So,
it's Kerst Avond hier in de MTC! Love that we have our p-day on this
day. We were able to give our teachers presents yesterday filled with
candy we had left over and thank you cards. We got another
'Investigator" so now we're doing 2 a day. Our new investigator seems
fairly dutch, believes in something but not necessarily a God and she's
really happy with her life. It was hard to find out what she needed
but we are slowly making progress. This week has a been a good one.
So
remember when I said how Elder Strickwerda and I were asked to
demonstrate "how to begin teaching" for a large group of missionaries by
speaking with investigators? One guy we got to speak with in front of
this group is an amazing guy. He he is in his 60's I
think. After we opened his feelings up, enough for the other
missionaries to invite him to come unto Christ, Elder Strikwerda and I
were asked to move to the back where we would watch. It was hard to not
have the chance to speak with him. I really wanted to learn
more of his life.
When
we demonstrated for the new missionaries we learned that he was
born in 1949. He is a Vietnam Vet. and is married. He lost his leg
and is an amputee. You are probably thinking he lost his leg in the
war......he did not. I am pretty sure it was in the 1990s when he
almost died from an artery clog or clot in his leg. This almost killed him . When he arrived at the hospital, the workers there called his
wife saying that he might not make it. I think a couple of the doctors
there figured if they amputated his leg he could live so that's what
they did. After the surgery he had machines and tubes that allowed
him to breathe, kept him alive, and he could not move. In the sheet that
we acquired that tells us about this man it mentioned he had a friend who hooked him up with the Missionaries. As we tried to
find out about him and his life we eventually asked how he met this friend.
Before he almost died and had his leg amputated, they did
not know each other. This woman was shopping the day of his surgery and was
inspired to go to the hospital and find him. She had never met him.
She did not know anyone who knew him. She called her husband and told
her she was going to be late going home because she had to go to the
hospital and find a man named *. She did just that. She was going
through the hospital looking for him. As she asked one of the
nurses where a man named * was who just had surgery he called and said,
" I am he." Only family was able to visit but this woman was allowed to
speak with him. As she entered the room and pulled a chair beside
his bed he pushed the button to raise his back so he could sit
up. For myself, it is very hard to understand what people are going
through if I have not experienced it myself. I don't know what they are
going through and I don't know 100% how they feel. That is what makes
the Atonement so amazing. Our Savior knows exactly what we are going
through and because of that, He knows what we need. They
started talking. I don't know how the exact conversation went down but
it got to the point where she removed her metal leg and put it on the
table beside him. For the next couple of hours they talked and cried.
She told him why she was there. She told him that his Father in
Heaven, God, sent her there. He came to know God. He sees the
blessings in life. When we asked him how God has blessed him in his
life he stood up and walked in a circle. When he sat back down he
replied, " I can walk." He also shared with us that God took his leg.
God took his leg so he could help, through his message, other people.
I have yet to fully ponder on his words. God took his leg so he could
help, through his message, other people....he learned how to walk
again. He learned how to dress again. He learned how to walk up and
down stairs again. He learned how to shower again and he learned how to
drive again. He is an incredible man. From that 5-10 minute
exercise I was intrigued and had the desire to know more. I was given
that chance yesterday. As I was walking into the cafeteria, I saw this man walking towards me. I waited and when he was close enough
called him by name and asked if he remembered me. When we got close he
recognized my face. We talked very, very briefly and I asked where he
was going. He replied, "walking." I invited him to come eat some lunch
with my zone and me. He at first said no but I told him to check what
the cafeteria had, today was a good day of eating. He looked, saw
shepherds' pie and agreed as long as I was going to help him with his
tray. We got his food and then sat down at a table with the zone. We
talked about what he liked to do. He is an artist. He paints. He
loves to paint landscapes and sculptures. He also goes to elementary
schools where he teaches children how to paint. He has been
painting for not his entire life. In fact, he started painting I think
10 years ago or a little longer than that. Not long. He shared a question
he asks to the kids. "What do you use to paint?" Of course you say
paint, a brush, paper or something like that. He says, "your eyes."
