Monday October 31st, 2011

We looked out the window Saturday morning only to see gigantic flakes of snow bombarding the green grass and flattening trees still crowned with leaves. Every Pennsylvanian I encounter assures me that they don’t get snow until at least Christmas. Autumn has been unusually wet this year.

I attribute my lack of investigators at Church to the wonderful white stuff that graced us Saturday and scared the people here more than anything dreamed up by the Hallowe’en hardcores in Hershey. However, although the wind, and the rain, and the snow blew through our bicycle-clad skeletons, we still managed to set Wesley and Ryan (the two young boys we’re teaching) and a former investigator from York we tracted into with baptismal dates. Take that Satan!

At catastrophic times like previously mentioned, I shamefully found myself wondering if this was“God’s way” in telling me “it’s ok, you don’t have to go out and work today.” But a scriptural spanking came in the nick of time, as it always does, in an unexpected way. While preparing for my district meeting on revelation through prayer, a scripture kept coming to my mind from the Old Testament. It wasn’t an obscure or hard to understand reference, but it had never rung with the same meaning as it did to my heart at that time. In 1 Kings 19: 11-12 it reads, “And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”

I’m amazed at God’s humble way of communicating with us through the often quiet fruits of the Spirit and usually in hindsight do I recognize the wise promptings of Heavenly Father’s omniscience. Too often to count do the Lord’s servants appear to His wayward children at exactly the right time. This week we knocked on the door of an overdue referral, only to set a return appointment and teach them with one of their member friends present. We also stumbled into a lady who investigated the Church over ten years ago and desperately wants to be baptized and part of something more. We walked an hour and a half in the cold night to try a potential in a part-member family, only to have her drive up right as we get there and express her longing to join the Church.

Coincidences? I don’t think so. Coincidences are just miracles people don’t give God credit for.

-Elder Low

P.S. Each set of Elders in Hershey actually has their own apartment. They’re not far from each other, but it’s nice to have the space. Elder Sp and I are getting along wonderfully. He is continually coming out of his shell and is actually a huge example to me of loving boldness.

Tuesday October 11th, 2011

You want to hear something devastatingly sad? I had NO idea that it was Canadian Thanksgiving yesterday. And here I was half-heartedly celebrating the most random holiday Columbus Day yesterday. Sometimes I have to wonder when and why some holidays came into effect and why it was necessary to close the library. But it sure sounds like you all had a wonderful weekend filled with celebrations and big dinners. Despite the really disgusting email Dad sent me of “Canadian Delicacies,” I am sure missing the home-cooked dinners of Calgary.

The weather here is beginning to slowly turn autumn-ish. It’s getting cooler in the evenings, the days are getting shorter and leaves seem to be littering the streets even though the majority of the foliage around Hershey is still green – go figure.

What else should I write about… oh yeah! My new companion is Elder Sp from South Jordan, Utah. He’s an absolute stud and fireball when it comes to missionary work. While I was driving up to Pittsburgh last Monday I was so worried the whole time, half because of my own inadequacy, the other half in regards to how my trainee would be. It’s funny that my biggest fear six months ago leaving the MTC was being paired up with a lazy and disobedient trainer, and now it came full circle, realizing that one of my biggest fears was receiving a trainee who was unwilling to work and stuck up towards what had to be done. But I was pleasantly surprised by Elder Sp. He actually reminds me a lot of how I was in my first transfer – still worried about girls, media, and the daunting length of two years. In other aspects, he reminds me of having a little brother, copying the little things that I passively do. When I do not wear my helmet, he doesn’t either, when I wear proselyting clothes, he does, when I cuff my short sleeves, so does he. It’s really funny, but I just hope that everything I do is a good enough example so that the Lord and I will not mind that he emulates those things.

The work is already picking up because of the unshakable faith and fire Elder Sp has from the MTC. On the back of our door, we have a quote from Elder Ballard sharing that if we talk to 10 people each day separate from tracting and lessons, then he promises in the name of Jesus Christ that our baptisms will increase. Elder Sp really took that to heart, refusing to go in until we have talked to that many people. I feel like he’s training me, especially in finding. When it comes to finding I become such a wimp and when it comes down to showing Elder Sp “how it’s done,” I’m just grateful for the Lord’s promise in helping me accomplish the thing which he has commanded me. I’m so glad that those called of God have the promise of His assistance whenever it is needed.

The field is white, even in Pennsylvania.

- Elder Low

P.S. I MISS ASHTON SO MUCH I’M GONNA DIE. He’s walking and talking now?! What the crap! He better not grow up anymore until I get home! >:[P.P.S. Who all are you teaching voice and piano? Are they all members of the Church?

P.P.S. I don’t know if you noticed this or not Mom but you randomly capitalized some letters throughout your letter and I was trying to piece them together for a secret message or something, but to no avail.

Monday October 3rd, 2011

Well, it’s that time of year again that NOBODY’S been waiting for: TANNER’S TOP 30 ALBUMS… I MEAN TOP 5 TALKS OF GENERAL CONFERENCE (FALL 2011 EDITION)!

Of the Saturday Morning Session, the award goes to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf!

President Uchtdorf really pulled a fast one on me for this conference. I think I’ve always digested the concepts that we are nothing compared to God AND that our souls are of great worth in the sight of God, however I’ve never comparatively measured the two seemingly conflicting statements side-by-side. His counsel on speaking kindly to others when they mock you and knowing that you matter personally to our omnipotent Heavenly Father really brought me out of the dumps going into General Conference.

Of the Saturday Afternoon Session, the award goes to Elder D. Todd Christofferson!

