GRATITUDE DAY 5

OUR MISSIONARY.

His letters each week have brought such joy to our entire family.  They are also bringing joy to those who receive updates (via me) through his thoughts each week. 

What a joy it is to have one of our children focusing his time and energy on something selfless and because of it he is growing by leaps and bounds.

The time that he is spending in the training center is 'pumping him up' (spiritually) as well as teaching him useful tools to help him once he arrives in Argentina.  When things become difficult while he is in Argentina, the spiritual feelings experienced now as well as the lessons learned will surely help him.  I am grateful for this preparatory time for him (and us).

I am grateful for his desire to serve and his love for the Lord.

I am grateful that God would bless me with such a son.

***

I am preparing a package for him that will hopefully be in Argentina when he arrives in December.  If you would like to include well wishes for him, feel free to leave a note to him in the comments section below or send me an email.  I will print them off and include them with my package.  Also, one of his friends did not receive his visa in time and cannot get into Argentina as of yet.  It appears that Argentina has decided to hold onto visas for now...we are praying for this young man to receive his visa soon so he can enter Argentina.

We are also concerned about Nathan's, we had some last minute problems come up with his paperwork.  (Getting him ready and gone was insane!  And stressful.)  Anyway, since his paperwork had been sent back and forth so much, we are worried that Nathan will also be in the same predicament.

We are praying for Nathan to receive his visa on time, if you would like to include him in your prayers also, I know it will help.

Thanks.

And now for the letter of the week! :)   (Sounds a bit like Sesame Street...)

Hola Familia!!

¿Comó están ustedes?  ¿Tienen un tiempo buenisimo en Tejas? Pues, mi vida aquí, en el CCM es fantastico. Todo está bien (como el Himno=) Felicitaciones Emily! I can't believe that you guys placed fourth in State!! That is incredible!

Pues... mi vida aquí... Spanish is coming along... a little slower than I would like sometimes, but it's coming along nevertheless.

The days here seem to pass by more and more quickly every day. I can't believe I've already been here 21 days, and at the same time I can't believe it's only been 3 weeks. Like you said dad, time here is kind of like the twilight zone. The days last forever, the weeks seem too short, and when you look back on the time you've spent here, it's hard to tell exactly how much time has passed.

I am learning so much.   Last night Elder Rasband, from the presidency of the seventy, spoke to us. He taught us more about the importance of finding people to teach, and the spirit of his message was incredibly strong.  But it was his wife's talk that touched me the most. She shared a story of a missionary who had served in New York while she and her husband had been Mission President's there.  The one thing that this missionary had really wanted throughout his mission was to have his shoes shined like he'd seen in Magazines and old movies.  But, he served his whole mission in places where that couldn't happen. Finally, in his last week in the mission field, as he was serving in the Bronx, he heard a voice calling out "Shoe shine!" He ran and found a man in tattered clothing there on the corner of the street, with a little can of shoeshine in his hand. The missionary asked the man how much a shoeshine would cost, and the man simply said "as much as you are willing to pay." The Missionary turned to look at his companion and by the time he looked back, the tattered man was down on his knees earnestly shining the missionary’s shoes.  He was giving his all to the service, using what was left of his tattered clothing to preciously shine the missionary's shoes.  And as the missionary looked on, he envisioned another figure, Christ, giving his all for us.  He envisioned Christ calling to him with the admonition "Soul shine" and he was overcome. He came to a new understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in that instant. So, as the man finished shining his shoes the missionary gave him all that he had.  Every cent, and was reminded that we should give our all to the Savior.  As I Heard this story, I too came to a new understanding of Christ's Atonement, and I hope that the measly price I have to offer will be enough to Him.

Comments

[Jonathan]

This is my favorite letter so far!

November 5th: Today I am grateful for my sweet wife Marilyn, she told me the other day that Thursdays are now like the day after Christmas (day after letter).

Our family has been so blessed because of her decisions to focus on building their lives and character. She is a full out hands-on Mom who is fully focused on these beautiful souls that have blessed our home. I know of no greater work than that of a mother who has fully embraced her call to love. Thank you Marilyn.

[Kim]

What a special time for your family. I am sure getting those letters are so uplifting and are also a spiritual experience. It must also feel so good to see that all of your hard work to raise and teach your child to be an exceptional person is now manifesting itself.