Dearest World,
And my lovely family included in it. How are you? Nama Beritah? Nee how ma? Anu Abarnu? Comosta? Ani Agahmu? Abar Kariba? - - - -- Those are just a few of many ways I have learned to ask people how are you. Let's just say there are so many mixes of languages here in Malaysia :D It makes life amazing.
Yet despite all of the languages, communication seems to be one of the things which lacks the most. In fact, I would believe that most of the world's struggles come because of lack of communication. People feel sad in heart when they lose communication with their Heavenly Father. Couples get upset when they don't properly communicate and understand one another, and in this world of so many languages, people just don't communicate well, sometimes. Food for thought....how could you better communicate with your family?
Well, communication has been a big thing in Miri as of late. Even though the Zone lives alot closer (all in one town finally), the nightly phone conversations are not as big, and that results in a lack of knowledge about what is actually going on. It's kinda amazing how one can be so close to someone else, yet really be so far away. However, that does not prevent the Lord working his wonders and making miracles happen. One incredible miracle was actually a result of another.
On Thursday last week we had an appointment with the Lord to go finding in Tudan (a very distant area in our area) at 2:30pm, and due to some lateness of events, we were a bit delayed and even though we had better things to do, we followed through with our appointment we had prayerfully set earlier. We weren't sure where or who, all we knew was when. And sure enough, it happened. As we were riding by this little house off the beaten path, these two women began calling to us, and Elder Steadman and I both had the impression to turn back and go visit them. When we approached the house we were recieved by a screaming child who was terrified of us and slammed the door in our face. We stood in amazement for a minute before the mom and grandma opened the door again and invited us in. Haha. They later recapped that they had no idea why they called us over, but they were just acted upon by a power, and when we began talking about following Jesus Christ into Baptism for the remission of sins, the mother broke down into tears in how badly she wanted this, and how she doesn't want her children to follow in wicked paths but to learn about God. It was pretty exciting :) Now the sad second half of the story is that the husband had different ideas and convinced the mother that their old church was good enough, but that brought us to the same area another day where we ran into some kids and out of unknown reasons we started playing soccer a bit, and then turned it into a Gospel discussion. The most interested was a young woman of 14 years of age named Gelang. While I was a bit hesitant at first to invite them to church, I was brought back to reflect upon what 14 year olds have done for the world....Joseph Smith for one. He was only 14 when he experienced one of the most incredible visions of all time. My own father was only 14 years old when he accepted this Gospel into his life and therefore altered my eternal salvation and all of my posterity. Thank you. This little 14 year old girl has begun to do the same, and made the steps to take her sister and her neighbor to church with her the following day. Miricles do happen. By small and simple things, do great things come to pass, and in many ways doth confound the wise.
The Lord will call us in our weakness, and will give us challenges we are unable to overcome in our current state. That is why h\He gives them, so we can grow to become what He sees we can become :) I know He does this out of love, and it is by the same love that I invite you to look in your own lives how your communication between your family, friends, enemies and unknow associates are being disrupted by greed, disbelief, assumption, hate, and discontent. Write them on a piece of paper and burn them in a fire, and try to put yourselves in their shoes. Most people are trying to do what they feel is right. Help them do what is right, and inspire them to do even more :)
Your Loving Brother, Friend, and Son,
Elder Willem Kamepnhout
No comments:
Post a Comment