This week was the first week that Ben used the recorder we sent him. THAT WAS AMAZING! To hear your son's voice is a tender mercy for me. Emails are great, but for me I need to HEAR in his voice. How he is doing, where his head is at. Hearing his excitement, frustration, being tired etc. all helps this Mama's ♥heart. It helps me know how I can help him and what to specifically pray for that he needs. This first recording I had to keep pausing because the minute I heard, "Nǐ hǎo jiātíng" (hello family) from him I LOST it! I mean UGLY cry for awhile. It took me nearly an hour to get through his recording because I was crying so much over each detail he was giving. HANDS DOWN the best thing we sent him!
At the MTC they have the opportunity to hear from members of the 70 all the time, which they love. But when Elder Holland walked in-my son was ELATED! We all love Elder Holland and his ability to make you feel like he can read your emotions and thoughts, then answer them all in a way that is so loving and understanding. Truly one of God's messengers.
Ben's thoughts on the visit:
So yesterday was a huge surprise! We usually hear from a member of the 70 every week or Mission Presidency here at the MTC. But this week, without knowing at all, Jeffery R, Holland came and spoke to us and we were on the first row!! He gave the most amazing talk on the BOM and to basically sum it up he said, " Put away the childish things and become a man. This is the hardest work you will ever do, Why? Because salvation is not a cheap experience." That hit me hard and I basically wrote in my journal for an hour and a half. He ended with this amazing line too. He said, "You need to come to the edge of the diving board not knowing if there is water underneath." We need to put our whole faith in Christ no matter what we are getting into!
Ben's recording about the whole experience made me smile. His voice was so excited at the fact that he met him and was pleasantly surprised to find out that he is a really cool guy. "Totally different than what you see at Conference, Mom" were his words. LOL "He slapped the choristers butt as he walked back to his seat." Ben loved that he was able to speak to him on a more personal level. I can tell from his voice that it was a boost that I am sure ALL missionaries need from time to time. A couple of Ben's favorite quotes from Holland were:
#1: "The message we have is ASTONISHING. Go astonish someone. Sadly enough some missionaries are not astonishing but the message is!"
#2: "Be the best you can be, but be yourself and give all the glory to God."
Elder Holland left them all with a blessing: "You walked where He walked, you said what He said, you shed the tears He shed, you will shed the tears He shed as a disciple of Christ." It was in reference to how hard the mission is but how rewarding it can be. Ben loved this! He went on to say that when he tries to fake who he is, it doesn't work. Learning Chinese is hard enough and he was given his personality for a reason and when he is true to himself in the lessons, it just WORKS!
He talks about the spirit in the MTC and how wonderful it feels and how fast time is FLYING by for him (not me😢)lol. He is LOVING what he is doing so much and the people he is serving with, he doesn't want to be anywhere else. This makes me SO HAPPY to hear!
I sent Ben and Elder Crowther the 12 days of Christmas. I had so much fun putting it together and could not wait to hear if they liked it. They were THRILLED! Ben said it was taking all their energy not to just open EVERY package right now.
The first present was a tree made of cut out hands (they were the branches) and pictures. I had friends, family, ward members, everyone I could think of to write messages to Ben and Elder Crowther. It turned out ADORABLE! I sent battery powered lights, tinsel and decorations that they could put on themselves. They hung it on their wall and said that the lights I sent were a dark red so when the lights were off it looked like hands were coming out of the wall to get them. LOL😁
I love the pics they took by the tree!
Can't wait to get next weeks email! Oh P.S. tell Dad to keep my updated on the Cowboys! 🏈
孫長老
Elder Nelson
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