September 9, 2013

I'm Baaack!

Sorry about last week. Technical difficulties.

Anyway, how's everyone doing? Thanks for all the letters, pictures, thoughts, etc. 

But, as for me. So two weeks ago was when Elder Jomie and Elder Johnston left, and then our sons showed up!

MAIN CHARACHTERS:

ELDER FRALEY: My son! He's great. He sat me down his first night here and said "how do you do with exact obedience?" He's here to work hard, and we've committed each other to be obedient. He's from West Jordan, UT. He's got what we call "greenie fire". It's great. He's a funny guy, and we get along great.

ELDER CALL: Also from Utah, but I forgot where. He's doing pretty well with his french, and likes playing frisbee, which works out great for me. I finally have someone I can play with!

So in any case, one of the things that President Mehr has been speaking about recently, and in consequence one of the things that I've been thinking/teaching about, is the law of the fast. I feel like it's one of those things that, for the longest time in my life, I had no solid understanding of. I mean, what in the world does anyone have to possibly gain from me not eating? How in the world does that help me?

Well, one of the answers that I've found is based on the fact that each of us has two bodies-one physical, and one spiritual. The spiritual body has been there for a long time. Like, a very long time. And for almost 100% of its existence, it has been doing just fine on its own. Then, physical body comes along and throws all of its physical appetites into the party. Now, I don't want to sound like I'm disparaging physical body, because he is a great and essential part of us. But it's true that he's much younger, and still has a lot to learn. Well, how in the world do we take all of that spiritual experience that we've accumulated over the millenia and teach a little something to our physical body? Admittedly, there's multiple ways to do so. But one of those really great ways to do so is by fasting. When we fast, we take 24 hours and we put our physical body in time out. We say that "alright, for just one day, you don't get to say anything. For 24 hours, we're going to do things like I did for so long before you showed up. So for just a little while, just a day, just don't say anything. Just be quiet, and listen. And we're going to learn something". Well, physical body insists on making a bunch of noise anyway, but at the end of a successful fast, we have learned something. We've learned what we're capable of. We've learned that there are things more important than what our body wants. We learn how to recognize what they are. And our poor hungry physical body becomes just a little bit more unified with our spirit. 2 Nephi 1:21 gives us Lehi's definition of manhood. Be men. Of one heart and one mind, and free from all captivity. Well being of one hear and one mind starts on an interior, personal basis. Are my heart and my mind one? Or am I in captivity to the one or the other? And no, it's not just for the boys; I think that what Lehi was really saying to his really rather immature children was "grow up". Learn. Be a little bit bigger than you were yesterday. Fast!

That took more time than I expected. Life is going great! Happy anniversary Pono! I love you! Happy Birthday Lizzie! Uncle Kamalu loves you!

Love,

-Elder Santos