Elder Christofferson is fast becoming one of my favourite speakers. His analogies from Book of Mormon Nehor-ology to the unrepentant God-fearers of today coincide extremely well. The Book of Mormon truly is written for our day and it’s true that the common fact that unites our church against everyone else is the doctrine of repentance. We know God is neither passive or apathetic when it comes to sinning, and for that reason we must share this knowledge with all those who don’t know or think they know better.

Of the Sunday Morning Session, the award goes to Elder M. Russell Ballard!

I’ve tried so hard to find the line between calling myself a Mormon and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Elder Ballard very clearly noted the difference between the two names. It is important that we distinguish ourselves with the name of Christ in order to show others that this is His Church, just like it says in 3 Nephi 27: 7-8.

Of the Sunday Afternoon Session, the award goes to Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita!

I loved this talk so much because of its complete focus on missionaries, so I guess I’m a little biased. Listening from a missionary’s point of view, a lot of the talks speak very differently and indicate a hidden meaning in thrusting in our sickles to a white field. But this talk really spells it out: the people you influence on your mission will never forget you. He charged the missionaries of the world with a task to be obedient and more importantly, loving.

Possibly my favourite talk of the whole conference came from the Priesthood Session; and that award goes to President Henry B. Eyring!

I decided since I had such a wonderful experience with praying and seeking for something specific before the sessions in the April Conference of this year, that I would make a list of questions that the speakers, by way of the Holy Ghost, could answer for me. I will only share the one question that was personally answered through this talk because I was so amazed by its result.The question in question was “How can I be a better tool in the Lord’s hands while serving as one of His missionaries?” And before I share my answer I need to provide a little background. Since the beginning of this transfer, I’ve known that President Topham has been looking at me to possibly train soon and that was one of the reasons I was companioned with such a great missionary, Elder B. As a result, I’ve felt very anxious and my companions have spared no expense towards my anxiety as they incessantly teased me about it. With all my feeling of inadequacy, I decided a week ago in my letter to President T. that I wasn’t ready to train. The answer to my question really sucker-punched me in the stomach because it came in a form I was not expecting at all. Although several talks on missionary work and the requirements of a good teacher and disciple of Christ were given, President Eyring hit it right on the nose. In his talk, he spoke of recognizing the Lord’s preparation on us to fulfill special callings. He even used the word “trainer” several times and I have no idea where that term is used other than in missionary work. When the Lord calls people to confound the wise, He has this way of calling the weak, simple and teachable to do His will. When he said that, I felt like he was talking directly to me.

Despite my letter to President T. last Monday, he still called last night to assign me as a trainer and district leader. I knew I had to act on the answer I was given in that talk and accepted both calls. Today I’ll be heading to Pittsburgh to meet my new companion and bring him back to Hershey.

President Eyring pointed out that a certain scripture had been quoted 3 times that day of conference and therefore had some eternal significance for those listening. But when he quoted 1 Timothy 4:12-16, it took on a new meaning for me,

“Let no man despise thy youth (not even yourself); but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

-Elder Low

P.S. I’ve attached some pictures of the Hershey Elders helping a nonmember flip up his shed which had been lifted, tossed and completely turned over by the flood.

Monday September 26th, 2011

The good news is that I’m alive.

I would like to think that I’m working hard also, but I think that the incessant bike riding up Pennsylvania hills is finally starting to take a toll on me. The fatigue definitely started to take hold of my companion as he began to get really sick near the end of last week. The rain didn’t help either. These contributing factors have made it very hard to work and effectively teach people on doorsteps and the streets. If we had more planned appointments with solid investigators, things might be different, but yet again we haven’t been blessed with that either. I’m not sure why the Lord would take away a resource as important as our car in a time of difficulty like this. I wonder what I’m supposed to learn or gain from this.

On Saturday, while my companion lay helplessly in bed all day, I had a lot of time for personal study. And I accidentally spent five hours reading Jacob chapter 5. I don’t think Elder McConkie was wrong in saying that next to Isaiah, Zenos was the most important prophet of all time. His allegory of the House of Israel being compared to a tame olive tree in the Lord’s vineyard (which is constantly referred to again and again in our present canon) is amazingly accurate in predicting the events of things past, things as they now are, and things to come. However what entranced me about this chapter is the end, when it specifically applies to me. In verse 70, the Lord’s servant gathers other servants (latter-day missionaries) to nourish, dig, and prune in the vineyard one last time before the harvest. However in these last days, Zenos prophesies that the final missionary effort with being exceedingly fruitful, so I can’t understand why the baptisms of the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission don’t even come close to that of the early missionaries like Dan Jones or Wilford Woodruff.

On my mission I know I’ve felt empathy for the Lord of the vineyard, who, after digging and dunging, trimming, pruning, transplanting and grafting, sees the inevitable decay of those who refuse to take root and subsequently become corrupted. Sometimes I too just want to throw down my spade and shears and cry out to anyone who will listen, “what more could I have done for my vineyard?” Sometimes I feel like I’m doing all I can do and continue to be disappointed by the fruits of my labours. I can only begin to understand what God feels when His children refuse to accept their Father, even when continually “his hand is stretched out still.” (Isaiah 9:12)

In verse 72, Zenos passively gives us a promise that as long as the servants obeyed the commandments of the Lord, the Lord would labour with them. At this time, the close of this transfer, I need to make sure that I am doing everything I can to have the Lord be with me in my efforts so that I can fulfill Zenos’ prophecies. Because without obedience I cannot even hope to be entrusted to seek out the Lord’s elect and bring them to the truth.

I hope Brandon, Mana and Ashton are doing well in Japan, that Gavin and Megan are doing well in Vancouver and that Chelsie is doing well in Victoria! I miss you guys and love you a lot!

Elder Low