Four-Nervous-Surgeries

At this time in my life I feel very much that I am standing betwixt paths as I have talked about before.  There are paths of schooling and careers, paths of relationships, paths of hobbies and talents, and many others.  The trouble for me is not in knowing which are good, but which are best. 

**

I had mentioned before how I had recently gotten a new knee brace.  But this past week my joy of knee braces multiplied by 4!  I actually got four knee braces unexpectedly in the mail.  I had one already for my right knee, so now all I need is three more legs to go with them!

Ok, so I am not planning on growing legs, just as I did not plan on getting four braces in the mail.  I actually only wanted one brace, that fitted.  During the Christmas break I had a meeting  with Dr. Heare, MaryAnne, and some of the others who work at the Orthopedic center at the Children’s hospital in Denver, CO.    Dr. Heare was the one who did the hip replacement I had, and also the other reconstructive surgeries on my hips and knees.  The staff up there is phenomenal.  The reason I had met with him over Christmas was not just to get the brace, but mostly to ask about advice on when I should get my knees and other hip replaced.  Predictably, the advice was the same as the last time I asked—

The (Horrible?) Unknown!

This has really just been an amazing week for me!  I don’t think I would have guessed when this week started that I would be where I am now.  We all probably have times where we are surprised by the way life goes, and I have been surprised by the this past week has gone and the direction I am heading in now. 

After finishing my mission I was pretty worried about my schedule and what classes I should take.  I wanted to take classes I would enjoy, and at the same time I wanted it to be something which the Lord could use the talents I have and help me to develop others.  I feel strongly earning my undergraduate in Neuroscience is something which will help me in the future.  I have been specifically looking at going into education.   I am not decided what level I want to work at yet (higher education or something else), but I was thinking a technical background of sorts would be helpful with so much being done online these days.  This semester I had signed up for an IT class, and was looking at doing an IT minor.  However, after being in the class a few days, I realized IT was not where I needed to be.  Monday started, I knew I needed to choose a minor.  I felt strongly I should be in the class starting a minor this semester, but I had no idea where or which class I should be in.

An Almost Perfect Miss

I was able to take this wonderful picture on my way home from my appointment at the Huntsman this past Friday.  Seeing as I did not crash into anyone, the cool lighting effects, and I did not drop the phone out the window I am pretty proud.  At first glance I thought the picture was pretty much perfect.  Upon looking closer I noticed that the coolest part of the car, the front, was blocked partially by my rearview mirror.  It seemed to have set a pattern for me this week.  Things seem to be going perfect, and then I realize the best thing I might have missed out on.

Serving as a missionary online, I was not able to meet in person most of the people I was able to teach.  Today I did have the opportunity to meet one person, and I almost blew it!

Strap it On!

I recently was able to get a new knee brace while I was home for the holidays.  It isn’t a pair of P.F. Flyers, but I feel I am running faster and jumping higher.  Interestingly, I found while wearing it, the value it has seems unnoticeable.  While I have it on my leg feels fine and feels it doesn’t need any support.  But that changes when I take the brace off.  My knee feels unstable, and walking down stairs again becomes a scary prospective.  It occurred to me this morning how the brace acts as a living analogy in my life.  It is easy to overlook the value of something used often in our lives.

Just before the break I was able to take a walk up around the Temple here in Provo.  While crossing the street near the temple I noticed a car coming to the intersection.  I was talking with my sister Beth on the phone, and jokingly asked her if she thought the car was going to stop.  At that moment, the thought came to me that no, the car was not going to stop. 

Sometimes Life Gives you Lemons, and Concrete

I am writing this post to commemorate two weeks since I ate it on my bicycle.  Why am I commemorating two weeks you might ask?  The answer is simple; I have been too lazy to write up anything before now.  Also today I have been able to get some more pictures to go along with this post.  I have really enjoyed being able to ride my bike around and back and forth to classes.  I am not sure how much longer I will be able to this year, but I intend to enjoy it as much as I can. 

When I crashed my bike, it was a very rainy day and I had just come through the intersection, up on the sidewalk and attempted to go over a little bump to cut through the parking lot.  Being recently painted yellow, the bump had a nice glossy finish, and coupled with the rain it became very slick.  As I proceeded over the bump as I had done many times before I found the forward motion of my bike was coupled with a sideways falling motion, and I found myself being thrown into the concrete.  Thinking quickly and not wanting to continue sliding I used my face as a brake (it was close to the ground and this point) and was able to come to a stop.

Ok . . . maybe that wasn’t my original plan, but if you have been thinking about using your face as a brake for something I recommend devising a new plan.  After stopping I decided the best thing would be to just lay there.  I didn’t really feel like moving.  That plan yielded nothing (I am not sure what I was looking for), so I decided I should probably just get up and get home so I could get some things done I needed.  I sighed, I rolled over, and I found a girl standing and staring at me a distance away.

Adapting My Vision

It is more work than I thought to change the title and design of the blog!  I knew there were a few basic things I needed to change.  The title “Elder Seth Spencer” would not work now I am finished with my mission, and I didn’t think it was that creative either.  I love the title now!  My Mom actually helped me come up with it.  She first got the idea from a Wikipedia page.  I wanted to find something unique, something personal, and I like an aura of mysteriousness as well.  To help me meet these things we were searching for something which related to my name and the meaning of it.  According to the page, the two pillars referred to pillars of brick and stone supposedly made by Seth (ancient son of Adam and Eve) and his descendants.  The pillars were engraved with the scientific discoveries and knowledge, the idea of putting them in stone to be to preserve them over an extended period of time.  I am not sure if that was something actually done by Seth, or something which was done at all.  The idea I liked was of preserving those things which are important to us in our lives.  I have found blogging to be a wonderful tool in preserving and sharing some of the important things in my life with others.

In changing the blog I started with one thing in my mind and then went searching for images and templates to coordinate and put everything together.  I found it almost impossible to find what was exactly in my mind, but then as I found other things, the vision of what I did want would change.  Or, I would find a part and realize that the other part I had needed to change.  In the end, I was able to work everything out!  It is interesting that as I reflect on it a little now, I see these small circles of searching as echoes of a little larger search I am currently on.

From the Pearl of Africa, Testimony of Jemba

Not all our investigators have to travel hundreds of miles to attend church, but there are a few.  Jemba is one of those few, and I feel immensely grateful for the testimony and the spirit which we have felt from talking with him.  When we first met Jemba, he lived several hundred miles from any church building, I did not know how he could get to church, and I did not know how he would ever be able to be baptized in this church.  Jemba is one investigator who has shown unbeatable optimism and spiritual insight.  I can’t think of many investigators who would take time in a lesson to teach us and share additional insights without us asking.  Jemba is one of those people.  Jemba knows who God is, and we know God is aware of him.  I feel the conversion of Jemba, and the opportunities which I have seen open to him have been real miracles.  I have seen many miracles while being here, and I am very grateful for that.  I am grateful to share with you this miracle, from the view of Jemba.

Hello everyone, I am by names of Jemba Denis, 19 years Old male Ugandan by nationality residing in a country named Uganda located in East-Africa.