Busy, Busy

Kumasta Mom and Dad, 

- Please tell Nana HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!!!!  I love her so much!!!!

-Dad, I'm going to get the 15 Moroni/title of Liberty carving for you.

-Thanks so much for the pictures!

-I got an awesome letter from Elder Tenny!!! He sounds like he's doing great things! At the end of April we're taking the Packers to the airport with President and the rest of the office staff, and I think we'll drive through Elder Tenny's area on our way up. You think he could just time it just right and be standing at a stoplight or something?!!

It was a crazy week as usual! For the first time on my mission, I didn't go to church this week! Here's the story. So on Thursday, one of the Elders assigned in our ward here went to the hospital. It turned out he had Dengue Fever! He was getting a lot of bloddy noses, had rashes, and sever stomach pain. We had to run up to the hospital to get them all settled in. The hospital looks pretty nice, but don't judge a book by it's cover! The hospital doesn't provide its patients with water, towels, or even syringes! They give only a little bit of food to their patients! There was also no where for his companion to get food at the hospital. So we spent a lot of time bringing them water and food. On Saturday I worked with the sick elder’s companion because he was really stressed and was losing his mind staying in that hospital. I woke up a little early on Sunday morning to read my scriptures, but I just felt like we needed to go to the hospital. I started to get dressed, and me and my companion went to the hospital to take them water, with enough time to get back for church. When we got there, his platelets were dropping, and he started bleeding like crazy from his nose! He was bleeding out of both nostrils. It was pretty scary! We texted President who was at a faraway District Conference with Elder Teh of the Seventy. He told us we needed to go and get platelets for him! Now normally this should be easy right? Well the closest place with platelets was an hour and 15 minutes away! So we got in that car and we...made pretty good time! We got there, got the platelets and got back, in the process missing church. We were able to have a sacrament meeting with them when we got back to the hospital. Whew!  He is doing well today.    

With Easter this Sunday, and Palm Sunday yesterday, I'm been thinking about the last week of the Savior's life. So many things happened, and such a huge chunk of the Gospels come from that last week. I've decided that I'm going to read a little bit from all four Gospels every day, leading up to Thursday with the trial and betrayal, the crucifixtion on Friday, and the Resurrection on Sunday! I want to get a better idea of what that week was really like. As I've been reading, and really trying to pay more attention, I've picked up some really interesting things. I read the parable of the Wedding for the Son. In the parable, there's a feast, and the King invites all of his friends. They choose not to come, wanting to do other things. The King, obviously saddened, then extends the invitation to everyone, and has his servants go out to the "highways" having them invite all, "bad and good", anyone that would come. When they came, the King looked around at the guests. They were all asked to wear a "wedding garment" or some sort of attire. You wouldn't show up to a state dinner in Sperry's and bermuda shorts, but it seems that someone tried to do just that! I can almost see them nervously sitting there, praying no one will notice! The King says to him "Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless." In other words, are you crazy!!”  You know better than to show up not in the proper attire! As much as he may have wanted to, there was no possible way he could stay unnoticed. On top of that, how miserable do you think he was just sitting there! It wasn't that the King disliked him, he called him "Friend". But despite how much he may have loved him, there was nothing that the King could do. He wasn't fit for the feast. He hadn't prepared himself, even despite the preparation being so simple and straightforward. I'm sure he "got the memo" before, but for some reason thought he could get back. He's cast out, and as the Savior sums it up, he says "For many are called, but few are chosen."

This parable is about a lot of things. Missionary work, the Gathering of Israel, our Heavenly Father's love, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We've all been invited to the feast. We all know the dress code, or we all know the things we must do to prepare. The reward is greater than anything we can imagine!! No matter how bad we may have been, or how good we've been up to this point, how rich or poor we may be, there is a seat for anyone at the table, and all are invited. As Christ said, many are called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Pride, laziness, there are many reasons. This is why is this work is so important. Many are called, all are called, but few do what they need to do to qualify. The Gospel is very straightforward and clear. It's our job as missionaries to go out into the highways, finding everyone, good and bad, young and old, and help them know how to prepare. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I know that he is preparing the hearts of people to receive this Gospel. This past week I was on exchanges with a new Elder. When I told him we were going tracting he looked less than thrilled! We came to the first door, and the guy just shut us down! No matter what he said and told us to leave and that he had zero interest in listening to us! I could tell my companion was a bit discouraged! This past week I've really been trying to find in faith people to teach. There are a lot of people that aren't interested, but you need to believe that the next door is the one where you'll find somone who's prepared. We knocked on a door, and a little girl came out and said, "They said come in!" We walked into the house, and there was a family eating dinner. As we started talking to them, the father told us they used to live in a small town called Paete about two hours away, and there lived next door to them a member, who's a wood carver (yup, the guy who's making the wood carvings for me right now!). Years ago they were taught by missionaries, and even went to church for a whole year. He invited us to teach his family, and we were able to set a return appointment!

Always have faith, it's a happier way to live! 

Love,

Elder Yost