Caddy of Hope
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To be completely honest, I really don't have a lot to say about this week so I'll try and make up for my short writings in the spiritual thought.
Pamphlets and Pamphlets and more Pamphlets
So we have realized that everybody wants to talk to the two gringos. And we realized also that we need to try and use that to our advantage. So… we proceeded to print off probably 300 papers with the church information, our number, and most importantly a fatttt picture of us on there and glue it on to the lesson pamphlets of the Restoration, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Plan of Salvation. Wish he would've chosen a better picture of me with all the time I spend having to look at them but it's ok. We then went and walked for what felt like 48 hours handing these out to different villages and some people in Rabinal. Can't even lie it was a long day. Very long. The saving grace was the free bus ride back from this guy because he wanted to try and speak English to us. I usually wake up to a 2-minute voice memo from him every morning…
Entrevistas y intercambios
So this week we had interviews and exchanges. The interview was great with President Urizar; he's actually such a goat. Best way to describe him is he's loki just a bro. You just love to see it. And then his wife is literally an angel. I talked with her for a super long time. Genuinely one of the nicest people ever and for some reason the 2.5 hours I spent talking to her, my Spanish was on roids or something cause I was just understanding everything. She couldn't get enough of the BOM y LDM collaboration either. She was in love with it. Then went on cambios with Elder Gonzales. He's from Honduras and we both were just having a great time. But he also really hypes up my Spanish and just had me share every message. The confidence really helped me actually. And it was some much-needed practice that I don't always get.
¿Donde esta la luz?
So the thunderstorms have been on a heater recently and are just too strong for the incredibly modern infrastructure of Rabinal. Because of this, we keep losing power for very long periods of time which is less than ideal. The craziest part is they just come out of nowhere and just flood the streets. I have seen cars just flying down the streets with no one driving them. It's crazy. Apparently, it only does this like 2 months out of the year. Sometimes when I'm on mile 12 of the day, I send a prayer for the rain though.
Spiritual thought
So it's been 10 weeks and I haven't made a golf analogy. You might be questioning if it's even been me but I'm going to break this streak right now in one of the two examples I give.
In one of Tiger Woods very first major tournament closings, he walked up to his approach shot which he believed to be 100 yards. As any tour golfer does, prior to committing to a shot it is essential to converse with your caddy and fully commit to the actions you are going to take next. After a moment of conversing with the caddy, he pulled the club that would typically fly around that yardage. However, unlike most scenarios, there were things Tiger did not know in these moments as he stepped up to take a shot of significant importance. But Tiger had a caddy who knew him potentially better than he knew himself. The caddy knew that the young Tiger had adrenaline in himself that he may not have seen. The caddy knew telling Tiger the shot was truly 115 yards would lead to a different club choice. One that would not have had an outcome either of them wanted. With everything on the line, Tiger did not know the caddy had given him a “false yardage.” Tiger proceeded to hit the following shot close, 15 yards further than he intended, and win the tournament.
Many of you have most likely heard the story of the gardener and the currant bush. The bush had grown to be great in size and was yielding no fruit. The gardener proceeded to cut down the bush. It appeared that after being cut down, the bush shed a tear and seemed almost to say, “Why have you cut me down, I was making such wonderful growth and now you have cut me down.” The gardener responded explaining how right now you might not understand but when you are laden with fruit you will be thankful. Thankful that I loved you enough to cut you down. Thankful that I knew what you could be. Many years later this same gardener was in the army preparing to be promoted, or so he thought. He showed up to the promotion meeting and was told he met all the requirements. Had all the attributes but was not going to receive the position. Simply because he was a “Mormon”. As he left with an immense amount of frustration towards the man, he shouted at God. Explaining how he, himself, was making such wonderful growth. How he possessed all the attributes he needed and had done everything to deserve the position. When a familiar phrase came to his head. I'm the gardener here and I know what I want you to be.
Just as Tiger's caddy knew what he needed, the gardener did as well. The good caddies know what's best for you. They know you better than you know yourself. But the best caddies know you exactly because they have done it themself. The Savior has felt every affliction, every hardship, and every pain in your life. He will be in the details of your life finding the ways to influence you in the best ways possible as he felt what you feel. In addition, one of the most important roles of a “caddy” is bringing you back into it when you begin to be lost. He leaves the 99 sheep to find the one that went astray. He kills the fatted calf and celebrates when his son returns despite his transgression. And he looks for the missing piece of silver and calls everyone once he finds it. You are never too far off. You are never alone. He always wants you to come back. He is always there with you. And he knows you better than you know yourself. He is the greatest “caddy” you could ever have.
“Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead—a lot of it—30 years of it now, and still counting. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”-Elder Holland
Ether 12: 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
Hope you all have a great week. I love you all.
Elder Wilde
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