Only 1 Week Left at the MTC!

Nyob tsev neeg (all family),

Nej nyob li cas xwb? (How are you all?)  Kuv nyob zoo zog los sis zoo zoo los sis zoo heev (I am better or good or very good)! Anyways so there's a lot happening! This is the last week...CRAZY!!! So I've got a lot to write about.

Temple

I got to go back to the temple since it’s been closed for cleaning. I have a much deeper appreciation for how pure and clean the House of the Lord is (and the carpet leading up to the entrance, which I had to pull up J)

Travel

Apparently I can call you at the airport when I'm traveling so I need to figure out where you all will be so I can call.  I will leave the MTC around 5:00 am and my plane from SLC will leave at 8:21 am. I have a layover in Phoenix for 30 minutes so I'll be bookin' it to the next gate. There will be a lot of other Elders on the phones so I'll have to be fast.  I know you want me to explain some pronunciation, Mom and I will try on the phone.  It’s taken me forever to even begin pronouncing the words correctly, but I’ll try and speak a little Hmoob to you J

Spiritual Thought

We were listening to a talk and the person mentioned a group of people doing an in-depth study of the bible. They came across the verse about the refiners fire (referring to refining silver). One decided they would go to a refiner and learn about the process to better comprehend the scripture. When they recounted the story they said that when they came to the refiner they said nothing about their purpose other than to learn more about refining silver. This is what they learned.

In order to refine the silver, one had to take it and hold it in the center of the fire...the hottest part. You have to watch it...ALWAYS, to be sure that it doesn't get heated too much to where it is destroyed. While in the hottest part of the fire, the impurities are burned away and the refiner watches it intently! The person then asked, how do you know when it is done? The refiner responded "That's easy...when I can see my reflection in it"

We are sometimes found in the hottest part of the fire, but do not fear, for the Lord is holding us and He watches us every second of the way. He will not let us stay one more minute in the fire than what we need. We are in the refiners' fire so that we can become more like the Savior. In our afflictions, we have the greatest opportunity to come closer to God. We grow nearer to God while going through adversities. Let us never forget the refiners fire. And most of all, let us never forget who our refiner is.

I love you all so much. I am more than excited to serve the Hmoob (Hmong) people...and the more I learn about them, the more I love them too.

I will email one last time from the MTC next Tuesday, since I fly Wednesday morning. 

Love,

Es Daws Npuaj Hwm