World War One Angst

I've been reading about World War One today, and been commenting on Twitter some things I noticed and ranted about concerning that war. I'll post my comments for you here to read:

"I think the well-to-do were high off something in the early 1900's."

"The cause of WWI lowers my view of the human race."

"Gosh people are stupid. WWI breaks out and people cheer with parades and waving of their flags."

"France: Oh lets throw our brightly colored troops at Germany in half-hearted effort to cross it's border w/o knowing their war preparations"

"You know... if you're going to go to war, be more creative than throwing your army at the other one hoping the other side has less men."

"Britain acts smartly in WWI, they subvert the Ottoman Empire from within, starting an internal power struggle."

"And then complications arise, namely the Balfour Declaration."

"And here I thought French and German tactics were stupid. But then I find out that Russian Generals sent their troops unarmed into battle."

Ha! The February revolution started in March!

@luvlyssa "And the Feb Revolution started in March for the Gregorian calendar, but February in the old Russian calendar."

"Back to reading the biased textbook story of the Russian Revolution under the Bolsheviks."

"Why was the old Russian Calendar 13 days behind ours?"

"Treaty of Brest-Litosvsk signed March 3, 1918 creating independent republics such as Latvia; birthplace of Dr. Doom."

"Idea: We'll make a peace treaty with just Britain, USA and France, ignoring other countries like Italy who helped us in the war. Sound good?"

"You know, you think everybody would have had enough death after WWI, but no. You give Russian Revolutionaries weapons and 3 million more die"

So yeah. Basically the Austrian heir to the throne gets knocked off by a Serbian, Austrians are ticked and Germany thinking it has the best and biggest stick on the continent encourages Austria to declare war on Serbia. Russia, thinking they are Serbia's big brother, declares war on Austria and drags France with it since they are allied. Germany then declares war, thinking it can defeat France quick enough to move onto Russia and that Britain won't join in quickly. They're wrong. Millions die. America finally joins and Germany is defeated. They devise a treaty that is a failure for not punishing anyone or causing reconciliation. Festering wounds ensue. Everybody are idiots. British slightly redeemed cause they caused the political downfall of the Ottoman Empire. Causing to fall from within.
Then influenza kills millions, and Russian civil war causes famine and disease, helped along by France, Britain and the USA and millions more die. Such distasteful ways at ruling the world. They receive a D- for their inability to govern the world.

What a joyful period isn't it?

Mother's Day

This weekend I took the opportunity to return to my parent's house in the vast outreaches of Tooele this weekend to visit for Mother's Day, and also to talk to my brother on the mission who got to call home today cause it was Mother's Day.

So his call went well, we talked with him, shared our testimonies, had fun with that. Earlier we went to my Grandmother's place in West Valley; visiting her for about an hour before heading to my family's sacrament meeting and awaiting my brother's call afterward.

Anywhat I discovered that my Grandma has some old bibles, like really old bibles. There is one that my dad used in his childhood that is 159 years old or so, leather-bound and nice looking. the other is definitely older, 200 years old at least. It's not in good condition or anything, but it's a tie to ancestors. That's awesome.

So that's all that I have to report except that I do indeed love my mother.

Have a great day y'all.

All For Nothing?

Well as you all know I have been attempting to do the Fast Track back option to attend regular day classes in the Fall with standing of previous. Well looks like that won't happen.

Apparently my ecclesiastical endorsement arrived after the March 1st deadline, so even getting the four independent study courses done, there's nothing that can be done. I mean I can take evening classes. But that's about it.

So pretty much there is no reason to have to work my butt off to get these four classes done. I mean I'm going to complete them, but now I don't have to be in such a rush. I'm going to go up and talk with them, but even so, unless a miracle happens, that I am praying for, there's no point in trying the fast track back option.

