Cries of Joy: flash flood version

I love my job. It is seriously the best. I have fun and get challenged and learn and I absolutely love my coworkers. Unfortunately, most of my ATC coworkers are still out of commission, so Raquel and I have been tag-teaming it this week, handling 3 ATC's worth of patients. Which has been manageable. This coming week, I'm spending 2 days SOLO, open to close. Challenge accepted.

Courtney and I started our 14-day regime at LA Fitness. It was well-planned because we were both starting to lose hype a little bit, so we re-committed and kicked it back into gear. She's been kicking my butt. And teaching me how to swim.

Which is appropriate, since we accidentally reenacted Noah's Ark in our house this week. I came home around 8h30 on Tuesday and water was literally pouring out the doors. After turning the washing machine off, I swept most of it out with a broom. And called the cavalry - John Andrus, Kaleb, and Mike all came over to help shopvac the water out. It stunk for a few days and we ended up ripping the whole carpet out.

The next day, I appreciate an hour long chill in Trevor Nally's hot tub with some bros. And by bros, I mean Callie Grover.

I've been painting again and working on our upcoming ART SHOW activity in August. I want it to be the literal biggest deal in the area. Which is going to take some effort.

Kaleb and Autumn hung out with me on the trampoline and chatted for a while about life.

CELESTE GOT BAPTIZED! I only almost cried like seven times. It was the best. And here are some related thoughts.

Best. 

My biggest regret in life: One time, I was at general conference IN PERSON when the mission age requirement was changed and my natural instinct was to cheer so loud. But I used all of my adult(ish) abilities to hold it in. I should've cheered.

My mission president did a great job of encouraging my joyful cheering during meetings. He said he loved having me at new missionary meetings because I helped show the newbies that you can have so much fun.

And I've kept some of that. I still try to control it, but whenever I feel the Spirit, I just get so excited [and then the old lady temple workers get mad at me]. BUT

I was at this baptism yesterday and I just wanted to cheer so loud. The gospel is true. Repentance is a gift. And the power that comes with it is real. It kills me, I love it so much. But I was trying to hold it in because I didn't want to disturb anyone's spiritual feast BUT THEN IT HIT ME.

Back in the premortal existence, when Heavenly Father held a meeting and announced that we were all going to get bodies and "all the sons of God shouted for joy". And basically, if Heavenly Father's ok with it, then my leaders should be also.

We need more joy. The African congregations do it right. They sing real hymns and mean it instead of funeral dirges. They dance and they pray with real intent. I love African culture. There's no pretense, only real, raw emotion. We need that. This gospel is the good news, it is joyful, powerful, and real. We should act like it.