June 15, 2011

Mom,
Thank you for your email. I love hearing about all of the good stuff happening back home. I got my package last Friday at zone conference. Thank you for that. I love the flashlight. It is nice to have. My other one struggled sometimes. The only thing that didn’t fare that well in the shipping was the wheat thins. They were a little smashed... but still tasted the same. Did you get that sweet hot mustard from Wisconsin? Katie mentioned that they have a lot of different kinds of mustard there at the brat fest. I could go for a good brat with mustard and relish, they do it a little different here. I’m glad Carson’s graduation went well. I can’t wait to see them again. I need to write them. It has been a while. I wish I could send more packages, but it is just so expensive. Richards LOST game looks really good. Tell him "Nice work!" for me. And tell grandma "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" for me as well. She looks great for her age. Must be that good green salad with that amazing ranch dressing she always has for dinner. I miss that a lot, they don’t eat many vegetables here, especially raw. So Keegan is home! I can imagine he is thin, probably similar culture to here. I would die in cold water. I haven’t even felt cold for months, with the exception of our zone conference on Friday. The aircon does wonders... but us Filipinos can’t take it too cold anymore.

We had a really good zone conference, one that I think will change my life. I am so grateful for my mission president. He is such a scriptorian and knows so much doctrine about all topics that it is fascinating to hear him teach. You learn so much, and there are so many little tidbits of knowledge you can just chew on. I love it. He taught about being an effective missionary and taught about the life changing experience of Peter. In the last chapter of John the apostles go back to fishing after the Savior dies. The savior comes to the beach where they are fishing and asks how their fishing is going. They answer that they had not caught anything. He then replies that they should throw the net on the other side of the boat. When they do they catch 152 (I think that is the number) fish and can’t pull in the net. Peter realizes that it is the savior and swims to shore, leaving the others behind to pull in the fish. The Savior had prepared them breakfast. After they eat Jesus asks Peter, "Lovest thou Me more than these?" meaning the boats and the fish and the nets and oars and the ocean. Peter responds of course I do. Jesus responds "Feed my lambs." and then asks again. Again Peter answers in the affirmative and the savior responds, "Feed my sheep." followed by the question the third time, "Lovest thou Me?" Peter is grieved at this point. This question three times gives us the opportunity to really examine ourselves. Do we love the Savior more than "these"? Do we put other things before the Savior in our lives? Again Peter says yes. By this the Lord meant, When I called you to be an apostle, I called you for life, never again to return to your fishing or your nets and boats. You are to "feed my lambs" all your days until the end. For us, we have each been called of the Lord. Do we go back to our nets and boats, or do we serve the Lord every day of our lives until the end, turning from the worldly things that are always calling us another way, or do we yield? Do we serve on Sundays and go back to our nets on the other days. There have been many times in my life when I have done that. But as Peter I want to turn from that forever. He, if not in that very moment, that day, or that week turned from his nets never to return. He became the prophet for whom people would beg to be left in the streets on their sickbeds, hoping that even the shadow of Peter might fall upon them. That day he became more. We each have that responsibility in our lives. We all know what our individual nets and boats are, and we cannot go back. We have all been called to serve the children of God, never to be released. I know this is true. I testify that doing as Peter has done and leaving our nets will bring the power of the Savior into our lives and we will find a greater joy than we have ever known, because we are drawing nearer and nearer to God, the source of all truth, light, and joy. This is my hope that we will each do. He is waiting for us to come, to "Come follow [Him]." In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all very much. Take care,
Elder Schenk