Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Leaving
For those who don't know I will be leaving to serve a mission tomorrow morning. This means I did not get around to updating about everything. This also means I will not be around to blog for the next 2 years. During that time this blog may be used on occasion to have my mother post things I send her to keep people updated on my goings on. Just so you all know!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Mission Mail
If you would like to get in touch with me during my mission the best way to do that is to write a letter. I would love to hear from anybody and everybody and hear how things are going for you. In my mission; however, we use pouch mail. It is a way to send mail to Chile (or other countries) for cheaper but has some different requirements. The following is copied from the information I received because it can explain it better than I can:
If you choose to use the pouch service (which is cheaper) fold the paper into thirds and tape the long edge of the paper closed. Put a stamp on it and address it to:
"Pouch mail instructions: The Church provides pouch mail service to your mission. Items sent by pouch mail use the United States Postal Service from your location to Church headquarters, where they are forwarded to the missionary by a private courier along with other Church mail...
...Only postcards or one-page correspondences (no envelopes) written on one side of the page may be sent through the pouch. Notebook of other light-weight paper will not process through the USPS machines. Photographs are not acceptable...
...Items restricted from the pouch [such as photographs, packages, letters more than a page long, etc.]
may be sent through the USPS or a private courier."
If you choose to use the pouch service (which is cheaper) fold the paper into thirds and tape the long edge of the paper closed. Put a stamp on it and address it to:
Elder Richard Bishop
Chile Santiago East Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City UT 84130-0150
If you choose a more conventional method (or have to use it since what you're sending won't go through pouch) then address it to:
Elder Richard Bishop
Chile Santiago East Mission
Pedro de Valdivia 1423,
Providencia
29 Santiago
Region Metropolitana CHILE
Phone: 56 2-340-5035
You will need the phone number for a private courier.
Wow, such a long explanation! I look forward to hearing from you all!! And if you're not inclined to write me don't worry, I fail at writing to missionaries too.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Stocks!!
For years I have wanted to experiment with investing in the stock market. At the moment I find myself with a little free time and some mad money (money I can lose and not be hurt).
I initially invested $500, but the problem is that with a small amount of money it is hard to recover from the brokerage fees ($7 for each trade). Though all but one of the 5 stocks I chose have been up around 10% from where I initially bought them, I still cannot sell out of them without going in the whole because I don't have enough shares to cover the fees!! Good thing this is only to learn, right?
Right. But it still irks me to know that even though my investments have done fairly well, I will still be ending this endeavor with less money than I began (probably only by a couple of dollars, but its the principle of the thing!!). So, even though I have told myself and my parents that I will not become a day trader, I have picked out a stock that I feel I can make significant money on if I watch it and day-trade on it. I know, usually you pick a lot of them and different ones each day and all that good stuff, but I am confident on this and if it works out well perhaps I will talk more about it.
Basically it is a crappy company with consistent (almost every day for the past year) daily highs and lows. My plan, obviously, is to buy in on the daily low and sell on the daily high. The dangerous part is that a quick glance at the company's financials plus the fact that the stock has been stagnant for over a year means that this company could disappear any day. Bankrupt.
Risky? Yes. Good thing I can lose this money and not be too hurt! That being said, I am still fairly confident in this plan and I can watch the stock during the day and see exactly when other day traders do the same thing, so I'm not alone in utilizing this cash-cow. In a few days I should have more than paid for the "learning experience". I'll keep ya'll posted!!
I initially invested $500, but the problem is that with a small amount of money it is hard to recover from the brokerage fees ($7 for each trade). Though all but one of the 5 stocks I chose have been up around 10% from where I initially bought them, I still cannot sell out of them without going in the whole because I don't have enough shares to cover the fees!! Good thing this is only to learn, right?
Right. But it still irks me to know that even though my investments have done fairly well, I will still be ending this endeavor with less money than I began (probably only by a couple of dollars, but its the principle of the thing!!). So, even though I have told myself and my parents that I will not become a day trader, I have picked out a stock that I feel I can make significant money on if I watch it and day-trade on it. I know, usually you pick a lot of them and different ones each day and all that good stuff, but I am confident on this and if it works out well perhaps I will talk more about it.
Basically it is a crappy company with consistent (almost every day for the past year) daily highs and lows. My plan, obviously, is to buy in on the daily low and sell on the daily high. The dangerous part is that a quick glance at the company's financials plus the fact that the stock has been stagnant for over a year means that this company could disappear any day. Bankrupt.
Risky? Yes. Good thing I can lose this money and not be too hurt! That being said, I am still fairly confident in this plan and I can watch the stock during the day and see exactly when other day traders do the same thing, so I'm not alone in utilizing this cash-cow. In a few days I should have more than paid for the "learning experience". I'll keep ya'll posted!!
Wow...
...ok so I may have let my blog fall behind as of late. No, I did let my blog fall behind. Its been busy!! (but mostly I've just been lazy)
Last time I posted I was headed for West Virginia. That was a fun trip! I spent about 2 weeks visiting my brother and his family. My sister-in-law had to go up to girls' camp the second week to help run things so I watched the kids for her. It only amounted to one day really but that was enough. SOOO glad I don't have to be a mother. Seriously, I don't know how you women do it! Between crying children trying to climb in the shower with me and poopy diapers, I was ready for their dad to come home and save me.
