Hey
guys!
It has been an awesome
week. We have been working with some really cool investigators, including two
from China who are progressing really well. We have become good friends with
them and they seem to have some strong, sincere desire. Also, a good friend of
mine from Kaiserslautern, Tensor, got baptized, and I cheered when I heard it!
It is nice to see someone that I found be baptized because that has given me a
huge motivation boost to contact more.
We had an awesome time last
P-Day evening because some members fed us THANKSGIVING DINNER. It was sweet. I
was so grateful to be able to feel so close to home on that day. It certainly
beats the heck out of having a microwave lasagna with old stuffing (last
year)!
We also did a hot chocolate
street display. It was fun and we did find some people. It also boosted our
spirits to carry out the church‘s new Christmas initiative this Christmas.
However, I also feel that it would have been better to just do a regular street
display and just focus on finding new people through sharing the main messages
of the church, because we didn’t find nearly as many through simply pushing the
initiative. However, I think it was more impressionable and positive for the
people we talked to, whether or not they had interest, because I am sure there
were some who otherwise wouldn’t have listened.
IT‘S
A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT FROM THE O.T.:
I don’t expect you to
read this. Do so if you will.
I have recently had the
chance to study some of the "Wisdom Books" and other writings of the Old
Testament, namely Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. I must say that I have
been surprised by how much power these books have contained, and the help that
they have been to develop my testimony of God and Christ. Right now, I am
reading Isaiah, which has been wonderful, but I figured that I could share an
insight or two with you from Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes is an
interesting book so far because of the different tone that it seems to take
which is different from many other books in the Bible. Especially so if read
from a worldly perspective, the preacher-author has a seemingly lamenting tone,
proclaiming the fleetingness of labor and experiences in our mortal lives. For
example, he writes concerning death the following:
"Then said I in my heart,
as it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more
wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity [fleeting]. For there is
no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now
is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? As
the fool." (2:15-16).
One could initially read
this book and interpret them as though the writer is saying that nothing
ultimately matters, as all is vanity and fleeting. This assumption can be drawn
through perhaps multiple parts of the book. However, the true purpose and belief
of the preacher is revealed in the final chapter of the book. He writes about
death:
"Then shall the dust return
to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it (...)
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work
into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be
evil."
From my reading, I believe
that the preacher writes in a pessimistic-sounding tone to emphasize that those
things with which men most often occupy themselves are fleeting, specifically
the pursuits of wealth, power, admiration of others, and peace as the world
defines it. Indeed will these things cease to exist beyond the grave. God will
not judge us for our financial or social success, but rather for the thoughts
and intents of our hearts, and the works and potential we accomplished and
achieved. Wisdom, on the other hand, remains with us. Wisdom is seen in this
point of the Bible as righteousness combined with knowledge--and to be wise is
the notion that one not only knows much, but lives based off of that truth which
he has learned and is morally straight. The scriptures teach that “whatever
principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life [will] rise with us in the
resurrection.“ (D&C 130:18), and so as sure as we will be judged by our
earthly actions, so will we retain the knowledge of our righteousness and
wickedness, and so will we still remember that which we have learned through
both secular and religious education.
Anyways, this is a long
letter. I am particularly enjoying my studies right now because I feel I am
getting more insights than ever before, from both the Book of Mormon and Bible.
I think the two things that I got from this short analysis is that:
- In a world full of distractions it is dire to seek after the things which will not perish at the end of our mortality
- ‘‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.“ (Proverbs 4:7)
Thanks for playing! Love you guys!
Have a great Christmas season!
Love,
Elder Wallentine
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