The Pedestal

Hello Mom & Dad,

      Let me first start by telling you about my week.  My companion and I have been pretty ill.  Tuesday night I got food poisoning.  I think I got it from some food an investigator gave us.  I recovered, but my companion remains sick.  He has been battling a bad cold.  However, on Saturday we spent the whole day in the Indian community of Chatsworth cleaning and preparing the roof of an elementary school for painting.  It has been very hot, which added to the difficulty of this task because, we had to scrub this huge roof by hand (for over 6 hours).  Today we are going back to go paint it.

      Dad, thank you for your inspired letter.  Week after week I read a thoughtful and detailed account of whatever you choose to write me about.  I can say I have a feeling for who you have become since I have left and every week I look forward to reading your letter because you’re my hero. I sometimes think about when you were on your mission in Brazil in 1978 or 1979 speaking Portuguese, eating weird things, being with native companions, but most of all, teaching people the same truths I’m teaching now.

      So Dad, after reading your last letter about heroes I have further thought about those people who I look up to.  Do you want to know some of my Heroes?  For starters: The First Presidency (this is referring to the Prophet and his two councelors), Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Elder Boyd K. Packer (these men are three of the current Twelve Apostles serving in the church), you, mom, Bishop Hess, my Mission President, Richard Gerdts and Randy Beckett … (just to mention a few).

  

      Let me share one last thing with you, something I’ve been learning this past month and a half.  For the second time since I’ve been on my mission, the mission as a whole is reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover.  I know that the Book of Mormon is so complex and contains so much that a lifetime of study might not reveal everything.  As we started this new reading as assignment I went into it with the mindset to learn and find things I didn’t know before.  Well, as I have gone through the first 2 books of Nephi, my mind has been opened to a purpose stated in the title page of the book; that is to make known the covenants of the fathers to their children.  My mind has been enlightened with the covenants of the Lord to the House of Israel through Isaiah, Nephi, Lehi, and even Jacob.  It blows my mind at times, but what is even more spectacular is how I have come to realize that all these covenants apply to me through my lineage.  Because of that, this sacred record has taken on a world of new meaning.  I love the Book of Mormon, and I know with all my heart, mind and spirit that it is true, because the spirit continues to manifest this to me.

I love you all,

Elder Gold

Editor's Note:

      This week Steve began his letter to Landon by explaining that he has been thinking about heroes with so much in the news lately about fallen heroes.  He proceeded by explaining,

“One of the greatest contemporary American heroes was disgraced as Lance Armstrong admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he had used performance enhancing drugs to help him win his 7 Tour de France victories. This was very sad to hear – your mother was in dis-belief… Then, this last week another one of my heroes made the news from half a world away – a South African national hero.  No doubt you have heard that Oscar Pistorius – the Blade Runner – is accused of shooting his girlfriend to death on Valentine’s day.  Here is another fallen hero – in fact a fallen idol.  I must admit that I was a huge fan of Pistorius.  I watched him in the summer Olympics as he ran with the big boys – a man, with prosthetics for his lower legs, who was able to compete with the best able-bodied athletes in the world.  I stop short of admitting that I worshipped him – for that would certainly make me guilty of “idol worship”, however I greatly admired him – his drive, determination and accomplishments. Now his life is in shambles.

      So, in the world of athletes, rock stars, models, actors and billionaires – who are the real heroes? Who do we put on a pedestal to honor, respect and emulate? Heroes certainly serve a purpose as they can motivate and inspire us to do better – to be better. But misplaced trust will cause our very foundation to shake when their pedestal topples. The easy answer is to put our trust in heroes who are worthy of that trust. It is also safe to choose unchanging heroes such as Captain Moroni, Alma the Younger, Ammon or Nephi (Great leaders in the Book of Mormon). These men can inspire us just as much as any living examples can – but we are more certain of consistency because of 2 things: 1) They were righteous men who followed God, and 2) They’re example is unchanging because… well, they’re dead… ;-)

      But that’s not the real topic of this message.  The real topic is not about looking for heroes – the real topic is being a hero.  This carries a lot of responsibility – being a hero to someone.  I am confident that you are worthy to be someone’s hero and never disappoint.”

      An added bit to this story is that, whenever Steve writes Landon he refers to him as ‘SonShine.’  I love this endearing title because it speaks loudly of the bright light that he has been in our lives as well as many others.   

      Even when days may be dark and times a little tough it is good to find someone you wish to look up to, to help lighten your burden, brighten your spirits and lift your load.  Isn’t it wonderful that so often some of the humblest of individuals are really the true heroes in our lives?

      Steve finished his letter to Landon by stating, 

      “That about sums it up.  Oh, I have one more thing to add.

Landon – you are MY hero!”

Measuring Up!

