October 8, 2010

October 8, 2010
Hey family!
Wow it seems like I was sitting in conference just yesterday and it’s already Friday! One of the really crazy things that I’ve been preparing for and will finally do tonight is teach the whole first lesson in Spanish! Its fun though. We are forced to think and teach simply because that’s all our vocabulary can handle. A tradition that we have is that when a district leaves that we sing "God be with you till we meet again" in Spanish. We did that this past week and now there's only one more time to do that before I’ll hear it! Crazy! I’m working on my Sixth week! I know I have changed and learned a lot of things, especially Spanish, but not that long! Maybe like a week and a half or so!
The next part is what I wrote in my journal directly following Conference:
Nothing can describe the feelings of today. Nothing will be as this was. I should start at the beginning. Today I had the opportunity to sing in the choir at General Priesthood. Much preparation and thought went into it. We left at about one thirty (total about three hundred and sixty of my brothers on seven busses). After crossing "the threshold" and seeing "real people," I was reminded of my reason for being here. I do not know whether they were members or not, but they are my brothers and sisters. When we reached the destination, we were ushered into a room to practice. I do not know what the room was used for previously, but there were three large ornate chairs on the stage. We practiced and ate a quick snack. After, we lined up in our sections by height. Thanks to my father I was seventh in line from the top. When I got into the loft, I realized that I was singing to and for many people. I wondered as I sat down, "who has sat here before me?" Singing was magnificent. I tried to, as our conductor said, "Bare my testimony through my face and eyes." If the eyes truly are the windows to the soul, then I want to communicate to every soul within sight, that God lives and loves us and that Jesus is the Christ. I sang in the presence of Apostles, General Authorities, Prophets and the President of the true Church of Jesus Christ; I know it and I cannot deny it. The last song of the evening was ‘Called to Serve’. The Last word was King. I felt my Fathers acknowledgement. From this day forward, I will never teach about prophets the same way again.
In the Loft I was in the middle section in the top on the left hand side. I was second from the top and four or five guys in.
In the evening I have tried to describe the Experience here in a metaphor. It was fun to write but I don't know how many other people will like it. Any how:
One morning in late April a Master Herdsman looked out over the fields and found that a new colt had been born. This excited the master because he knew the potential in one even so young as it. He quickly ran to the fence line to get a better look. A fine tall grey horse. While he was young he'd be tended by his mother but eventually would be ready to be taught much more. Each day for several years the master would go and check on the colt to see how he was doing. From time to time he would notice substantial growth. But also, he saw that the colt would get to close to something and receive a small scratch or a nick for his efforts. Under the supervision of his mother, the master taught the colt how to be led. At first, this was quite different for the colt. Besides his Mother, nobody had ever told him what to do or where to go. Yet the colt knew the Master a little and decided to follow him. "Mother does so why shouldn't I?" After about a week the colt followed with relative ease. This spurred excitement in the eyes of the Master. For he knew it was almost time for the colt to be used fully. That day came quickly to the colt. he was led away from his mother and locked in another pen. He had all the necessities such as food water and some nice shelter, but it wasn't the same as home. After a few days of adjustment the Master led the colt into a round pen. The colt thought he was going home. He ran all the way around the fence line but found that he came back to the Master. The training begin. After a few weeks, this training intensified even more. Saddles and bits were put on and with much protest, fitted correctly. The colt didn't like having to learn and stretch. Yet the Master persisted on. He knew that if the colt would learn to love the learning, it would go by faster and much more would be learned. However it was up to the colt. One day the colt was being particularly stubborn. After it ran away from the master. Yet again, the Master held his head in his hands. He didn't look angry, more heart broken. The colt didn't know this, but there were some wild horses a little ways away that the master wanted to bring back. The colt noticed this sorrowful look and slowly with his head down walked back to the Master. Ever so carefully he drooped the reins at his feet. The Master looked into the eyes of the colt and knew that he was ready to learn. At this time a quote is needed. Boyd K packer said, "something remarkable happens when a person chooses with his own free will to be obedient." The next few weeks went by quickly and he learned to love the Master and the bit. With a flick of the master’s hands the colt knew what to do. One night a mighty tempest arose and it was so intense that the barn seemed to want to come off of its foundation. The Master heard the whinnies of fear from the barn. Without a moments hesitation he lept from his chair and ran out to the barn. The colt was running in tight circles and thought that he had been deserted by everything. When he stopped worrying about himself so much, he saw the master waiting patiently at the fence. He trotted over to the Master not knowing what would happen. The Master put his hand on the nose of the colt and looked into the eyes of the colt and communicated. Fear and doubt were in his eyes no more. They weathered the storm together in the barn that night. The next week, the day came when the colt, with Master atop left for the other wild horses. They had once belonged to the Master but could not see the love he had for them. They left, with the idea that they could manage on their own. Several, through time, became sick or crippled with no Master to help them. They colt was exited as was the Master. When they got to them the colt couldn't see the difference from one horse to another, but the master atop could. He knew which were ready to come back. They brought a few in each day. They worked for days on end. When the colt would return in the evening, he would lie down exhausted. He smiled and knew the days work was well worth it when he heard the master say, "Well Done my Good and Faithful servant." They brought many back to the Master.
Well I don’t' have much time left. Hopefully this story will make sense to a few of you.
Con amorElder Mackay