The Young Geologist

There once was a young geologist who decided to become better acquainted with the creative arts. He took a stroll into a prominent art museum, where he discovered paintings and sculptures and in wide variety of styles, each portraying its own message to the observer. The geologist was pleasantly impressed with the artwork, but only upon entering the central foyer was he truly astonished. The centerpiece of the foyer was a large marble statue, masterfully carved into the shape of a fearsome warrior; being a man who based his trade in the study of earth, he was taken aback! He marveled at the statue's luster, its durability, its power. Surely, he thought, such a creation could not be possible with natural stone alone. The geologist was so bewildered, he determined to use his expertise to unlock the secret of the marble statue.


The geologist quickly acquired a slab of marble and shipped it to his laboratory, where he began to run the marble through a series of tests. With the most complicated instruments he knew, the geologist tested the marble for its density, brittleness, and chemical compounds. He contemplated acidic formulas to erode the marble into different shapes, subjected the marble to intense pressure and open conflagration, and even experimented with expertly angled radiation waves. Despite the geologist's advanced and scholarly efforts, he could not change the molecular composition of the marble to fit the form of the warrior that had so dazzled him before.


The young geologist hung his head low as he entered again into the museum. He stared into the fierce white eyes of the marble warrior, as if to open the windows of the marble's soul. Unsuccessful, discouraged, the man turned with a heavy sigh toward the blaring exit sign. He was stopped when a worn and weary hand landed upon his shoulder, and the geologist turned to look into the face of a tired marble craftsman. The young doctor surrendered dignity and buried his teary face in his hands. The sculptor led him to a nearby bench and patiently waited to speak.


When the geologist had silenced himself, the sculptor cleared his throat. "The beauty of marble," he began, "is not what man creates. To try and change the marble will only deface its strength. The role of a craftsman, then, is to see what nobody else can, and to reveal his vision to the world through with each patient, gentle chisel. The warrior before you was not created; he was found."


Throughout my mission, I've felt it my goal to return home as a completely different person; but this week I've come to learn that I should not try to change who I am at my core. Instead, it should be each of our goal to chisel away at anything that holds us back from being like the Savior. Eventually, we will come to find the divine potential contained within us, potential which only our Father in Heaven can see.


I know it's not a poem, but it's still original, so it counts. :)


-Elder Reynolds

Father's Day

"O my Father, thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place,
When shall I regain thy presence
And again behold thy face?

In thy holy habitation,
Did my spirit once reside?
In my first primeval childhood
Was I nurtured near thy side?

For a wise and glorious purpose
Thou hast placed me here on earth
And withheld the recollection
Of my former friends and birth;

Yet oftimes a secret something
Whispered, 'You're a stranger here,'
And I felt that I had wandered
From a more exalted sphere."

-Eliza R. Snow

So, again, not an original piece. It's actually a really good hymn that I felt applicable for the upcoming Father's Day. I know I keep saying I'll send something original, but it's just been really difficult to find time to write. If I ever find time to write, it usually means there is something more productive that I could be doing!

Our apartment went through some renovations this week, so we had to use an old Elders' apartment; it hasn't been used in a while, but we still had the keys, so we used it as our back-up. Needless to say, I got to chase my first mouse!


Gotta go!


-Elder Reynolds

Picture

Apparently Elder Asi caught a picture of me making oatmeal at a homeless shelter

July

Hello Everybody!

In order to be better motivated to work out, Elder Blasko and I have bought some sweat-bands for our heads and wrists; we figured we'd be more excited to exercise if we looked like we were on some 1970's exercise show. And you know what? IT TOTALLY WORKS.

Also, just an update. Next Monday, August 3, is a "Civic Holiday" in Canada. From my understanding, it's just one of those days where people take a day off. As such, President Burt has asked that we treat that day as a normal day, so that we could talk to people who would otherwise be working. That said, P-Day will be moved to August 4th. So don't freak out when I don't write next Monday!

My mom's birthday is August 3rd, so I'm sorry that I'll miss the opportunity to email then.

Brian Gorner is a young man who returned from his mission last week; I'm very grateful for that, because we've been bringing him out with us all the time!

It's weird to think it's been over 11 months. The more I think about it, the faster it goes. I just can't get over how much I've learned in this short amount of time, and how much more that I have yet to learn.

My mind is just really jumbled and scattered today, but I can't quite figure out why. I've determined that next week, I'm writing another poem.

Love you all!

-Elder Reynolds

A Canadian Quarter

I am not sure how familiar any of you are with Canadian currency, but coming from America, it was a bit of a culture shock. Every single coin has a picture of Elizabeth II, as in the Queen of England. British Columbia certainly has a lot of English spirit to it.

That said, with this week, I complete my first quarter of the mission. I can easily say that I've loved every bit of it! It hasn't all been easy, but it feels like it has just zoomed by. I've really enjoyed being able to serve in Willoughby, especially with Elder Sloan. Transfer calls are tonight, so it'll be interesting to see what happens there.

Several nights ago, Ray was feeling extremely depressed; he was doubting his testimony and questioning if God truly loved him. I sat there silently pleading with the Lord, as I had no idea how to address this. I felt prompted to go sit next to Ray on the couch and put my arm around him. As soon as I did so, I knew exactly what to say, or at least, I began saying things that I never would have thought of. It was the first time I truly felt like I was teaching by the Spirit. By the end of it all, Ray was extremely happy, wrote down his testimony, and threw out his cigarettes. A big theme of my mission has been learning how much God really loves us, and since that lesson, I'm starting to understand that I'm just here to show people God's love for them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ simply revolves around our Father's love. We sang some hymns, watched some Mormon Messages, and then I made some french toast for everyone. It was a wonderful evening.

However, I am not yet satisfied! I still have 18 months to go, and I don't want any less. I've still got a lot to teach and even more to learn.

Today was the first day in several months that I wore short-sleeves. It's a strange feeling, especially since I imagined February in Canada being much colder.

Our district is going out for some sushi today. As it turns out, I really like sushi. I've been much less selective on the mission, and I'm finding lots of foods that I really enjoy. 

I'll let you all know next week if I get transferred!

-Elder Reynolds

Happy Family Day

Happy belated Family Day! I write this to you on 10 February 2015, and Family Day was 9 February 2015. Family Day is a national holiday that began in Canada 2 years ago. It's one of those "take Monday off" holidays, so the library was closed yesterday.

 

Because our options were limited on Preparation Day, the Elders in our zone held a small barbeque by the church. It was really fun getting to know the other Elders in Langley. Elder French-Cooper, serving in Port Coquitlam, is actually from Denton Texas, which is rather neat.

 

The rain here has been really consistent, but at least it isn't cold out.  

 

We've recently been watching "Treasures in Heaven: The John Tanner Story" with a lot of different people. It's a really good film, only about 20 minutes long. It's definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it. The acting isn't top-notch, but it's an excellent, true story.

 

Have a good week! I hope you all enjoy some Valentine's Day candy!

 

-Elder Reynolds 

Langley Zone Conference. February 2015