I WASN'T THERE FOR THE WEEDS

sorry for writing early mom but ya ill get your letter next week.  Anyways things are going very well.  This week we were in Tarapoto.  I went out with one of the zone leaders in Tarapoto; his names elder Thackeray.  I had met him once before here in iquitos but i never really knew him.  When i got to work with him i discovered what a consecrated missionary really is.  The spirit is with him at all times.  Just being around him made me perfect myself.  His untiring desire to be exactly obedient shows his love for the Lord.  He has a very deep comprehension of the atonement of Jesus Christ.  And i believe that is his drive to do so much good in his area and for his zone.  I dont know what else to say but clearly this had a big impression on me because it is what im writting home about.  Its made me ponder about my receint studies and i think i have lacked a focus on the saviors atonement and have worried a little too much about all the different appendages of the atonement.  Anyways i will be studying the atonemnent much more.

I wanted to write about a talk i studied called Waiting upon the Lord by Henry B. Eyring while he was in the presiding bishopric.  He tells a story when his father, also named henry, asigned himself to weed an onion patch on the ward welfare farm.  His father at the time was almost 80 and had cancer in his bones.  After a short while of work the pain became so great in his legs and in his hips that he could not kneel down or bend over.  So he laid down on his stomach and dragged himself by his elbows along a row of onions pulling out all of the weeds. (president eyring was not there at the time but said he was told this story by all who were present)  they said he laughed, smiled and talked happily with those who weeded beside him.  When Henry got home he told his son (president eyring) that they had weeded the patch all day and then while they were all close by resting after the long day of work a man came up and said "O no you guys didnt weed that onion patch.  We sprayed it two days ago and it was all going to die anyway"  When Henry told his son that he said he erupted, roaring in laughter like it was the funniest thing that had ever happened.  President eyring, knowing how dificult the work must have been for his father did not laugh and asked "dad how could you take this as a joke? how can you take this so pleasantly?"  Henry then taight his son a lesson that i believe none of us should ever forget. he said "hal, i wasnt there for the weeds"  Sometimes we too find ourselves in the onion patches of life and sometimes what we do doesnt seem like there is a big result or benefit for anyone, this truth that president eyrings father taught should always be in mind.  We didnt come for the weeds.  we are here for the Lord.  Maybe we will wait upon him for a short or long while but the reward for waiting upon the Lord is far greater than any benefit or recognition we receive in this life.  This talk made me think of a thought aunt kimmey shared with me a year ago.  She taught me when we are in the service of our fellow man, we are ONLY in the service of our God.  I love the Lord.  Serve for Him!

Elder Smith