Poco Tiempo

email dated 9/22/08

I don’t have a lot of time because the internet here keeps crashing and my companion needs to go to the bathroom. So allow me, for one second, to make one quick plea.

Be patient with everyone. Love them no matter what. Be kind and meek to those that abuse you and are mean to you and judge you wrongly. What the world needs now is a little compassion for one another. If, for example, the landlord wants you to pay for a broken sink that is not your fault, don’t be rude, rather be meek and try to be a Christian at all times. Don’t be as the companions that are all upset with the landlord for trying to charge us, but try and understand that the problems with the house are probably the fault of 19 year-old boys that don’t take care of things, even if it wasn’t in particular the fault of said companions...So I snuck the landlord some money to help pay the cost of fixing the sink and told her not to blame my church of Jesus Christ for the way she felt abused by us, even though it was truly nobody’s fault. We need compassion and brotherhood. The world tells us everything is a business, but Christ taught us that if your enemy strikes thee on thy cheek, turn him the other also. That doesn’t mean to take everything without defense, but it means to be meek and Christ-like and try to look into the eyes of your enemy and see the brother in him that he is. We are all made in the image of God. If only there were more compassion and cooperation and less business and arguments over money!! But such is the state of humanity. Nobody is perfect, so we often blame our imperfect neighbors and excuse ourselves the opportunity to be perfect, or as Christ would be, because they didn’t treat us as they should have. The gospel is perfect. Men are not. Let us try and be just a little bit nicer to everyone and show them a smile. We are all here in this together after all. It is my plea that we all remember to be patient with those that abuse us and despitefully use us.

I have to go. I love you all so much!! I cannot say how grateful I am to my Lord Jesus Christ for everything He has given me, especially you my family and my friends. The Lord loves us. Christ lives. His church is restored in the earth. His church is for the "perfecting of the saints." We go to learn and grow. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the true church is on the earth. Even if there are things I may never understand, I know these things because I have prayed. Let us all continue to prayerfully seek the truth in our lives, remembering humility, patience, and of course CHARITY, the greatest of them all. Take care!!

Andy