01/30/2012

Dear Everyone,

We've had frost on our windshield almost every morning this past week. It's almost like winter is trying to be here, but failing desperately all at the same time. I don't even have to look outside to know that spring is here in South. I only need to breathe and then I start sneezing and I have to blow my nose like crazy. Yup, spring is just around the corner, better described as allergy season. I need to go buy myself some more allergy and sinus pills, as I am just about out. It was nice to have a two month or so break from it though. Now I just need to make it to May/June and I will be free until September. One major downfall of the South. In Utah, I only have allergies from about May-July. Not here!

On a more positive note though, life sure is awesome and amazing. For no other reason then the fact that I am alive, Christ lives, and I get to share that even if no one will listen. If no one wants to listen, I know that at least I am strengthening my own testimony. I am learning so much about the Gospel, about myself, and about my own relationship with my Heavenly Father. I apologize if my emails over the last few weeks after been as upbeat and happy as normal, and just know that all of that is going to change.

Well, interviews on Wednesday were awesome. I always enjoy meeting with President Tucker. We were able to discuss my three goals for the year that he asked us to make. They are about how to become a better Preach My Gospel missionary. I took it a little further. I set three goals for my life to not only help me to become a better missionary, but also a better person and disciple of Jesus Christ. Isn't the Gospel just so amazing?

Saturday, we helped Diego paint his garage and back porch. It wore me out! I sure was tired. Church the next day was really good though. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Nathaniel didn't make it. I am not sure what to do with him and his progression in the Gospel. We'll figure it out though.

I learned that I am accepted to BYU-Idaho for the winter/spring track. I start school Jan. 14, 2013. Crazy! Winter/Spring track means I will go to school Jan.-July and have the Fall off, though methinks I might take night classes and maybe some online classes as well during the Fall to graduate as soon as I can. We'll see though. I am trying not to think about it too much.

Here is just some food for thought to finish this off for this week. Whether it is true or not, I love it. It is a discussion between a Professor and one of his students:

Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student :Yes

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smell your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theatre became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.
---------------------------

I love you all! I hope all of you have an awesome week! I know we will! :)

Love,
Elder Mendenhall

PS...Elder Kington says "hi!"