Hello Everyone! Sorry its been so long again! I'm always falling asleep on Pdays but I will try to do better in the future. Thank you so much for all those who reached out since last email, your kind words are truly a blessing. The past few weeks have been fairly fun and challenging. One day we were walking to a more remote neighborhood to visit a family. It was a pretty long walk and sadly, her whole family had pink eyes and so we decided to let them rest and come back some other time. When we turned to walk away, however, we were swarmed by children. Now being swarmed is not unusual for a young foriegner so far in the mountains, so I started giving out fist bumps and talking with the children. Slowly, however, I realized that every single kid had pink eyes. After passing through the children in an attempt to avoid contamination, every single person we saw had very bad pink eyes. I don't know how we didn't notice walking in but we had just walked straight into a pandemic of pink eyes. Our usual slow walk turned into a slight jog as we cleared the area before any more gangs of children could surround us. It was like a zombie apocalyse, but for a slightly irritating infection. What made it worse is that the sweat from my forehead was making its way into my eyes. My blonde, poor excuse for eyebrows were of no help, and I could not rub them, for fear of pink eyes. I luckily didn't get pink eyes, but I did get pretty sick, so you win some, you lose some. I have slowly been recovering the past week and today I tried doing something I have wanted to try for a long time. Making tortillas. Tortillas are so expensive here, and I miss borritos a lot so I had to at least attempt it. I got a recipe from my Mom who in turn acquired it from a sister in my home ward. (Thank you so much Sister Black, you are the best!) I had all the necessary ingredients and I successfully made the dough. Alas, I did not have a rolling pin. I ended up using a cylindrical ketchup bottle instead, but it did not work very well and the tortillas were very misshapen. The taste, however, was sublime. I made shredded chicken and cheese quesadillas and it was so wonderful. Thank you again Sister Black, that recipe is amazing. Making those tortillas taught me two important lessons. Number one, making tortillas is harder than I thought, and Number two, simple things are often more profound than trying to do something complex. The tortilla is such a simple combination of flour and water and yet it is so delicious. It lays the ground work to many complex dishes and yet it is so simple. This is an important principle to remember in our lives. Sometimes we are caught up in trying to have that perfect service project, perfect personal study, the best advice for our friend, or the best dish. I found that this anxiety of not being the best causes many to give up trying. One would think, "How could I make a difference, my effort is so small? I am so unskilled and unimportant." The Lord, however, has shown us the reality of the world. Remember what is written in Alma 37: 6 "...but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." 7 "And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." The fact that by insignificant acts, great things shall come to pass is a wonderful token of truth. We all feel a little small somtimes. This, however, should not keep us from trying. In my mission I have seen the effect on someone from a small instance of kindness. A well taught gospel principle can never measure up to it. Actions really do speak louder than words and the best speech can not mimic a kind deed. I used to be obsessed with the lexicon in which I spoke to people. What words should I use? What will touch their hearts? I had forgotten the teachings of Paul. In his letter to the Corinthians he wrote, 8 "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (1 Corinthians 13: 8) Do not forget that small acts of charity will confound the wise. I implore you to be kind, it truly is the power of the meek. Do not be scared if you feel that your small action will not measure up, it will. I could not put it better than one of my favorite authors, "Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found that it is the small everyday deed of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love." (Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings) Don't forget to be kind. It doesn't have to be grand, it can be as simple as a tortilla. The importance lies in its power. That it is charity, the pure love of Christ. He is the example of ministering to the one. May we follow Him, in the name of Jesus Christ amen. Elder Wilhelm WEEK 35WEEK 36WEEK 37Greetings! My apologies, this email has been delayed for quite some time. My mind has been consumed with the daily rigors of missionary work. The recent happenings of my life have been unpleasent, but I have learned lessons I shall not forget. About two weeks ago I was admited to the hospital on account of illness recieved from intense heat, lack of water, and a good amount of stress. The work has not been progressing very well and the investigators we did have seemed to slip through our fingers despite our best efforts. In reaction to the lack of success, I thought, "Well... it's because I'm just not working hard enough." I began to work harder than I had before and went to unhealthy lengths to try and help our area progress. Alas, nothing happened. I began to doubt myself, my ability to speak the language, and the ability to help others feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I became angry. I worked harder and yet less effecient until I eventually ended up in the hospital. After being released from the hospital I had blamed myself for not being strong enough to overcome the trials in which I had been given. As trials began to heap themselves upon me I began to slowly give up. I slowly convinced myself that God had given up on me. I felt desperetely and utterly alone. This act of selfishness heavily affected the work. As I looked inward instead of outward it presented itself in my lack of ability to do the most basic of tasks. I had forgotten my purpose in coming to the mission. It had never been about baptisms or miracles, People coming to church or investigators reading the Book of Mormon. My mission was about inviting others to come unto Christ. I forgot the whole point of it all. Its not about meetings, activites on a wednesday night, numbers and statistics, or even baptisms. It was about Christ. That he died for our sakes, rose on the third day, and ascended into heaven. That he is waiting for you. I did not come to the Phillipines to convince people to join my religion. I came to tell them that there was hope, that there is light beyond the vail, and to invite them to act on it. To invite them to draw near to the Savior through covenants. If so, amazing. If not, thats ok too. Christ wants all of his children to feel his love, especially those who don't want it. If I can't baptise anyone but I can make a few people draw even a inch closer unto the Savior, then I have accomplished my purpose. I had forgotten that it is not in our strength that allows us to overcome our trials but in the strength of the Lord. It was in the strength of the Lord that Moses parted the red sea, that Stephen preached against the Pharisees in the Sanhedrian. I, however, want to focus on the story of Elisha. The king of Syria, desiring to beset him, sent an army of men upon Elisha and his servant. His servent, probably being no older than a deacon or priest said "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" (2 Kings 6: 15) Encompassed on all sides of the city by the great hosts of their advesaries, this young man felt fear. He felt enticed by Satan to doubt the Lord his God. The prophet Elisha, however, did not feel as intimidated. He knew where he had placed his trust, and it was not a foundation that could be shaken. Elisha's response to the youth was simple and profound, "16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." They that be with us? They were just a boy and a old man, and not necessarily fighters at that. Yet, Elisha knew that it was not just them on that battlefront. He knew that God does not suffer His children to face their trials alone. As Elisha prayed, the young man's eyes were opened and he saw, "Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" In our lives we were never meant to go through our trials alone. We were never meant to lift up the weight of our sins and carry that burden. The Savior has already done that. The heavy lifting has been done. While we run through the valley of the shadow of death we shall not fear evil for we run with chariots of fire, and they light the way before us. Remember the words of a hymn. "Fear not, though the enemy deride; Courage, for the Lord is on our side. We will heed not what the wicked may say, But the Lord alone we will obey." May we not fear the enemy and remember in whom we have entrusted our souls. In Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind. May we lean on him for strength when we have none left. I know he will not abandon us because he did not abandon me. He stood with me throughout it all, I just couldn't see it. I invite you all to carefully observe and record the Savior's prescence in your own lives and to find solace in the understanding that He is with you. That he will not leave you alone. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Elder Wilhelm WEEK 31WEEK 32WEEK 33WEEK 34 |