Blog Juli 29. Today I was humbled--in a righteous way.

Mission Blog Juli 29

Interesting day.  We were asked to speak in church again by our GML, Bruder Malzl.  Neither of us understood.  We thought it was Sacrament Meeting.  Instead it was the 5^th Sunday.  He asked me to speak about Loving Mankind, and how it helps in doing missionary work.  So I set about writing it in English and translating it in German.  If I am going to speak to a congregation of German speaking people, I figure it is better that I do it in German, because listening to the translation in English, I recognize that a lot gets lost in translation.

So Thursday he calls telling us that he has mailed a slide show, and wants us to speak around it.  Elder Storrer tells me and I tell him that I don’t understand how it is going to work, and since I have th preprepare the talk, there is no way I can meet his expectations.  Sure enough we get there today and he doesn’t want me to read it, but rather say, “something from the heart spontaneously, even if I have to say it in English and have it translated.  I balked.  For the first time I would learn that he wanted me to tell how loving mankind has helped me in missionary work.  I told him that I could not speak off the cuff like that, and what I had written came from the heart.  Then he asked to see it, and immediately saw three pages, and told me there was no way I could cut it.  He did not recognize one page was strictly English and in small print.  He thought he saw ½ hour talk.  When in reality I had about a page and 1/3 in number 16 font and spaced.

So Elder Storrer picked out 5 lines and says give this.  I was furious.  I asked Br. Malzl, “If I give it in English how much time do I have to allow someone to translate it.”  I was in tears of pure frustration by this time.  When he thought about it, and asked to look at the talk again, and handed the two pages, he realized that it was not that long, and said to give it all.  Then he told Elder Storrer to watch him as he would probably have to cut his because of time.  Well, If I could help it that was not going to happen.  So I was furiously cutting the non essentials.

In the end I had to find a room and commune with my Father-in-Heaven.  After all it was all about loving mankind.  I felt prompted to put back in the part of forgiveness.

The talk was plenty short, I gave it in German, but tears streamed down my face because I had said, (in german of course”  Moroni 7:37-40  Tells us, “everything faileth, but the Lord has given us a great promise that “Charity never faileth.”

Then I went on to tell the story of how I had to forgive.  That is when the tears started to roll.  It was with deep humility that I finished and then before I left the stand I apologized to Brother Malzl.  I am sure everyone wondered what that scene was about.  I felt good and I felt humble and I felt a little embarrassed that would stay with me until we departed from the church.

I have noted that this is the most important commandment we have been given.

This commandment has the greatest blessings.

Yet this commandment is the hardest to keep.

It is the one tool Satan cannot possess, and he cannot even imitate it.  So he uses other tools,

Pride, anger, selfishness, (the opposite of charity,) for we are promised if we find ourselves we have lost ourselves, but if we lose ourselves in the service of others we will find ourselves.  So the real joy is in losing ourselves.

So here is the talk as I gave it:  I used the RS message this month as it was perfect

Nehmen Sie sich die Zeit, darüber nachzu/denken, was sie tun können,  liebe für andere die nicht mitglieder unsere Gemeinde sind zu zeigen. .

Let us take a moment to think about what we can do to show that we have love for others.

Las uns die neue und weniger aktive Mitglieder ausreichen.

Let us reach out to new and less-active members.

Sie vorbehaltlos lieb haben

Love them undcontionally

über sie wachen und ihren Glauben stärken, „einen nach dem anderen“ – so, wie der Erretter es getan hat (siehe 3 Nephi 11:15)

Watch over them and strengthn their faith „one by one“ as the Savior did 3 Nephi 11:15

uns um Einsame kümmern und um diejenigen, die Trost brauchen

Reach out to the lonely or those in need of comfort.

Wir können Wege finden, um ihnen zu dienen.

We can find ways to serve them.

 

Der Erlöser hat uns versprochen, dass wir die lieben, die wir dienen.

The Savior has promised us that we will love those we serve.

Es ist sehr wichtig, dass wir uns gegenseitig verzeihen. Wir können nicht lieben, die wir nicht verzeihen. Genauso Wichtig ist es das wir uns selbst schaden, wenn  wir unsere Herzen verschliessen.  Christus gebot uns alle zu vergeben, das heisst, wir müssen uns selbst auch unsere übertretungen vergeben.

It is important that we forgive one another.  We cannot love those we cannot forgive.  But just as important we do more harm to ourselves when we lock our heart.  Christ commanded us to for give always.

Einmal habe Ich eine probleme mit einer Frau gehabt, es schien mir das sie mich immer schaden wollten. Mein Zorn hat mich verzehrt.  Ich merkte, dass ich  meine Familie auch dadurch shadete.  Der Geist Christi war nicht in meinem Herz.  Dann verzieh Ich ihr.

I once struggled with forgiving a woman who always seemed to want to hurt me.  My anger consumed me.  I realized I was hurting my family as well.  The spirit of God was not in my heart.  I forgave her.

Schließlich war meine Seele in Frieden, und ich fühlte die Liebe meines Erlösers wieder.

Finally my soul was at peace and i felt the love of my Savior again.

Wir sollten einander lieben, wie wir den Herrn unseren Gott lieben. Wir können es nicht tun es sei denn, wir uns selbst lieb haben.

We are to love each other as we love the Lord our God.  We can do neither unless we love ourselves.

In rewriting this I realize that I left out some importance that connected things together.  Oh, well.

Found this oak tree leaves—probably knocked off in yesterday’s storm.  I have only seen an acorn this large and like this in pictures.  So I am sending this to you so, if you haven’t either you can see it in a picture like me.

Found this oak tree leaves—probably knocked off in yesterday’s storm.  I have only seen an acorn this large and like this in pictures.  So I am sending this to you so, if you haven’t either you can see it in a picture like me.  This may be a hair bigger, when I hold the original up to it.