Hey Y'all!
Last week was pretty long... the last couple weeks have been really long just because there has been so much going on. Last week we had a zone training meeting. It was all based on poems that related to different topics. My favorite was "The Touch of the Master's hand."
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
Then on Thursday we had the Director of Proselyting from the Church's Missionary Department come to visit and instruct us, which meant a 7 hour meeting, but it was awesome! I wish he would have come like a year ago, but it was great none the less. He basically taught us how to be really, really good missionaries.
Over the last couple days we have had powerful experiences applying what he taught us. So tying back into the poem, even I, who have been a missionary for... awhile, I can still change and grow and become better and so can everyone we meet on the street, at their door, in a restaurant, etc. Everyone is a child of God and can experience the Atonement in their lives if we are willing to share it with them.
Another Talk that seriously impacted Elder Brown and I this past week, "Following Christ to Victory" by Hartman Recktor Jr. He gives 5 steps to seeing miracles in your life. In the talk he relates it to missionary work but it can be applied in a lot of ways.
1) believe in yourself
2) look to the lord for your blessing
3) make the sacrifice
4) expect a miracle
5) receive the miracle with great humility.
This led us to an awesome experience on Tuesday. This was my favorite part of the week fo' sho'. Like a month ago we met a lady named Gennia. We set a return appointment but it never worked out, so we stopped by last week to see her and she said we could come back on Tuesday night. We took Brother Daughenbaugh with us, who is our ward mission leader and a convert of about 4 years. Gennia has a special needs son Ethan and another son Gavin, 8 (He loves to play basketball and loves that Elder Brown and I can dunk on his hoop (it is only like 7 and a half feet)). We shared the Restoration with Gennia and her boys and her friend Ches. The Spirit was great and at the end Gennia said, "We have to get going but we really want to continue this conversation." So we are going back tonight. Then after we finished we helped move her couches out so she could get new ones. While we were waiting for the guys to load the couches into the truck Gavin wanted to play basket ball. And while we were playing basketball Ches was talking to brother Daughenbaugh about how good she felt while we were teaching and he explained that it was the Spirit telling her what we said is true. It was a great tender mercy / miracle.
Love y'all!
Last week was pretty long... the last couple weeks have been really long just because there has been so much going on. Last week we had a zone training meeting. It was all based on poems that related to different topics. My favorite was "The Touch of the Master's hand."
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
Then on Thursday we had the Director of Proselyting from the Church's Missionary Department come to visit and instruct us, which meant a 7 hour meeting, but it was awesome! I wish he would have come like a year ago, but it was great none the less. He basically taught us how to be really, really good missionaries.
Over the last couple days we have had powerful experiences applying what he taught us. So tying back into the poem, even I, who have been a missionary for... awhile, I can still change and grow and become better and so can everyone we meet on the street, at their door, in a restaurant, etc. Everyone is a child of God and can experience the Atonement in their lives if we are willing to share it with them.
Another Talk that seriously impacted Elder Brown and I this past week, "Following Christ to Victory" by Hartman Recktor Jr. He gives 5 steps to seeing miracles in your life. In the talk he relates it to missionary work but it can be applied in a lot of ways.
1) believe in yourself
2) look to the lord for your blessing
3) make the sacrifice
4) expect a miracle
5) receive the miracle with great humility.
This led us to an awesome experience on Tuesday. This was my favorite part of the week fo' sho'. Like a month ago we met a lady named Gennia. We set a return appointment but it never worked out, so we stopped by last week to see her and she said we could come back on Tuesday night. We took Brother Daughenbaugh with us, who is our ward mission leader and a convert of about 4 years. Gennia has a special needs son Ethan and another son Gavin, 8 (He loves to play basketball and loves that Elder Brown and I can dunk on his hoop (it is only like 7 and a half feet)). We shared the Restoration with Gennia and her boys and her friend Ches. The Spirit was great and at the end Gennia said, "We have to get going but we really want to continue this conversation." So we are going back tonight. Then after we finished we helped move her couches out so she could get new ones. While we were waiting for the guys to load the couches into the truck Gavin wanted to play basket ball. And while we were playing basketball Ches was talking to brother Daughenbaugh about how good she felt while we were teaching and he explained that it was the Spirit telling her what we said is true. It was a great tender mercy / miracle.
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
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