Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Week 3

From: Collin Boren
Date: Tue, Aug 2, 2011 at 3:39 PM
Subject: Week 3


Well hello out there in the real world!

Ha ha how is everyone? How has their week been so far? I love hearing from all of you and I promise you that I have written everyone that has written me. Sometimes P-days seem really long and sometimes they seem like they weren't nearly long enough! Ha ha oh well. Anyways it is really hot out here in Provo. I guess it's getting me used to Samoa. Is it hot out there in Vernal? I can't even imagine how hot it is in Oklahoma and Las Vegas! Probably too hot for my liking! Samoa will probably be to humid for my liking, but I guess I will just have to get used to it ha! Thanks mom for getting the blog up and sorry for giving you the wrong password. Thanks lindsey for putting music on it and making it look nice. Oh and thank you for the packages mom and dad! I got the cookies for Pioneer day and the clothes the other day. It means a lot and I know that I am loved! Thank you all for the letters again and I really appreciate hearing from all of you. I finally got my missionary mall sandals and they are legit mom! Wow you did a good job, they are perfect for the Islands. All of the Samoans said they are taking some like them.

Classes have been really fun but long lately. We only have one teacher teaching us right now because one of them went to Oregon for a family reunion and one of them went to China for a study abroad. It was neat to hear from all of them and all of their different teaching techniques. But Sister Parker has been doing really well. The language task is really hard! ha it's quite a bit different than english so that makes it hard but it's also simple too. There's weird rules that aren't in english but then there isn't like grammar rules at the same time. It's an interesting language and I'm trying to focus on it and learn as much as I can. I know that If I ask the Lord through Faith that he can help me learn the language a lot faster. I've made a goal to try to emulate the Brother of Jared's faith. I know that it is near impossible to have as much faith as he does but I also know that it won't hurt to try. I read a passage in Enos the other day that struct me pretty hard. Pretty much it said ask with faith and know that the lord can provide it and it will come. It was something like that ha ha don't hold that against me. I think it was like Enos 1:15. I think Enos and the Brother of Jared had awesome prayer and faith stories and I realized the other day. They were just like us. I mean yeah they were prophets but they are people too. They put their pants on one leg at a time. They weren't just given that, they worked for their testimony. They went through the same trials or more difficult ones than we do. They were just made a prophet one day by accident. They had been working for it their whole lives. A quote by President Packer hit me. Something like big spiritual expriences don't happen that often and when they do we should hold them dear to our hearts. They are very sacred. That was coming from an Apostle of God. It was interesting to think about that and what he was trying to say.

We were watching a movie about Thomas S. Monson and his life. It was so cool too watch how the Lord prepares his prophets. He was 22 when he was called to be a bishop of a ward of over 1000 people! He was called into the stake presidency shortly after and then he was called to be a mission president at about 28 years old. He was extremely young when he was called to be an Apostle like in his 30's. It was cool to see some of the experiences he had. When he was a bisop he got a phone call from a ward member saying someone in his ward was in the hospital and if he could go to the hospital and give a blessing. He said he had to go to a meeting and he would stop by after. In the middle of the meeting he was prompted very strongly to go but it was in the middle of the stake presidents talk. Right after he finished his talk president Monson said he ran for the door and headed to the hospital. When he got their the nurse told him the patient died and was saying his name right before he died. He vowed at that time that he would never not listen to a prompting again. And it was incredible to hear some of the promptings he had and he listened and it blessed so many peoples lives.

I just want you all to know that I love you and that you mean the world to me. You have all been amazing examples to me. Dad how is the ranch life going? You enjoying the new tractor? Andrea said that you invited her to go ride again. Remeber to take Jake! I miss him a lot! How has it been since everyone has left? Mom how has your ribs been? You crazy girl, going and getting hurt after I leave. I pray for all of you a lot and pray for you to all be safe. I know that the Lord has answered my prayers but it was funny to hear that you got hurt. Not in a bad way funny but I got your letter right after I asked to let you guys be safe. Anyways, lifes been good hear in the MTC and I'm learning a lot! I'm trying to work on the language really hard and the gospel thing all day is awesome! It's a very spiritual experience that I will never forget! I know that if I am obedient and work hard that that is all I can do! All I can do is what He asks of me and I'm trying my best to do that. I know that I am far from perfect but I am working on becoming better each and every day and hopefully someday I can get to that point that I need to be. Sometimes I get so mad at myself for not doing everything the way it should be! It's hard not to mess up sometimes because there is a lot of rules! I'm trying to work on them the best I can and I feel like I am doing a good job at keeping the rules. I also know that If I work hard and ask the Lord to help me learn that he will bless me too. Our branch president has us work on a christlike attribute each week. This past week I was working on humility. I was trying to make sure that I never took credit for anything I did, because this is His work and not mine. I know that if I do it His way that I will be much more successful with the spirit helping me than if I were to try and do it on my own. I'm so thankful for my companion and the relationship we have built. We are trying to push each other to reach our goals and it has been helping a lot. I love you all so much and I want nothing but the best for you! Let me know how you are all doing. Andrea, keep pushing to find an answer to your career. I think whatever you choose your Lord will not care because he knows your heart and that you want to help serve others. He can use you in whatever you want. love you

--
Elder Boren

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