Missionary Thursday

Hello You all,
Well let's get down to business (Editors note: To defeat the Huns!). Thursday was just a transfer meeting we planned to go to but we had a last minute change of plans so it was just a normal day of mission work for us, seeing as no one in the companionship is heading anywhere this transfer. Friday, after a hard days work we met Elders Bl. and W.; the two new members of our district and just hung with the district getting to know each other better. Sunday was Elder B's birthday so that night we had a district party at the church. It was lots of fun.
In regards to the work its been a good week. we've been working hard the last three months and hopefully we will definitely be seeing the fruits of our labor. Monday reminded me a bit of my time with my last companion Elder C. cause most of our appointments canceled on us, so we spent the entire day doing media referrals, stop-by's and finding. That's pretty much all I did back with Elder C., so Monday was almost a flashback. Tuesday we worked hard again and only half our appointments canceled. After our last appointment we found an awesome park and decided to just play around for a bit. That park was a lot more fun then most parks back in Utah, it had loads of familiar stuff and things I had never seen at any park before. It was good to reward ourselves like that after a hard days work.
Wow, I'm surprised that I have so little to say this week. usually I have a lot more to say about this week. I guess nothing much is standing out anymore. Well I love you all and am looking forward to the mothers-day (Editor's Note: Which he still hasn't told us at what time he is planning to call. There is much shaking of fists going on.) phone call. Beware of my companions. For some odd reason they want to talk to my family too. It kind of worries me what they might have to say. That's it this time.

Love, Elder Fields.

Espionage

Growing up I should have picked up on it sooner, I mean it was staring me right in the face but I didn't connect the dots until last week and then it all made sense. I mean when a guy in a heavy accent who refers to himself as Boris asking for my sister Natasha (Whose name isn't Natasha by the way) You think that maybe there is some ongoing school project, or it's an inside joke with a friend, never mind the long distance calls, the strange packages for her, letters written in a language that looked Russian and oddly timed departures with friends to do who knows what.

Of course I just thought she was weird; heck I'm the oldest brother, don't most brothers think their sisters are weird at that age?

But then it all connected last week when she was telling me about a dream she had. She dreampt that all five of us kids were together and that for some reason or another I accused her, in the dream, that she would be the most likely to betray us and be a traitor and she asked me what I thought about it; clearly thinking it was an innocent enough question. But with that question all the pieces fell into place and I knew what it all meant. My sister is a Soviet-Russian spy.

There was no other explanation, and when asking her about it I clearly saw the brief look of panic as she realized the impossible; that I knew her secret. She of course denied any activity of engaging in espionage with foreign countries, but I knew better.

Immediately upon learning the truth, I thought I would best warn my parents of my sister's traitorous behavior. I sent a quick text to my father saying that his beloved daughter was actually a spy. Though I expected some exclamation, some grief, some incredulousness, I was not prepared for his response.

When his response returned my heart sunk with horror upon reading the words, "That's cool, I want to be one too."

Clearly she had gotten to him long ago, softening him up with soviet propaganda, filling his head with lies. I knew not what to believe. Upon sharing my revelation with my younger brother I soon realized how deep the treachery went, cause he constantly defended her, saying that it wasn't possible that our sister was spy. But the most odd was that at bits and pieces his accent changed slightly, and his arguments seemed highly practiced to be some on the spot defense. I knew that he must be a spy too.

Of course the government doesn't believe me; I have no evidence, nothing to justify what I already know.

So it is my shame to report that my family are Soviet Russian spies. If I don't make it past the next two days, I hope one of you can do me this one favor. If I die I will transmit my last moments with them before they kill me to a wireless device hidden inside a locker in the airport. The key and instructions to get to the locker are hidden in the tower of my desktop above the dvd drive.

I wish you all the best, for it may already be too late.

Rigged

A bunch of friends from my old ward got together to play Cranium. I think it is quite spiteful, or the die was rigged.

For those that don't know you roll a die and proceed to the nearest color that you rolled, acting out/drawing/shaping clay or answering questions based on the card. And for my time for 95% of the time when we rolled the die it would only let us go to the next color one space away.

So I think Cranium just did it to be spiteful. It is quite mean.

Hazzah

I got a B- on the History Mid-term. That's pretty good.

Though why I thought Lisbon was in the Philippines and not the capital of Portugal is beyond me.