The New Year of 2014

         This is New Year's Eve at our apartment.  Yes, Elder Atwood was sound asleep at 11:30.  No worries, I braved it out till 12:20.  Had to see the New Year come in.

         Our area is probably not as safe as American Fork.  Just down the road from us, on our same street, we witnessed this arrest.  There were five police cars, officers with guns, approaching a car.  One lady emerged from the car with her hands up.  No one else came out.  We don't know what the situation was.  But, every day their are about 10 sirens down out street.

        But, it's worse down town Kansas City.  Here is our church at Riverview Ward.  It's the first time I've seen fences and locked gates around the church building.  But, the people who we've met are so kind and sweet that we know among difficult areas, there are awesome people who are humble children of God. Two teenage converts last night bore their testimonies of their happiness to find the church in their troubled life and environment.  It was touching.  We have so much and sometimes don't even realize the blessings we have of the gospel.