Sunshine and Lollipops

Hiya!

The mission is the best thing ever. Really!

Today we hiked Multnomah Falls in Oregon, so this is a pretty sparse and short email.

This week we had exchanges and I was in charge of our area, so I got to drive! We only got lost once, and it was on the way to making WAPIS. I overshot a street and passed the Port of Vancouver, realizing we were lost when we were no longer near civilization and fields and trees were all around us. But we made it to WAPIS! Only 10 minutes late!

The best part of this week was General Conference. We had the wonderful opportunity to hear from our Latter-day prophet, apostles, and other inspired speakers. One of the talks that I loved was by Elder Haynie. I don't remember much, except the talk brought to my remembrance a poem I memorized called:

 "The Touch of the Master's hand" 

This is how it goes:

''Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

"What am I bidden, good folks, "he cried,

"Who"ll start the bidding for me?"

"A dollar, a dollar," then, "two!" "Only two?

Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three-" But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"

And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two.

Two thousand! And who'll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice

And going, and gone!" said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

"We do not quite understand

What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply

"The touch of a master's hand."

And many a man with a life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd

Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,

A game- and he travels on.

He's "going" once, and "going" twice,

He's "going and almost "gone."

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Can never quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought

By the touch of the Master's hand."

The Atonement of Jesus Christ can touch any of our lives. It was designed perfectly by our Father in Heaven who loves us with a love unimaginable to the human senses. Despite the course our life may be going, the pain we may feel, our sadness, depression, fears, anything, Christ can touch our hearts and change us. He descended below us so that he may lift us, even with all of our faults. Grace saves us, but the atonement and repentance change us. When we let the Master's hand touch our lives, we realize our divine nature and feel of His love- the love that is always there, we just have to reach back. We are all sons and daughters of a God. A God so real, so tangible, who is testified of in both the Book of Mormon and Bible. And I am here because I love Him and am learning to see the world how He sees it.

Love you all!

Love,

Sister Frisch