Family Letter

           

This past week we have been on the road.  Saturday was in Budapest picking up the “water specialist” from SLC, back to Miskolc that night.  Monday and Tuesday, we were in Slovakia reviewing a potential water project in a small Roma village.  Then back to Miskolc to review a proposed water project just outside of Miskolc.  Then early Wednesday back to Budapest to the airport to drop off the water specialist and his wife.  Back to Miskolc that night.  Thursday morning off to a small village south of Miskolc for the “final” celebration of the gardening projects for our NGO partner and all the people involved.

beets and macaroni and pumpkin
chicken noodle swiss chard

Some of the food was really good.  However, the best part of the day was to see some men cut down a large tree.  As they began to cut the tall trunk into small blocks of trunk, bees began to appear.  Then a lot of bees began to appear.  Luckily, the men cutting the tree had special spray for the bees.  The center of the tree was gone.  In its place was a very large amount of honey combs.  For the first time in my life, I was able to connect Winnie the Pooh and a tree full of honey!  And they say going on missions have no benefits! 

Regardless of what is happening in the world.  Listen to the conference talks again.  Focus on what the apostles told us to do.  Focus on making sure that you are helping those in need. Focus on how you can make your personal life better by providing service to those you come in contact with.  They don’t have to be homeless.  I am reminded of the story of an acquaintance in the hospital cafeteria sitting next to a young man who was staring at his food.  My friend started to complain about the cost of the hospital bill for his son’s broken arm.  He then asked the young man what he was doing in the hospital.  He looked up at my friend with tears in his eyes and said, “I am just trying to find the way to tell my two children that their mother has just died!”  Others’ trials put our stepping stones into perspective.

The world is a mess.  It will get worse.  No political party, no special interest group, no government will be able to make anything better.  This condition has been foretold since Adam. Around 700 BC, Isaiah was prophesying in detail about our time.  It is here.  Do we need another Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton or any politician?  Do we need another earthquake, hurricane, volcano eruption, etc.  Whether it is global warming, global freezing, fracking, water pollution, etc. it really doesn’t matter.  We have been told that in the last days all of nature will be in a state of turmoil.  And regardless of what all the movie stars and politicians think, man cannot change the earth’s climate nor conditions.  God is in control.  Man can’t even dress the “lilies of the field”, let alone affect the climate of the earth.

I leave you my testimony this week that I know that God is in control of everything.  I know that Jesus is the Christ.  That he created this earth and worlds without number.  I know that man has no power.  If we will understand who is really in control, our lives will become much simpler.  I bear you my testimony that if we follow the prophet’s wish of reading the Book of Mormon daily, our lives will improve.  Our families will be happier.  And we will make a positive influence upon those around us.

Dad