All That Glitters is Not Gold

Well, this week has been much better! Why is this week better? Why were the past weeks bad? Hmmm, I think I've been quite grumbly these past few weeks. I was wallowing in my problems, as I tend to do. But the other morning, I work up super grumpy and I took a shower and I just had to say, "Enough is enough!" (or in Italian, "BASTA!"). So I sang some Footloose songs until I felt excited about life again and I haven't looked back.

We have found some exciting new people to teach -- a family and a young man from Morocco. Now I'm teaching people with a Muslim background! This is a difficult thing coming from teaching just staunch Catholics, but... I figure if things never change, I'd get bored. Change is good! Also, it weighs a lot if it's your only form of currency (that's a jab at the Euro for using coins for any denomination smaller than 5 buck Euros).

Okay, one more question for Italy: WHY do you put your stoplights on the close side of the street? When you drive up to the light, you can only see the light if you crane your neck. Or if someone honks at you when it changes green. Usually the latter. 

Giovanni's doin' great! It's exciting to see someone who is making a step to change his life, not just spiritually, but physically as well. He's going to have more resources available to him, to really fulfill his whole potential. Leadership, service, developing talents... these are just some of the awesome side effects of serving in the church and trying to be like Jesus.

Which is the spiritual thought of the week: accumulating good things through a steady pursuit of doing our best. Does that even make sense? I'm trying to say that I sometimes get overwhelmed by the big picture. How are we going to find Italians to teach and baptize in this huge maze of a city? How will we ever help the members here catch the vision and create a great new missionary program? How can I ever hope of being a good person my whole life when I can't even go a whole day without getting upset at my companion?

The answer is BABY STEPS! Yes, Annie, yes... you want to take on the whole world, but that is not your task. That is not even possible right now! Or ever! Just focus on today. And who you can help, and what you can do. Just do that today, and you will find that in the end, it will all turn out pretty great.

I shall now quote a story that explains this principle and also name drops Boston:

"Oftentimes we are like the young merchant from Boston, who in 1849, as the story goes, was caught up in the fervor of the California gold rush. He sold all of his possessions to seek his fortune in the California rivers, which he was told were filled with gold nuggets so big that one could hardly carry them.

"Day after endless day, the young man dipped his pan into the river and came up empty. His only reward was a growing pile of rocks. Discouraged and broke, he was ready to quit until one day an old, experienced prospector said to him, “That’s quite a pile of rocks you are getting there, my boy.”

"The young man replied, “There’s no gold here. I’m going back home.”

"Walking over to the pile of rocks, the old prospector said, “Oh, there is gold all right. You just have to know where to find it.” He picked two rocks up in his hands and crashed them together. One of the rocks split open, revealing several flecks of gold sparkling in the sunlight.

"Noticing a bulging leather pouch fastened to the prospector’s waist, the young man said, “I’m looking for nuggets like the ones in your pouch, not just tiny flecks.”

"The old prospector extended his pouch toward the young man, who looked inside, expecting to see several large nuggets. He was stunned to see that the pouch was filled with thousands of flecks of gold.

"The old prospector said, “Son, it seems to me you are so busy looking for large nuggets that you’re missing filling your pouch with these precious flecks of gold. The patient accumulation of these little flecks has brought me great wealth.”

(For a 2 minute video on this story: here! Go here! http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng&query=flecks+gold#flecks-of-gold)

Soooo... I don't see much progress if I take things only day by day. But if I look back at my life and all of the experiences I've accumulated... all of the lessons I've learned... all of the people who have touched my life. Especially all of you! I remember you! I remember Tuacahn and Japan and freshman ward and Moab and the Kremlin and Southridge and the Kennedy Center and Siena and all those I may have forgotten to mention! I remember! And all that I have accumulated is worth more than gold. No matter what those "Buy Gold" ads tell me!

Hmmm, this is all! But you're all great! I like serving a mission and people! I like reading the scriptures! I like getting letters and hearing about your lives! And I like talking about Jesus! I hope you do too!

Love,

Sister Fuller