At the end of my visit my sister-in-law and the kids flew back to Utah with me so that she could go to her family reunion and my other brother's wedding!! Congrats bro! The night before we flew out my brother gathered his family around him and gave each child and his wife a father's blessing. It was a wonderful example to me of a man utilizing his priesthood- much like my father always has been. He and his wife offered me the opportunity to bless their youngest child. It was such a sweet and tender moment for me- one that I will never forget. The priesthood power is truly amazing.
The wedding/reception was the Saturday after I got back so there was a lot of work getting the yard ready for the reception and the like. The day went well and, in spite of the stress and tension, was a good day with family.
The next family event will be taking me to the Missionary Training Center in Provo. Yes, I have a mission call. I have had it for a long time now, just haven't written about it. I will be serving for the next two years in the Chile, Santiago East Mission. I enter the MTC on August 31. My mission- geographically speaking- is the smallest proselyting mission in the world. It is about 20 miles long and 7 miles wide; however, in that small area are about 3.5 million people!! 10 stakes, 55 wards and 2 branches of the church fit within the boundaries of my mission along with a Temple, the headquarters of the church in Chile, an MTC and possibly- my fingers are crossed- the Chilean Military Academy. It will be a fun and exciting 2 years!! I'll post contact info for me while I am gone in a later post, along with what my life has been and will be made up of until I go.
Last time I posted I was headed for West Virginia. That was a fun trip! I spent about 2 weeks visiting my brother and his family. My sister-in-law had to go up to girls' camp the second week to help run things so I watched the kids for her. It only amounted to one day really but that was enough. SOOO glad I don't have to be a mother. Seriously, I don't know how you women do it! Between crying children trying to climb in the shower with me and poopy diapers, I was ready for their dad to come home and save me.
At the end of my visit my sister-in-law and the kids flew back to Utah with me so that she could go to her family reunion and my other brother's wedding!! Congrats bro! The night before we flew out my brother gathered his family around him and gave each child and his wife a father's blessing. It was a wonderful example to me of a man utilizing his priesthood- much like my father always has been. He and his wife offered me the opportunity to bless their youngest child. It was such a sweet and tender moment for me- one that I will never forget. The priesthood power is truly amazing.
The wedding/reception was the Saturday after I got back so there was a lot of work getting the yard ready for the reception and the like. The day went well and, in spite of the stress and tension, was a good day with family.
The next family event will be taking me to the Missionary Training Center in Provo. Yes, I have a mission call. I have had it for a long time now, just haven't written about it. I will be serving for the next two years in the Chile, Santiago East Mission. I enter the MTC on August 31. My mission- geographically speaking- is the smallest proselyting mission in the world. It is about 20 miles long and 7 miles wide; however, in that small area are about 3.5 million people!! 10 stakes, 55 wards and 2 branches of the church fit within the boundaries of my mission along with a Temple, the headquarters of the church in Chile, an MTC and possibly- my fingers are crossed- the Chilean Military Academy. It will be a fun and exciting 2 years!! I'll post contact info for me while I am gone in a later post, along with what my life has been and will be made up of until I go.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Productivity!!
I had such high hopes for making today a productive day, but then I combined, counted and stacked my coins:
21.75 in quarters- pretty simple
10.30 in dimes- still nothin' fancy
2.00 in nickels- blurry photo
and 0.62 in pennies- my crowning achievement for the day! Sad, I know.
On a more significant note, I am leaving for West Virginia in the morning to visit my brother and his family before I leave on my mission- ya know, the one I haven't blogged about yet. When I come back hopefully I'll get on and post some sort of update on my life. Maybe I'll get ambitious and write something tonight, but don't count on it- I've got to catch up on what I should have been doing this morning!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Long time coming
Its been a long time since I wrote anything on here. Not much has happened, but what has happened is big enough it should probably be up.
My mission papers are finally done! There were problems with getting a doctor's appointment but after over a month of trying/waiting (we only have two doctors- we need probably 4) I finally got in and had my physical. Immediately afterword I had my interviews. Pres. Chappel is an amazing man to sit and talk with. Of course there was the standard worthiness interview but then we just sat and talked for a while. What a truly inspired and inspirational man! Still waiting for the call.
The next bit of news is regarding my esophagus. We got a copy of the notes from my endoscopy in Las Vegas and the doctor included a diagnosis of GERD- as was expected- and directions for treatment of it as such. I had an EGD (don't ask, I can neither say nor spell what that stands for) on Monday. Sunday night my dad and brother gave me a blessing in the which he promised me that everything would be clear. The next morning the doctor went into my throat with a balloon to expand my esophagus and couldn't, it was already as big as it should be. There were no signs whatsoever of GERD, heart-burn or any other of my symptoms. The medical history is there, but the signs are not. He biopsied a section of my esophagus to check and gave a tentative diagnosis (which I can also neither say nor spell). The results came back and I have whatever it was. Medical research still doesn't know what it is. They're not sure what causes it, but they think its some sort of an allergy. This sounds bad because if they don't know what it is, they can't treat it, right? Wrong! I checked the list of disqualifying medical conditions for the military and this is not one of them. I have the same symptoms and take the same drugs, but its called something different so- for now- it looks like I can serve.
