Hey Everyone!
So this week... the main thing I learned from this week is
the importance of having unstructured time with others so as to build a real
relationship with them. In thinking about the missionaries, we want to help
them become more converted in the Gospel and grow. However, we can't do that
only in meetings! We have to actually care and love them so that they desire to
change. We have seen some missionaries REALLY grow recently because of the love
they felt from Elder Welch over the last three months serving with him in the Longmont
area. We didn't realize how important this principle was until we were at a
meeting before church on Sunday where they talked about the struggles with the
Young Women from church. They all go to different schools and don't spend any
time with each other outside of church activities or church itself. If they
only spend time with one another at meetings, they won't really form strong
friendships and be able to help each other out. We saw that we need to do that
with the leaders from church and the missionaries to help them be able to really
grow. I would invite you to consider the people that you work with (family,
church, work, school, sports, etc) and strive to develop a REAL relationship by
spending time with them outside of structured time in practice or work. That's
what we are going to do our best to do out her in Longmont!
I'll close with a lengthy experience related to the 4th of
July. We had a ward breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage at a local park.
After the breakfast, a couple people shared their feelings of patriotism from
parts of their lives. They were intense and I cried for some of them. Here is
what I remember from the three that impacted me the most:
The first man talked about being in the military and serving
in Korea. He saw TERRIBLE devastation and destruction and tragedy while he was there.
It brought him to tears and to his knees when on his ship he came back to America
and saw the first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. He felt
so much gratitude for being an American and seeing that symbol of freedom in
our country.
A lady talked about her dad who served in the Vietnam war.
He never really opened up about much of that part of his life. Not long ago, Southwest
Airlines had this Vietnam Veterans promotion since so many of the veterans were
very poorly received. Southwest Airlines got a lot of the Colorado Vietnam
Veterans together and took them to DC. They were there for three days checking
out the Vietnam Memorial, reconnecting with others who they served with, and
bringing back memories from their service. After this powerful experience, they
were flown back to the Denver International Airport. The most amazing thing was
planned for them. All of their friends and family were brought to the runway.
Fire trucks sprayed water on their plane and lots of other awesome welcoming
things were done for them! The lady was very emotional talking about it. I could
only imagine what it would be like to have my buried memories of a war come
back up and have the most amazing welcome home ever! I could imagine seeing my
family and friends and being in tears of joy to see them. It was so awesome to hear
that story and how the lady's dad has subsequently opened up more about it and
done his best to help other veterans have a similar experience as he has had.
I also loved what the last person shared. At work, they
would rotate who would get to go to the Colorado Rockies baseball game with the
four tickets from work. He persuaded his three young children to come with him
while his wife was going to stay home. They had amazing tickets just below the
press box. He pumped his kids up because during the 7th inning stretch they
would throw peanuts and cracker jacks to them from the press box. It just so
happened that the tickets were for the first home game a few days after
September 11th, 2001. When they were there, he got his kids somehow to be
somewhat enthusiastic and pay attention by focusing them on the peanuts and
cracker jacks. However, right before they would usually sing "Take Me Out
to the Ball Game," they announced that they were doing something a little different.
Lee Greenwood was there and sang, "God Bless the USA." It brought
tears to this man's eyes as he related the story and I could almost place
myself there imagining hearing that awesome song at that time performed.
I was really grateful to hear those stories - hopefully they
make sense to you and you can feel it too. Ya there are lots of crazy stressful
and challenging things that are going on in our own country and in the world.
But we still are VERY blessed to be living in the USA. As a missionary, we go
out and seek to bring others to come unto Christ. We seek to strengthen their
families and relationships with others. We seek to help them experience true
joy and happiness in their lives. I am happy that the thing this country needs
- stronger families and truer disciples of Christ - is what I am spending my
time doing out here in the mission field of Colorado! :)
Have an amazing week!
Elder Campbell
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