This week has been amazing!! I got Elder Bragg from Louisville on
Tuesday and we've been workin our tails off since, and I think I'm
killin him with this humidity haha! We haven't found a lot of new
people this week, but we've been working really hard with Gabby. She
came to church yesterday and she loved its, then later that night we
went to Lexington for a fireside and she got up and bore her testimony
about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and said how
happy she's been since she's been learning about the church and I was
so happy to see someone recognize and act on the good that this gospel
brings! She and I talked after the fireside and she told me she wants
to be baptized a week earlier on July 22nd, her birthday! So very soon
we'll be havin a baptism.
Yesterday was an awesome Father's Day at church, it made me feel
somewhat older than a child when I got a Hershey's bar, yes!! But more
important than that was the spirit I felt there. We talked about
sacrifice in gospel principles (a class for people looking into the
church), not the lamb kind of sacrifice, but more like personal
sacrifice. I read a talk by President Monson this week. In it he
shares a story about a man named Benjamin, I'll share it with you!
"A story written by Karen Nolen, which appeared in the New Era in
1974, tells of a Benjamin Landart who, in 1888, was 15 years old and
an accomplished violinist. Living on a farm in northern Utah with his
mother and seven brothers and sisters was sometimes a challenge to
Benjamin, as he had less time than he would have liked to play his
violin. Occasionally his mother would lock up the violin until he had
his farm chores done, so great was the temptation for Benjamin to play
it.
In late 1892 Benjamin was asked to travel to Salt Lake to audition
for a place with the territorial orchestra. For him, this was a dream
come true. After several weeks of practicing and prayers, he went to
Salt Lake in March of 1893 for the much anticipated audition. When he
heard Benjamin play, the conductor, a Mr. Dean, told Benjamin he was
the most accomplished violinist he had heard west of Denver. He was
told to report to Denver for rehearsals in the fall and learned that
he would be earning enough to keep himself, with some left over to
send home.
A week after Benjamin received the good news, however, his bishop
called him into his office and asked if he couldn’t put off playing
with the orchestra for a couple of years. He told Benjamin that before
he started earning money there was something he owed the Lord. He then
asked Benjamin to accept a mission call.
Benjamin felt that giving up his chance to play in the territorial
orchestra would be almost more than he could bear, but he also knew
what his decision should be. He promised the bishop that if there were
any way to raise the money for him to serve, he would accept the call.
When Benjamin told his mother about the call, she was overjoyed. She
told him that his father had always wanted to serve a mission but had
been killed before that opportunity had come to him. However, when
they discussed the financing of the mission, her face clouded over.
Benjamin told her he would not allow her to sell any more of their
land. She studied his face for a moment and then said, “Ben, there is
a way we can raise the money. This family [has] one thing that is of
great enough value to send you on your mission. You will have to sell
your violin.”
Ten days later, on March 23, 1893, Benjamin wrote in his journal: “I
awoke this morning and took my violin from its case. All day long I
played the music I love. In the evening when the light grew dim and I
could see to play no longer, I placed the instrument in its case. It
will be enough. Tomorrow I leave [for my mission].”
Forty-five years later, on June 23, 1938, Benjamin wrote in his
journal: “The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up
something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never
forgotten me for it.”
As I read this I couldn't help but think of my amazing parents who
have always sacrificed so much for me and my sisters and everyone
around them. I count one of their greatest sacrifices as sending me on
my mission (especially dad, he's surrounded by estrogen so if you have
some spare man time invite Jase Crow haha) but I think when the right
kind of sacrifice is made, blessings are brought about rather than
sadness and hardship. I would also add that sacrifice doesn't feel
like sacrifice when we do it for the right reason and the right
purpose. So many people we talk to look at us like we are giving away
2 years of our lives and losing time we should be having fun with. But
serving a mission to me does not feel one bit like a sacrifice. I add
my testimony to that of Benjamin Landart, "The greatest decision I
ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the
Hod I loved even more." I know this decisions I'll shape and affect
every moment of my life to come. I love serving my Savior and my
Heavenly Father, I know the gospel I share every day is pure and true,
and nothing would make me question my decision to serve a mission.
I love all y'all so much,
Elder Crow
