Hello Everyone,

 

Before my mission I loved to sit and write. When I left I decided to leave that behind to better focus my other things and expand my talents. This last week I felt the prompting to pick up my pen again and write. This will be my post for the week. I hope you enjoy it.

 

~LINES~

 

"Every artist was at first an amateur."      --Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Silence was the chosen soundtrack. The room smelled clean with a hint of the perfume of fresh paper and pencil shavings. As he entered the room anticipation collected on my hands in the form of cold sweat.

 

I've waited an eternity for this.

 

My mind raced as I sought to understand how the master's hand moved. Fluid and precise but seeming reckless and wild, I wondered how I would learn.

 

"Class" he said, "Pick up a pencil and draw what is on your mind. Every Master once began by simply drawing a line." The wood became warm in my hand as I began to draw and design. Slowly my dreams, desires and ambitions, rigid and black, unfolded before my eyes. He began to walk the room, smiling, nodding and watching as he saw futures begin to take shape. But when the turn was mine he said "Stop and wait. I'll be back to discuss your shapes." Confused, concerned, wanting to understand I sat

 

Patiently...

             ....Waiting...

                            ....Praying...

 

Alone. All had gone except the Master and I. After staring at my desires and dreams for what seemed to be some time, he turned to me and said, "Well done my friend you can draw a line. Any artist can draw those things created in their mind but it takes a Master to inspire humankind. Here is a box of colors, use them as you please. I will stay beside you to show you what a Master sees."

 

I picked a color from the box. It felt unfamiliar in my hand. Afraid to make just one mistake I began to make a plan. The Master said "Fear not, for I am by your side. Allow your hand to freely move. All I ask is that you try."

 

From blues and reds and yellows my piece began to change shape. the lines once drawn in anxiousness were covered with a new fate. From fear to faith, blindness to sight, a new life unfolded right before my eyes. Mistakes were made, some colors did fade but all the master said was "try." Fluid and precise but seeming reckless and wild my hands began to work. At times I would hear the Master say, " you are beginning to see my world."

 

Then it stopped.

 

The Master's hand on my shoulder told me my piece was done. With one, black line left in the middle he said "I'm proud of you my son. You allowed your lines to fade away as I turned your thoughts towards another way. Now you know my secret, my dreams, desires and love. Your work, your masterpiece, is accepted from above."

 

Every artist can draw their thoughts and dreams, or simple, rigid lines. But it takes the colors of the master to make our pieces divine.

 

-----------End-----------

 

I have come to understand the Atonement in some unique and incredible ways over the last month or so. It has been a fight against Satan, the foe of all. I love my Savior and I know he is my friend. He has helped me through more trials than I can ever count or make up. I know that this life is a simple testing ground. A place where we can show our faith and strive to do our very best. I know we all make mistakes, I myself make plenty of them, but I know that we can be forgiven by putting our trust in the one who has redeemed us. I know the gospel is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior, and I know that one day we can stand with him with our families to live in eternal joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Have a great week!

 

Sincerely,

Elder Klemme

Hey Everybody,

 

Another week. Another post. This will be one of the last posts that I send home seeing that my time as a consecrated servant of the Lord is coming to a close. Luckily I still have a few weeks left!

 

The week turned out nothing like we had hoped or planned for. All of our baptismal dates dropped us as well as most of our investigators. It resulted in us doing lots of finding and riding in the 110 + degree days. Nevertheless, I learned some very valuable lessons, a couple of which I would like to share with you this week.

 

I remember back in March when my companion, Elder Bingham, was preparing to go home. We passed through a similar situation. The work slowed, he got very sick, and we had a million things to do in the office before he left. He expressed to me that he was curious what the Lord was trying to teach him. He loved to be among the people teaching them the gospel and there he was bound down by other responsibilities that needed to be completed. I will never forget that he never once complained but did his "duty" diligently. I know for myself it was an incredible demonstration of love for the Lord. As I have gone through similar experiences I have often thought about the Savior and the amount of diligence he showed at the end of his mission. I have covenanted with Heavenly Father that I would give myself for two entire years. I promised that I would be diligent, charitable, and obedient for the entire time. I can say that last week started my trial of diligence and I did my best to work through the hard times.

