Week 4 Update (4/3/19)

No pictures this week but I added the music to his music folder:) Sorry I'm late posting this one haha! For some reason I was sure I had done it but obviously not...

Isa's email:

Hey everyone!

Apparently I've been here for over a month! Time is just flying by.

I'm doing alright right now, as of this moment I've basically just finished playing volleyball for the past few hours Haha, so I'm a bit tired.

Nothing too special happened this week. Our zone leaders and sister trainer leaders left this week, so it's been a little weird having some new people in charge.

I've been reading a lot of talks, scripture, and books as of late so I've found some things I'd like to share.

First off is a quite in the book my grandparents got me: "A good man will suffer all things to honor Christ." -Joseph Smith

Second, is a story that I'd heard before but I've always loved, and the reference I have is from a talk given in 1971 named "The Lost Battalion" by none other than Thomas S Monson. The story is as follows:

---

     The woman was old and ragged and gray

And bent with the chill of the Winter’s day.

The street was wet with a recent snow,

And the woman’s feet were aged and slow.

She stood at the crossing and waited long,

Alone, uncared for, amid the throng

Of human beings who passed her by

Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.

“Down the street, with laughter and shout,

Glad in the freedom of ‘school let out,’

Came the boys like a flock of sheep,

Hailing the snow piled white and deep. …

[One] paused beside her and whispered low,

‘I’ll help you cross, if you wish to go? …

‘She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know,

For all she’s aged and poor and slow.

“‘And I hope some fellow will lend a hand

To help my mother, you understand,

If ever she’s poor and old and gray,

When her own dear boy is far away.’

And ‘somebody’s mother’ bowed low her head

In her home that night, and the prayer she said

Was, ‘God be kind to the noble boy,

Who is somebody’s son, and pride and joy.’”

---

I just love that story.

Last story is from another talk, and maybe it's just because I'm a fixer upper, maybe its cuz I'm a musician, but I absolutely love this one too. It's from "The Touch of A Master's Hand" given in 2001.

---

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three—” But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

        The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”

And he held it up with the bow.

“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand

What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:

“The touch of a master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,

A game—and he travels on.

He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,

He’s “going” and almost “gone.”

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought

By the touch of the Master’s hand.

---

Just something to think of.

Last one.

I was struggling a little bit this week and after looking for answers for my questions I stumbled upon one verse that gave me the peace I was looking for.

Part of it is the verse, but part of it is that when I saw it, I immediately imagined Josh coming up and just saying it to me right there: 

      "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

(Joshua 1:9)

We're all really excited for general conference because word on the street is there are going to be quite a few big changes!

I miss all of you, and I wish you all the best of luck with whatever you're doing back home.

Feel free to message me whenever and I'll try to get back to you either today or next pday!

Keep the faith

Not really any pictures cuz we can only take them on Pday and I look kinda gross today (remember that whole volleyball thing?)

But I do have some music.

Try to guess the name of the first song (or assorted number one or whatever I named it)

Also, sorry it's not super good Dad but here you go.

Also also last week's recording of come thou fount was trash lol here's a new one

Hopefully they send!