Right vs Privilege

MOM: Contacts would be nice whenever.  Not necessary, but they'd be nice.  And transfers are in about two weeks.  But the odds of my getting transferred are slim.  Elder Kilgore, however... no comment. haha

 

Hello, all!!

As has been well-noted by my Missionary contemporaries and my family, I lost my claim to fame this week; I am no longer an 18-year-old Missionary.  I am a regular 19 year-old, and in the words of Elder Kilgore, "Elder Boone is no longer special!!" haha-I just love that guy.  We did get to see Herbie on my birthday, and he treated us to Pu-Pu Platter (pronounced "Poo-Poo Platta" by the locals); some of the best Chinese food I've ever had.  He said it was special for my birthday.  So we got helplessly spoiled by good old Herbie. 

On an entirely un-spiritual note, I regret to inform you guys that I'm apparently developing a Boston accent.  Whenever Elder Kilgore and myself are with Herbie or making jokes or whatever, we use the accent as a way to denote that we're just messing around.  But the other day, we were walking and he asked me a question.  In my head, I heard myself say, "Oh, never!"  But it came out, "Oh, neva!"  *FACEPALM*  Elder Kilgore claims that it's starting to sneak its way into my every day speech as well.  Never underestimate the power of peer pressure, right? :P

Now for the spiritual thought: do we, as members of the LDS Church in Utah, really appreciate the magnitude of our callings?  Every young man seemingly EXPECTS to get the Priesthood at age 12; to be ordained a Deacon and to pass the Sacrament at that age.  Likewise, at the age of 14, there is a seeming expectation for each young man to be ordained a Teacher; a Priest at 16, and so on.  I was blown away this Sunday when one of our members was called to bless the sacrament (since there are no Priest-age young men in our ward).  He is a 20-something Elder, going to graduate school, has a job, married, and with his own calling; but he was sobered by his opportunity to bless the sacrament.  He showed his sobriety by showing up to Church half an hour early and said the prayer in one of the most sincere, reverent manners I've ever heard it said.  I looked at his wife to see her reaction, and her eyes were moist as she gave her husband one of the proudest looks I think I've ever seen.  If this man was truly this humbled by an experience that we as "regular" Mormons take for granted, what needs to change?  Is he taking it way too seriously?  Or are we mistaking our responsibilities and privileges as rights that we have?  As President Monson says, "Brethren, are we qualified at all times to perform the sacred duties associated with the priesthood we bear? Young men—you who are priests—are you clean in body and spirit as you sit at the sacrament table on Sunday and bless the emblems of the sacrament? Young men who are teachers, are you worthy to prepare the sacrament? Deacons, as you pass the sacrament to the members of the Church, do you do so knowing that you are spiritually qualified to do so? Does each of you fully understand the importance of all the sacred duties you perform?"  These ordinances, seemingly mundane and at times, even expected of each and every young man in the Church, are NOT to be belittled or downtrodden in their significance!  This sacrament is the means by which the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost allows us to forsake our sins and to achieve salvation!!  How often do we forget that?  Let's also remember the price that was paid, in the Garden and on the cross, that made it possible for us to even partake of this crucial ordinance. 

One other thing to ponder: how often are we caught up in the minute details of superficial "Mormonism?" (i.e.-classifying people's perceived shortcomings as 'rebellion' and labeling them as "bad Mormons.")  Who are the men that Christ called as His personal Apostles during His ministry?  Fishermen, a lawyer, a tax collector...  Everyday people who were very fragile and, well, human themselves!!  Too often we see as men see.  The Lord counseled Isaiah to "make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears." (Isaiah 6:10)  As Samuel the prophet was to pick his successor, "the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).  Samuel's saw many of the candidates for the role of Prophet and thought that "surely the Lord’s anointed [was] before him" (1 Samuel 16:6).  After all of the candidates have been presented, Samuel-I'm sure somewhat embarrassed and dejectedly-says, "The Lord hath not chosen these" (1 Samuel 16:10).  Samuel then asks if there are any others who might be possible candidates.  Jesse, the patriarch, responds, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep" (1 Samuel 16:11).  In essence, he was saying, "There is one more... but do you really want HIM?  He's our shepherd-he just keeps the sheep.  He's not big, strong, or of the influence of these his brothers whom you have already rejected...?"  David is brought before Samuel, and his presence is described as "ruddy" (1 Samuel 16:12).  Surely, somewhat even more embarrassed than Samuel had been at the rejection of these men who were qualified as to the ways of men to become the Prophet and leader of Israel, Jesse presents his young, dirty son-the shepherd boy. "And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he" (1 Samuel 16:12).  We all know what David became and the instrumental role that he played in the Lord's work.  Think of Christ for a moment, particularly the situation that He was born into.  Here was Mary, espoused to a man, Joseph.  Suddenly, she is pregnant.  But she and Joseph have not participated in the act of procreation-the only logical way to figure such a thing was adultery, which, by the way, was a capital offense under Jewish law.  Joseph almost divorced Mary-in private, of course-for her apparent violation of their marriage to be.  Luckily, an angel came to Joseph and convinced him of what had happened.  Mary was so humiliated by the judgement that was surely cast on her that she went to a far away place, to see her cousin Martha.  Then, at the time of the tax, only the patriarch of each house was required to travel to the city.  However, she traveled, pregnant and unmarried, on the back of the lowliest creature, a donkey, being seen and scorned and almost assuredly laughed at by the throngs of people who were in the city.  And all this to give birth to a child in a stable-a place full of animals, hay, and manure.  As to the ways of men, the humiliating circumstances into which Christ was born wouldn't exactly denote Godhood or divinity in ANY way.  Yet, He was called and Anointed before the world was to bring about the salvation of the entirety of mankind.  Everyone is going through their own trials and hardships in life; let's not judge others for their efforts.  Surely, just as Mary, we are all trying our best to live to the best of our abilities-who are we to judge that for others?  Ours is to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees" (D&C 81:5).  We cannot even hope to do that by judging others based on the worldly ways in which we all too often tend to do so.  Let us all-myself included-seek to be more loving and less judgmental of others on their own little version of the path of life.  Let us seek to love as Christ loves and to see as He sees, and through this, to become closer to Him.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love you all and hope all is well!!

Elder Boone