end of this. I can't believe how time doesn't exist. Because of the busy day, I didn't leave work until 6 and had to rush to get laundry before it closed at 7 (made it w/ 10 minutes to spare). Then ate dinner with the dental dudes and now I'm here.

Tomorrow I actually want to run, workout, and get some progress made on my statement and letters.

I have seen how the gospel brings stability into my life. Not so much just today but over the past week or so, I am in so many conversations with coworkers or patients about life and relationships and the dramas at work and around us and so often feel that I am the one offering up counsel. Maybe I just feel that way and I know I'm not the best at giving advice or articulating things but I do feel that in my life I have been blessed to have stability in these areas that are concerns for others. That is not to say I believe my life is better or more ideal, but just fluctuates a lot less. A patient today is going to be in Kuwait for 24 months continuously. He divulged that he is currently going through a divorce and also has 4 kids. I regret I didn't ask him if he had adequate support for his tuff times and I don't even think I gave him good advice except encouraged him to "stay strong" so to speak. I also told him in parting "you'll figure it out" which afterwards felt that was like "well, good luck with that, you're on your own and I hope you don't drown". But I sympathized with his desire to make things work out and the difficulty he was experiencing. A lot like Omar, he didn't want to let go but his wife had found someone else and moved on (I guess the guy is living in the house that he, the patient, bought with his wife). He said that everyone turns to him for stability when stuff doesn't work out and that's what I feel the gospel helps with. When stuff doesn't work out, we need a place to turn, to grab hold of and brace against. Something reliable and trustworthy and won't lead us astray. I can rely on the gospel and refer to it when I am ever lost or overburdened and it sets the standards and the bar for my to measure up to and be supported in my challenges. Also (now that I'm going with this thought) I read today about the parable of the talents. I had this thought before but was reminded of it again today. If you search "talent"  it will take you to D&C 60:2-3 which talks about the elders going out to preach the gospel. The talent in this scripture is "opening their mouths" or simply the gospel. By opening their mouths they shared their talent and the Lord's wrath was against them for not doing that  for fear of the people. So I believe that the parable of the talents is specifically a missionary scripture and our talent is the gospel.  And to go off further, a talent was a form of currency, what spiritual currency is there? Spiritual gifts were the first thing that came to my mind. So I think our "talent" is the gospel that is received and exchanged by use of our spiritual gifts. So going back to being stable, when around others in their challenges, I think it is our responsibility to share our talent, the gospel, with them rather than hide it.

Okay, that was less thought out and more typing what was in my mind. Hope you make some sense of it.

I love you and am grateful that we can share our "talents" with each other. I guess with that being said I feel to tell you that I know that the gospel is true. I am so grateful for its strength and direction it gives me. I know families can be eternal. I know that the priesthood is restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Jesus lives as the Son of God and is the only way back to our living Heavenly Father.

I love you dearly and forever!

Your adorer