Stairway To Heaven

Sorry I missed last week. I meant to share my thoughts Sunday night, then it was Monday and the week went by. Bad on me.

I had a really good day at Church in the Hongqiao branch in Shanghai. It is not easy for me to travel and be away from family and especially mom who I get to be with for eternity. I am all alone, don't speak the language, and feel very foreign (which I very am!) here. But this escalator was my stairway to heaven today. (I bet you have never ridden an escalator to get to sacrament meeting!) At the top is the conference room that the branches in Shanghai meet in. Even though it is a commercial conference center, when you enter in you can feel that it is different. That it is where I am home again. For those 3 hours, I can hear experiences that are from the same Heavenly Father, I can sing the same hymns that I know in my heart, I can have the same priesthood power exercise that power to administer the sacrament and allow me to draw closer to my Father.

I heard a sister talk about their move from Shanghai to Pittsburgh and telling a neighbor about it. She explained to her neighbor that she knew nothing about Pittsburgh, except she could point to it, and it was still a long ways away from family. The neighbor then told her "but you have your church, so everything will be fine." This neighbor only knew of the church from 2 branch BBQs that she had attended. How amazing it is to me that someone who knows so little, can see so much about the truth of the church, that it is a place for all of God's family to gather and be one.

Then priesthood meeting was also about serving one another, and helping each other in true charity. As we forget ourselves, and selflessly serve others, it is incredible how our joy increases. The things we were so worried about become less worrysome. They take on less meaning as we focus on the things that really matter eternally.

Interesting small world. A brother who was also visiting (former branch member for many years but has been gone now for a year or two) served his mission in Porto Alegre!

I was watching The District and was struck by a comment made. Something to the tune of "everyone expects the missionaries to be perfect, to have no fear, and to be able to teach anything at any time." It was said in a nice way but in a way indicating that missionaries are human, and have to work hard to try their best and they are not perfect.

While I understand what was said, I have to disagree. Missionaries are all those things. They have a gift and a power to be all those things to all those they interact with if they will work hard, study hard, pray hard and live the commandments, all of them, 100%. They have been set apart and giving the calling of a full time minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the strength of the Lord they can do all things.

It reminds me of a scripture that was used in church also, that I thought applies. Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. I really have prayed for you, and still do. I want your faith to fail not. And I believe it won't.

Sunday's are a treasure to me, a true rest from the normal things of the world. The more I focus on the Savior on Sundays, the better the day and the week goes.

I am reminded once again how much I rely upon the blessing of the temple covenants and what they mean to me.

Love you,

Dad