Dad,

      I took your advice; I bought my companion (not shown in the above photo) and me an ice cream to celebrate the one-year mark of being on my mission.  He didn’t want one so, I gave the other ice cream to a recent convert named Temba.  Then I went back to work.  I have a lot of goals for this next year because there are a lot of things I need to change.  I think the main things that affected me this week were my reevaluations and recommitments.  But, let me also tell you a few stories:

      On Saturday we took a man teaching with us.  His name is Marcus (for anonymity sake the name has been changed).  Marcus is in his mid-twenties, and is very kind.  As we were talking he told us of his new found plans to marry before the end of the year.  To our surprise he told us he is dating a young lady who is a member of the church, and of his plans to become engaged to her.  On further questioning, he informed us that we were the first and only people he has told.  He didn’t even say to "don’t tell anyone."  Instead, his response touched me a whole lot.  I asked why he chose to tell us before anyone else knew, and he simply said, "Because you’re Elders, I can trust you."  It hit me hard of just how much he trusted us.  I started contemplating how this experience relates to my Heavenly Father.  Can he trust me that much?  I think about what he might trust me with: investigators, companions, areas, spiritual wisdom and revelation, the Holy Ghost... I want Him to trust me so much that He can openly give me revelation and the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  That is what I am working for, that I can, and will, better serve his children.

I guess I only had one story :p

      My testimony is simple.  God lives.  This is His work.  It is true and I know that.  I’m so glad to be a part of this true and everlasting work.

I love you all,

Elder Gold

To Stand in Confidence, Without Fear

Hello My Family!

I have two experiences I wish to share today.  Early Sunday morning around 3:00 am my dreams faded into reality.  I heard loud booms followed by our house shaking.  At first I thought our neighbors were making the noise, but as I became more awake I realized it was thunder.  It had started while I was dreaming and became intertwined with my dream.  The thunder was very distant at first, but as I woke it became louder as it drew near.  I started seeing the curtains light up, and to my surprise, the clash of thunder was coming every 5 seconds, then 4 seconds, then every 2 to 3 seconds.  I was still pretty tired and so I fell back asleep, until the morning rolled around.  Then I was awoken by the same noises, only this time they had intensified.

It was about 6:30 AM by this time, and the storm felt as if it was right over us.  I guess you would call it an electrical storm.  I watched, listened and felt it as the lightning roared and raced across the sky, over the houses, onto the houses and onto the streets.  It was unreal!  As the house and windows shook, it sounded like a battlefield.  Lightning does something very unique here: It will start far on the distant horizon and in the space of a few seconds it spans and sprawls across the sky like a tree shooting forth its branches.  The light was spectacular, and for a moment I wondered if this would be an appropriate introduction for the glorious coming of Christ for the second time... maybe.  It settled after some time and life resumed back to normal, but I was mesmerized by the experience.  To me it represented several things, one being the glory of our Savior.  In the time that I stood, watched, listened and felt the experience, I was amazed.  I was happy and I felt so much joy.  At the same time, I knew of others who feared and were frightened by the display.  I know that in the coming of our Savior it will be a Great Day (for those who are prepared), and a terrible day (for those who are not).  Though I feel I have a mountainous load to work through before He comes again, I feel a sense of assurance because I’ve accepted those things needed for my preparation; the gospel, the scriptures, the atonement … Oh, the list is endless.  I use the word "accept" because I have come to realize lately that the Gospel is given to most everyone.  The Savior atoned for every one of us.  However, it is our duty to accept, open and partake of that gift.  I know that’s why I’m here, to help people to come to an understanding and acceptance of this gift, a gift that they may not realize is in front of them for the taking.  Through this process they too may stand in confidence, without fear, knowing that they are prepared.

The second experience I had this week was a very sweet one.  In my first area we worked very hard yet saw little to no visible results.  This past week I had heard, through the grape vine, that there was a lady who had been baptized in that area.  When I inquired who the person was I found out it was Mme Monatisa!  You might remember a picture I had sent long ago of myself and this elderly woman reading from the Book of Mormon as I pointed to the section we were reading.  That was her.  The joy I feel in knowing she was baptized couldn’t be sweeter, even if I were able to be there myself to see her baptism.  I don’t really know how to describe how I feel, but this scripture from the 18th section of the Doctrine and Covenants might do it:
"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him (or her) in the kingdom of my Father!" 

A few weeks earlier I also heard the same report of a man about 70-years-old whom Elder Dutson and I had miraculously found in Phuthaditjhaba.  He was really prepared and was led to us.  He too entered into a covenant with God and entered the waters of baptism.

This is a TRUE work, and I have a testimony of it.  I thank you for supporting me at this time of my life that I am able to be about "my Father’s business".  I love you my family,

Elder Gold