Well I can't find my battery charger for my camera so you're going to get some old Pictures... but I think this one is timeless anyway. This was last week in Sønderborg.
So I have no time Again... but real quick. I got to return to Silkeborg this week for Stake Conference! It was crazy, and I forgot how awesome that place is. We watched the Whole stake assemble in the Little town where normally only about ten members attend church every sunday. It was quite impressive! They released the stake president, I ate at his house a lot in Odense, he's a stellar guy. We also got to hear from two General Authorities - Elder Boom and Elder Obando.
Here's what I learned.
When Elder Bednar came a while ago he told us to listen to the spirit instead of him and to only write Down those Things that we heard from the Holy Ghost and not just copy what he said. When the seventies stood up they both said that we may learn Things that have nothing to do with what they were talking about. I've really been working on it, and this was one of the first times I got a really personal message out of it due to the times I could feel something different. I went in with a question in my Heart expressed in prayer, and I got an answer in return. From Kurt, the old stake president I wrote Down that ''We are called because we have the gospel in our life. We are called to use it.'' from Elder Obando (a really awesome guy) I worte ''Untrue traditions have done more damamge to this church than normal disobedience.'' and from Elder Boom ''We are the real heroes in life, and I promise you that if you pray each and everyday that the lord will help you.'' That's not exactly what they said... and I translated Kurts quote... but it's what I heard and felt I needed. The overarching message in my mind may be a Little difficult to explain since you all weren't at the talks... but to summarize I feel like I've coasted in my life when I was back home because I've thought that learning and knowing the gospel was enough. I wondered why I was born to the middle of LDS life and why I had never had the option of failing to understand the message. Well my advice from Kurt is that I may be called to do something more than just to learn it. The people I help are still in the process of learning what the message of Christ is, but I should be in the process of making it who I am because I've had the knowledge handed to me from age 0. That Means that I can't just please my mission president and church leaders and then not have a willing Heart to do anything other than show outward commitment, but I need to be doing this for myself when I am alone and for a living being that I pray to everyday not because I want to feel obedient and be a good kid for the people around me but because I enjoy living my life this way. Often the tradition I've felt that has casued the most harm is that often members of our church don't feel like they are allowed to fail or Express doubt. From Elder Obando I feel like I learned that that is ok! We can become the real heroes in life by becoming someone we are happy with and someone God is happy with. Someone who can be trusted to be the right person despite what others say and think and someone who is being the right person not just to please everyone else.
When we do all this and pray daily we will feel a literal and physical difference in how we feel and the sensations that we experience from feeling the spirit, and it will make us happier. I know that now. The best part is that we can do it all without worrying what we are going to get in return. The return always takes care of itself.
I don't really think any of that made a ton of sense to anyone other than me... but hey! That's ok :) I still have a lot of learning to do so I will be able to explain my ideas and thoughts more simply.
I wish I had Pictures to show from eating lunch with some members in Silkeborg again! I miss that place sometimes. Umm other stories.... taught a British guy that is simpathetic with the Quaker religion, slept over with 9 other elders in a tiny Apartment for stake conference, went to the Beach for weekly planning because Elder Willardsen finally turned 19 (horribly confronted by the sight of a very naked and very old man), and yeah... basically a normal week! I wish I had more time to tell you all stuff but this week was a lot of long train rides and travel for Stake Conference and District meeting. On Wednesdays we have to travel FIVE HOURS round trip to go to district meeting. Basically it's the Whole day.
And because Dad said he couldn't remember what I look like...
Oh! We also painted a less active ladies house. She's moving to a new Apartment with her boyfriend that she's known for eight months. What??? Everyone here is super quick to move in together... but then again divorce can be carried out online so I guess it's not too messy. Sad. I wish them the best of luck though, they fed us some really good frikadeller (balls of meat and... stuff. Not sure what they are actually) so that was awesome.
Gotta go write an essay. But you all just keep on looking beautiful back home ya hear?
Silkeborg =)
Ældste Durrant
Borups Alle 128 1.tv
2000 Frederiksberg
Denmark
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