A word to my Dad as I couldn't talk to him yesterday on Father's Day. Thank you so much for everything that you do and for all the counsel and good examples you've shown me growing up. The theme for our branch's talks this month is how the roles of parents influence their children. On my mission, I see how easily that equilibrium of peace can be disrupted in a family if the parents do not set a good example. Seeing the destruction of families that the world causes here among nonmembers makes me realize how good I had it growing up. I, like Nephi, have also been born of goodly parents. Yesterday I pondered all through sacrament meeting on those small and simple things that you and Mom did to keep us continually observant of God and His influence. From Family Home Evening, to family dinners, from serving in callings to sending us on missions. All of that has given me a great example for what I want in my family in the future. We had dinner at member's house yesterday and to our surprise it turned out to be a reunion of the Frankenberry family, who's posterity of 9 children literally make up half of our branch. Seeing their joy in each other's company right down the family baseball game they started up, really tugged at my heart for the longing of my own family, probably one of the first times I've truly been weighed down from the absence of you all.
So if you scrape away all of the excessive typing in that last paragraph, it says I love you.
Our main focus this week has dramatically shifted, making it feel like one of the most rewarding weeks of my life. I'm not sure if I mentioned them before, but for a while now we've been trying to get a hold of a family that lives just down the street from us, as the mother (who's name is Amie) had expressed a strong interest in our Church because of our emphasis on families. When the supposed "doom's day" came around on May 21st, Amie said that although she didn't believe its validity, it got her scared. What would happen to her family if they were to all suddenly die? We then showed up. Through her experience with other churches however, she was a little stand-offish at first, entertaining us to be nice, but being told never to listen to the Mormons. As we persisted, she and her husband Leo gave in, a little curious about our message. The first night we taught them (Monday) we somehow got through both the lessons of The Restoration and The Plan of Salvation in answer to their many questions. Ever since then, we've been over to their house 4 times in the last week, teaching them doctrines about the Church that they're feeling comfortable about. It's amazing how prepared they were by the Lord as they've expressed their desires to be baptized on July the 16th, subsequently Amie has become kind of like my Mom away from my Mom. It's times like these that really make my mission feel completely worth it.
It's coming down to a lot of lasts for me and my companion. Elder Zaleski leaves for California in mid July and we just attended our last training conference together with our current Mission President. President Summerhays leaves on June 27th, so he desired to share his testimony with all the missionaries before then. His final testimony included a powerful retelling of the Prophet Joseph Smith's last week on Earth before his martyrdom. Helping us empathize with the trapped feeling of the brethren in Carthage Jail, in the middle of his testimony, our Mission President took the role of Elder John Taylor and began to sing all the verses of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." It's spirit-filled power only rivalled by the testimony of my own companion in that meeting. Because this was Elder Zaleski's last training meeting, he was asked to share his testimony. He stood there for a couple of seconds, looking into the souls of the congregation and composed himself because he immediately started to weep. I've only seen him cry once before and that was when we were with a couple of falling investigators and he said that the reason he was out on his mission was to bring families so that they can be sealed for eternity. This last testimony of his was equally, if not more powerful as he expressed the worth of his mission. In his breaking voice and quivering lip, he bore the strongest testimony I've ever heard to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and this Church, committing us and God Himself as witnesses. Just by looking at him shine, you knew that he knew.
God be with you 'til we meet again,
Elder Low
P.S. Happy belated Birthday from Bedford, Gavin! I hope you're still enjoying your time out in Vancouver!
P.P.S. I didn't know that Grandma & Grandpa liked reading my letters! That's super cool! Do they ever have comments/wisdom to share with me when you read them off?
P.P.P.S. lololol I don't know any David Novak, but I'm fairly certain that he's in the same league as Chandler. Sparrow's planning on serving a mission.
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