First off, I hope everyone is having a Happy Thanksgiving!
Second, I know this email seems long but its worth it!
Anyways this weeks email is on Gratitude! Big surprise, huh?;) Anyways we had a devotional on Sunday
that is always awesome. But this last Sunday it was the fireside (movie
night) that was awesome. The movie was the full length movie of the
Restoration and it seemed fairly new if you guys want to watch it. I
highly suggest that you do, especially it being Thanksgiving today.
Anyways
during the movie I just felt like my work isn't good enough. What the
pioneers and early members of our church did for a religion that they had
faith in was unbelievable. They had children wives and husbands shot
and killed just because of their faith in the gospel. But they still
pressed on knowing that if they held strong to their faith and followed
Joseph Smith that all will work
out in the end.
Now
I dont know about you guys at home but this movie and the whole entire
story of the restoration made me a whole lot more thankful for what I
have. I feel spoiled. In the first picture of me with 4 elders I'm going
to explain why I feel this way.
Going from
left to right (looking at the picture) the Elder in the black suit is
named Elder Dove. He has had Cerebral Palsy in his right hand. As a
missionary you use your right hand more than any other thing daily to
shake peoples hands.
The next one to the right,
the tall guy is Elder Lake! he's just a positive guy-always and his
personality cracks me up and he wanted to be in the picture with me! so I
let him.. Moving on! hah;)
After me is Elder
Langi, I'll talk more about him next but the guy on the far right, as you
all know is Elder KiniKini. When he was 7 he was diagnosed with cancer
in his right shoulder. They had to take out his complete shoulder and go
through chemotherapy. They reconstructed his shoulder with what bone he
had left and screws and plates. They took a bone out of his leg later
on to put in his arm, because he broke it. I don´t know if you can tell
in the picture but is right arm is about 10 inches shorter then his
left. If he lifts it to high over his head the screws and plates will
break.
Now for Elder Langi, the other Tongan
standing next to me. This man can sing like I´ve never heard before. His
dad taught him and all of his brothers when they were young how to
sing. For devotionals he just tells everyone to close there eyes and
seek the spirit. I'll tell you this now that I feel it as strong as ever
when he sings. Here´s why: Think back a year from now and think about
where you were and what you were doing. Not that long ago right?
Well the day before we took this picture was the one year mark that his
dad passed away. His dad battled cancer for 3 years and eventually
couldn't beat it. So when he sings his songs its like he's singing with
his dad up there and it all comes straight from his soul.
I
bring up Elder Langi's story because Elder Langi has the faith of a
Pioneer like in the video we saw. Knowing how close he is to his dad
still shows it very strong. The man is filled with Gratitude and its
amazing to watch him. He's become a role model in my life just watching
him every day here.
Okay sorry this email is so
long but the word GRATITUDE has a whole different meaning for me now. I
tell you there stories so that you guys can also be filled with
gratitude for what you do have. Stop worrying about what you don't have,
be grateful for what you do have because that's all that matters. These
# guys I've talked about never care about what they don´t have, they
are always grateful for what they do have.
So I
challenge you all, whoever made it this far into my email to not only
today but always to be thankful for what you have. My Teachers quorum
leader in orem, his names Kyle Aldous, gave us a lesson on this specific
topic once and he said basically the same thing. But he said "when you
wake up every day, before you get out of bed think of something to be
excited about for your day and something your grateful for" I challenge
you all to do the same!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
AND here´s a cool Thanksgiving video for you guys to watch!
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