The posts have been slower lately because for work we have been going back and forth between here at home and Needles Ca. We don't have internet in Needles so I haven't been posting. Headed back Monday for the final trip of the spring. Since this trip will be about a month long there will probably not be any posts until mid-June at the earliest.
That's pretty much all the news! I was hoping to have a new recipe to put up here today but between the dying lawn mower and the extra wet spring it took me several hours to mow the lawn this morning. So much for that...
My mission papers are finally done! There were problems with getting a doctor's appointment but after over a month of trying/waiting (we only have two doctors- we need probably 4) I finally got in and had my physical. Immediately afterword I had my interviews. Pres. Chappel is an amazing man to sit and talk with. Of course there was the standard worthiness interview but then we just sat and talked for a while. What a truly inspired and inspirational man! Still waiting for the call.
The next bit of news is regarding my esophagus. We got a copy of the notes from my endoscopy in Las Vegas and the doctor included a diagnosis of GERD- as was expected- and directions for treatment of it as such. I had an EGD (don't ask, I can neither say nor spell what that stands for) on Monday. Sunday night my dad and brother gave me a blessing in the which he promised me that everything would be clear. The next morning the doctor went into my throat with a balloon to expand my esophagus and couldn't, it was already as big as it should be. There were no signs whatsoever of GERD, heart-burn or any other of my symptoms. The medical history is there, but the signs are not. He biopsied a section of my esophagus to check and gave a tentative diagnosis (which I can also neither say nor spell). The results came back and I have whatever it was. Medical research still doesn't know what it is. They're not sure what causes it, but they think its some sort of an allergy. This sounds bad because if they don't know what it is, they can't treat it, right? Wrong! I checked the list of disqualifying medical conditions for the military and this is not one of them. I have the same symptoms and take the same drugs, but its called something different so- for now- it looks like I can serve.
The posts have been slower lately because for work we have been going back and forth between here at home and Needles Ca. We don't have internet in Needles so I haven't been posting. Headed back Monday for the final trip of the spring. Since this trip will be about a month long there will probably not be any posts until mid-June at the earliest.
That's pretty much all the news! I was hoping to have a new recipe to put up here today but between the dying lawn mower and the extra wet spring it took me several hours to mow the lawn this morning. So much for that...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
On a sadder note
I've decided to go ahead and make some information more public. Everyone who has read much on this blog knows that I went to West Point for two years and then left to serve and LDS Mission. If you read a few blog entries back you will see that I have recently had a somewhat severe problem caused by acid reflux. My acid reflux is most likely (though I have no official diagnosis) a symptom of GERD. The bad news is that GERD is a disqualifying condition for service in America's Armed Forces. Moreover, the fact that I have had food stuck in my esophagus hints that it may be somewhat advanced. I emailed one of the doctors on the Medical Examination Review Board (MERB) that medically approves cadet candidates and his response was "This doesn't bode well."
So, although there is still a chance of receiving a waiver and being allowed to resume my planned future at the Academy, it looks like I will most likely be a civilian for the rest of my life. Civilian life is not bad, don't get me wrong, but I had really hoped for a different outcome.
In the end I know it doesn't matter. If I do what I am supposed to do, I know that Heavenly Father will ensure that everything in my life works out. His plans are not always the same as our plans, which is frustrating, but His plans are always perfect and I have come to know more than ever that He truly does have a plan for me- even if I cannot see it. As Isaiah said: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8-9)
If He wants me to be at West Point, I will certainly return. And if I return, He certainly wants me to be at West Point- as it appears I would be the first person to be allowed admission under such circumstances.
If anybody knows someone from the Academies- any of them- who was granted a medical qualification after such an event, kindly leave me a comment below to let me know it is possible. All I have found is that many have been turned away for far more minor symptoms of the same disease.
So, although there is still a chance of receiving a waiver and being allowed to resume my planned future at the Academy, it looks like I will most likely be a civilian for the rest of my life. Civilian life is not bad, don't get me wrong, but I had really hoped for a different outcome.
In the end I know it doesn't matter. If I do what I am supposed to do, I know that Heavenly Father will ensure that everything in my life works out. His plans are not always the same as our plans, which is frustrating, but His plans are always perfect and I have come to know more than ever that He truly does have a plan for me- even if I cannot see it. As Isaiah said: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8-9)
If He wants me to be at West Point, I will certainly return. And if I return, He certainly wants me to be at West Point- as it appears I would be the first person to be allowed admission under such circumstances.
If anybody knows someone from the Academies- any of them- who was granted a medical qualification after such an event, kindly leave me a comment below to let me know it is possible. All I have found is that many have been turned away for far more minor symptoms of the same disease.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)