Week 60

August 12, 2013

Hey

Hey family,

I don't think I really have much to say today.  This past week went by really quickly, but I'm not really sure how much we got done.  We're kind of struggling on the investigator side of the activity a little bit right now; the people we are teaching  don't really have much desire overall.  The Allens are still doing great though.  We had a fireside at our mission president's home last night for all Recent Converts and Less actives and investigators.  We had several there and Susan and Bro Allen both bore their testimonies.  It was great.  I love President Bernhisel and Sister Bernhisel...they're the best. 

Got letters from mom and grandma this past week. :)  Thanks much :)

Sounds like y'all are having fun in New York.  That's good.

There's not enough time in the day...

I hope you're not depressed after reading this letter ;)

Have y'all read the Worlds Without Number article in the August Ensign yet?  If you haven't, you should.  It is ridiculously fantastic.  Definitely one of my favorite Ensign articles ever (outside conference of course).  Gorgeous images and amazing facts.  Think of it...the closest star to us outside the Sun is Promixa Centauri...I think it takes light 4 years to get to us...traveling at 186 some thousand miles PER SECOND!  okay...that's not the half of it...the closest galaxy is the Andromeda galaxy which is 2 million light-years away...some galaxies they've found have over a trillion stars in it...and the creator of it all, the master of the Universe...is our Father and as I read today in Matthew 10, the hairs on our head are numbered to him....now why did He do it all, to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.  I don't think "thanks" quite cuts it on this one. 

I really enjoyed a couple verses in Alma that I read this week.  Chapter 37:35-37

So before I quote the scripture, I want to put this in perspective.  This is a Father speaking to his son.  Now why is he speaking to Helaman.  He's about to give Helaman one of the largest responsibilities in the history of the world--to credit our Greek friends, he's making his son into the next Atlas that bears the weight of the world.  Helaman was soon going to be taking over the responsibility of being the sole individual responsible for ensuring the protection of all their sacred records.  In addition, he was going to be responsible for keeping a record of their proceedings--a record, I might add, that would affect millions and millions of people.  He couldn't just keep a garbage journal about what he ate for breakfast that morning and how many beasts he tagged in the forest, his journal had to be celestial status.  He success would affect the playing out of Isaiah's prophesy from hundreds of years prior about the Lord doing a marvelous work and a wonder.  Alma knew that the requirements of this task were enormous, so as a loving father would do, he didn't just require a completion of the requirements, he counseled him on how it could or, for that matter, the only way it could be accomplished.  Here's the counsel he gave him--or at least a snippet of the counsel he gave him--...this was the only way the Lord's will could feasibly be done.

"Learn...to keep the commandments of God.  Yea, cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and withersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.  Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, he shall be lifted up at the last day."

Some counsel, eh?  Well, if that counsel worked in helping Atlas balance the world, should it not be sufficient to help us balance a marble?  This was not trivial words Alma was speaking to Helaman because he felt that he had to say something in order to get dad points...this was crucial, essential, irreplaceable guidance that was necessary for survival..

...and we should treat it as such.

Good stuff.

I hope y'all enjoy the soliloquy.  I'll step down off the soap box now.  ;)

Thanks for being such a great family.

Love,

Elder Patty,

ps. This letter ended up better than it started.  Even I was depressed just writing it at first ;)