Hi everyone!
I'm glad everyone is enjoying their summer thought you are all separated in various places.
This week was a little crazy. We had a mini missionary living with us and doing everything with us for 5 days. His name is Seth and he is not that mini of a missionary. He is really mature though for his age at 16, and he had an enjoyable experiencing. He wrote each of us a personalized letter thanking us and inspriing him to want to go on a mission. I am glad that we were able to show him the ropes.
On Saturday as i was riding our backup bike which is a red beach cruiser, I almost died!
As I was peddling fastly uphill towards the church with Seth, all of a sudden my left foot slipped of the already busted pedal and I swerved into the road (I was in the bikelane). Right as I did a car passed by just a foot or two from ramming into me. Who knows what would have happend to me, but I am thankful to God that I was protected. I like to think he must have had his angels shielding me or something. That could've been really bad. Sorry you had to read this last paragraph mom. I'm okay luckily.
Also on Saturday we had a ward show and tell thing. None of our investigators or anyone we invited came which was a bummer, but there was a less active 12 year old who came. It was really cool. One father and son did a presentation on how to eat an oreo properly. It was really hysterical. The kid was sitting at a table wearing a tuxedo with a glass of milk, coaching the audience on how to properly eat it. It was very very funny. The proper way to eat it is with a fork by the way. I learn something new everyday.
The bishop sho is an opthomologist showed an up-close video of him doing surgery on someone's eye! It was really cool but made me cringe and dig my fingernails into my skin. I'm not so sure I want to be an opthamologist anymore. We shall see.
Also this week, we met with an awesome family! Dave, Hejin, and Andrew! Hejin is from Korea! I told them that Dad served there and she thought that was cool.
She is a faithful Catholic too. Many of her ancestors died from not denouncing Christ! The husband is obviously not from Korea and he is super open-minded though he grew up Lutheran. He likes to learn about other religions and doesn't know much about Mormons so he is interested. This is a member referral from the Parkinson family who lives next door and so I feel like there is a much better chance at them getting baptized and staying faithful to the church. Their son, Andrew is a genius too! He is 13 and has already taken the SAT and is in the top 5 percentile for his age. He plays a wicked violin too. He was super shy to play but then he busted out some concerto and played it flawlessly! Hopefully they will be coming to the BBQ tonight at the parkinsons.
This week I also studied a little bit about the parable of the good samaritan. Apparently there are a lot of forgotten symbols from this parable and many just view it as a nice story about helping someone who is in trouble. But there is much, much more to it than that!
I now quote from Luke 10:25-37
25 ¶And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
tip: whenever reading a parable of Christ, it always will address questions that have arisen. The two we are to look for are:
1: What do we do to inherit eternal life?
2. Who is my neighbor?
Here, Jesus points out to the lawyer to what it says in the law. He reads to him in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:17-19, which is the first great commandment, with the second great commandment like unto it.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart...Thou shalt not bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thous shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man (adam literally means "mankind") went down from Jerusalem (the holy temple-city: the temple is also known as God's house where he dwells) to Jericho (Jericho is the lowest city in the earth at around 825 ft below sea level, and fell (mankind fell) among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded (spiritually speaking he was wounded from sin --see Jacob 2:8) him, and departed, leaving him half dead (after the fall Adam or "mankind" died spiritually since they were separated from God's presence. They were also able to die physically now. However, though we may all die we can avoid the "second death". Salvation from the Second Death. The scriptures sometimes speak of salvation from the second death. The second death is the final spiritual death—being cut off from righteousness and denied a place in any kingdom of glory (see Alma 12:32; D&C 88:24). This second death will not come until the Final Judgment, and it will come to only a few (seeD&C 76:31-37). Almost every person who has ever lived on the earth is assured salvation from the second death (see D&C 76:40-45).
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest (The law of Moses, or it could be keeping the commandments--keeping god's laws) that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the otherside. (the law can't save "mankind"
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, cameand looked on him, and passed by on the other side. (The levite represents the Prophets. The Prophet's can't save mankind either).l
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came wherehe was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, (The Samaritan is Christ--he was despised and rejected of men like the Samaritans were at that time. In Brycen's Harry Potter Terms, they were like filthy mud-bloods.)
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil (oil is ofttimes represented by the holy ghost) and wine (the blood of Christ), and set him on his own beast (The body of Christ---Think of the sacrament), and brought him to an inn (The church), and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out twopence, and gave them to the host (the head of the Church which would be Thomas S. Monson, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again (The second coming), I will repay thee.
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him (The Samaritan was. Only Christ could save mankind. Christ is also our neighbor who we are to serve and as we serve our fellow men (mankind) we are serving our God (Jesus Christ, The Good Samaritan, or in other words in an aswer to the lawyer's original question--our Neighbor. . Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
So this is a way cool parable. I know there are a lot of hidden treasures we can learn from the scriptures, especially Christ's parables. This parable encapsulates the whole Plan of Salvation and tells us what we must do to inherit eternal life.
Well it looks like I've got to go. Love you! Have a great week! Be a good Samaritan and Serve Your neighbors and in doing so you will be serving the Exemplary Neighbor, our Savior Jesus Christ
Elder Soutas
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