Stories: Isolation
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Long ago during my Mission I was paired with another Lamanite Elder and we were sent out to a remote island off the coast of B.C.
It was a beautiful place and home to the Natives of that geographical area.
The names escape me now as do most of the faces of the people that my Companion & I met and had frequent contact with. But I do know that we were there on the island for a goodly reason.
My Companion and I would often play basketball with the young adults of the community at the Gymnasium. And it was during one of these gymn visits that one of the local Natives injured himself and fell to the floor while people gathered around.
My Lamanite Companion went over and did help out in comforting the injured man by holding his head, but at the same time, my Companion also gave unto the afflicted man a blessing.
It was nothing unusual, nothing spectacular. Just a quiet, calming gesture of Care and concern. And that made a world of difference for our Church presence on the island.
Another time we Elders were walking home and we passed through the playgrounds of the local school. We noticed that some young boys were picking upon one of their friends and they were violent about it. My Companion stepped in to intervene.
I quietly hissed that we should let it go and not get involved. Thank God that my Companion didn't listen to me. And again, I watched and learned and was humbled.
My Companion was the strong one. I was the follower. I observed much though of what he did and would eventually follow his example later on in life.
Years later I would be on my own and working far from home. And what did I have in those long years of Military & Police service to help me when various tests came to me?
I have my mission field experiences to lean on. And I have my testimony. I have this quiet, constant relationship with God, and with the Savior. I have them to lean on as well.
You must have Compassion for other people to truly help them. Without this Virtue, you are just action without feeling and in my now learned (and Village-jaded eyes) you are useless.
Be Charitable to unfortunate conditions and be sympathetic with the afflicted. Bless and do not curse.
I close now with another recollection from my Mission.
4 of us Elders were together one cold Winter evening. Again, we were isolated. We had no other Missionaries nearby to gather with. So it was just us that evening when we drove out to a secluded spot from town and built a bonfire and roasted hotdogs and marshmallows.
The night sky was clear, you could see for ever. I gathered a small coal from the fire and played with it a moment and then I flung it out into the darkness away from the hot flames.
Awhile later after our gathering was finished we kicked the fire out and I observed that my tiny ember that I "sent out into the cold dreary world" was still glowing allbeit faintly. It was still alive, probably out of spite
I quietly wished, that night, to be as that tiny ember and in a way I got what I wished for.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Elder Samuel L Flyinghorse
UPDATE
On 5 Feb 2006 I attended our local Glennallen Branch and all 18 or so of us Members in attendance did speak a few words each.
I did speak one of the above experiences.
I wish to say that I too have a testimony of this restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. The old Church is once again restored upon the earth by Joseph Smith, that this CJCLDS is true, and that Joseph is a true prophet of God as are the rest of the prophets that followed.
The Book of Mormon is true, as is the other LDS standard works. I have read these scriptures and have prayed about them.
I know that God lives and that one way to get acquainted with God & Jesus is through Adversity. I've certainly had my share and some of it brought upon myself.
We are where we individually are today, Right now, because we need to be here or There. And we have to find those old Friends & acquaintances, our family's that we knew long ago. We all promised that we would help each other.
So let's not forget who we are and what we collectively and individually stand for.
I bear this testimony.
Elder Samuel L Flyinghorse |
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