You have to use your eyes to see what the objective is. He then spoke
about the desire. He was given the chance to help others and he
acquired the desire. He was given the opportunity to walk and he
learned because he had the desire. He was given the option to learn how
to paint. He couldn't have done it if he didn't have the desire. This
has made me rethink of what , "wanting to do" and "having the desire"
are. Made me think how they are different. I want to serve a mission.
I want to help others by sharing what I have found has helped me be
happy in life. I really want to but do I have the desire? Like....do I
really, really have the desire.
I
am grateful for this man. I now know why God "took" his leg. I am
beyond happy that he has followed the direction that he received from
the Heavens. He truly does help people. I hope we can all find out
what God wants us to do. I am more than positive that my time here in
the MTC was the direction I was to go. The things that have been
brought to my attention are things that I never gave thought to but are so
important. I hope that we can spend our time thinking over the word
desire. I hope that we can spend time thinking what God wants us here
to do. We the know the general answer which is becoming more like Him,
but what's in between the lines for us. We always have a meaning. It
doesn't matter how old we are or what we are and what we aren't good at.
Some things to think about.
Vrolijk
Kerst! Ik houd jullie van en Ik hoop dat wij een geweldig kerstmas
hebben. I probably didn't get the structure or spelling right but I
think that's pretty close : ) Tot volgen de keer!
Elder Holt
On Christmas Day...
On Christmas Day...
I love and miss you
and hope you have an awesome Christmas : )
We had an amazing devotional last night on Christmas Eve. Made me
really feel the Christmas spirit. Our speaker, Elder David Evans, spoke
about communication. It is so important how we communicate with people
whether it be with our words, actions or gestures. Communicate that
which uplifts and does not corrupt. He also brought something up that I
think is so important. If we read Moroni we can read epistles,
letters, that are written from father to son. Elder Evans shared some
letters he and his dad exchanged while he was on his mission. It gave
me the thought that words that are written stay still and in place
longer than words that are said.......I know....deep eh!? haha Basically
it's nice to receive letters letting you know that you are appreciated. I
am going to start doing this more and I hope that you will start as
well. Gifts are cool but a heart-felt letter.......now that is a
precious gift. Write letters to those who have blessed you. I know
that it will help them and give them a little bit of that Christmas
spirit.
I want to
say that my time here in the MTC is amazing. I know I pretty much say
that every time but it's true. It's hard to pinpoint every blessing we
have been provided when we are in the real world. We have so many
distractions whether it be work, school, tv, sports,
friends.......pretty much anything. Here in the MTC, I have been able
to see blessings and been directed to things that I did not pay
attention to. I am one of those missionaries that knows that God is
there and He is listening. I haven't had a dream or revelation or
spoken face to face with God but he has answered my prayers on more than
one occasion and that is more than good for me. I have come to know
that our Savior, who is our greatest gift, is living today. He bled
and suffered so that I could right my wrongs and become a better and
stronger person. I sustain all of our prophets, apostles and church
leaders. We are hand picked by God according to our desire, diligence
and love. The more I read Het Boek Van Mormon, the more I can
understand its realness. This book is not a book of man. The words
are revelation from God. It is important to show love to everyone we
come across....just as the Savior did for many on this earth and just
like He does for us everyday. If you say that you can not see His
love....you do not have the desire to look because I can tell you He
does love you and he helps you more than you realize. Share the same
love that Savior has for everyone. Say Merry Christmas to those you
cross paths with. Help someone with their groceries. Spend a couple
minutes and ask how some one is doing. Be better than your best. Some
of us are very fortunate to know that we are loved by God so much that
he sent his only begotten Son to fulfill the Atoning sacrifice. Spread
that message and love to those who do not. That is my favorite
Christmas gift and I hope that we can all remember that If it was not
for the love our Father in Heaven and His Son we would be a lost cause.
I
love you. I miss you. I am happy and I hope that you all are Happy.
Please don't get lost in the presents and the temporal things that
really don't matter. They are nice and I know that we are excited to
get things but remember the greatest gift of all time : ) Remember what He did and what He does. Remember why He came to the Earth. I love
Him and I can say from experience that He shows his love back. All we
have to do is ask and seek. Vrolijk Kerst.
PS....I
challenge all of you to write a letter to ones that you love dearly.
Write a letter telling them how much you love them and how grateful you
are for them.
--Elder Holt
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