 

I also learned an incredible lesson on the Atonement and the changing power of charity. I sometimes find myself running so fast and so far ahead of the pack that I leave others behind. But instead of going back to help them along the way I stand far ahead in the trail expecting them to make it on their own. I learned that charity is not allowing yourself to get too far ahead but to allow yourself to steadily and diligently work towards the prize. The real success isn't in reaching the destination fast but by reaching it in wisdom. I feel like I can say that the next few weeks will bring about great levels of growth in me and for those I serve. I know I have been sent here for many reasons and now it is my responsibility to complete them with the Lord instead of depending on my own abilities.

 

I really love my mission. It is the most incredible experience I have had in my life. I feel as Alma felt in Alma 29. I don't look forward for the end of this month but I know it will come. I use it to motivate to work harder, to talk to one more person, to extend one more baptismal invitation, to be obedient, charitable, and kind. I use it as a timeline, a motivator, to do the work of the Lord while I can. I know the transition will be difficult but one thing I have come to understand and will never deny is that the Savior will help me through whatever change is necessary. This gospel is true, Jesus Christ is our savior, and we all have a part in Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Sincerely,

Elder Klemme

June 27, 2011

Hello Hello!

 

First things first. It is BLAZIN' hot down here! This whole last week it was between 105 and 115 during the day and in the low (maybe) 90's in the evening time. Our little home doesn't have air conditioning (but it does have a swamp cooler) so on average it is in the high 80's inside our house. Talk about an awesome story right! It has been so hot that the wind feels like a blow dryer on your face and your eyes feel like they are going to burn out of your head. I am SOO glad that somebody invented sunglasses.

 

This week started off really well but trailed off towards the end. I personally have had to come to understand the Atonement a lot deeper in my life and to accept that I can only do so much. I feel like I have a million more things I want to finish but have no time to do them all (WHICH, I don't) but I have re-focused myself on the most important: living my purpose every day by inviting everyone to be baptized and to make Montana del Sur a missionary ward. I also received some very specific council from one of my leaders through a blessing to focus on growing my testimony of the Atonement by developing more charity towards my fellowmen. I will admit, that is one of my weaknesses. I run at a very high velocity and (most of the time) do not like to slow down for mistakes. It's been a growing process for me over the past two years and I'm still far from perfect. But, perfection was never meant to be obtained here in this life.

 

Speaking of the Atonement, I was reading in the book of Mosiah a few days ago and re-read chapter 14. The spirit touched me so strong as I read it that I began to understand the love our Heavenly Father and especially our Savior, Jesus Christ, has for us. There is a verse that I want to share with you this week. It is found in verse 5.

 

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

 

With this talk I would also like to refer you to the talk titled "Beauty for Ashes: The Atonement of Jesus Christ" by Bruce C. Hafen. I cannot begin to explain how much I love my Savior. I am such a weak person of the flesh and I recognize every day I have more and more imperfections. It is such an amazing thing to think that one day I will be made perfect, to be able to stand in the presence of my Savior and my Father in Heaven knowing that I have done my best.

 

I'm not trunky but I simply want to say that these last two years have shown me a lot about myself and about how I work. But, more than anything it has shown me of what I can become. I have loved every minute of my mission. I have had many experiences: some where difficult but many were pleasant. I will not go home ashamed of the work that I have done. I will feel as Paul, able to say " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7). This is the Lord's work and he has called me to stand in his place, to say and do the things he wants said and done, to work mircles by faith in his name, and to bring others back into HIS fold. There is no greater joy found than that of spreading the gospel. To those members who have stayed faithful in reading my blog and especially to my brothers and father: Never woose out to open your mouth to spread the gospel. Your missions, no mission, ends when you walk of the plane. You may never have the mantle of a consecrated servant again but you have the mantle of the gospel, of the priesthood and you, I, must always live to this call. I love my Saviour, he is my master, my brother, and my friend. That we may all look to him for guidance in this stormy life so we can move onward and upward to eternal life is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Sincerely,

Elder Klemme