The Carpenter

November 7, 2016

Hello everyone!  I want to start my letter off with a poem:

In Nazareth, the narrow road,

That tires the feet and steals the breath,

Passes the place where once abode

The Carpenter of Nazareth.

And up and down the dusty way

The village folk would often wend;

And on the bench, beside Him, lay

Their broken things for Him to mend.

The maiden with the doll she broke,

The woman with the broken chair,

The man with broken plough, or yoke,

Said, “Can you mend it, Carpenter?”

And each received the thing he sought,

In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll;

The broken thing which each had brought

Returned again a perfect whole.

So, up the hill the long years through,

With heavy step and wistful eye,

The burdened souls their way pursue,

Uttering each the plaintive cry:

“O Carpenter of Nazareth,

This heart, that’s broken past repair,

This life, that’s shattered nigh to death,

Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?”

And by His kind and ready hand,

His own sweet life is woven through

Our broken lives, until they stand

A New Creation—“all things new.”

“The shattered [substance] of [the] heart,

Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,

Mould Thou into the perfect part,

O, Carpenter of Nazareth!”

This week I've been thinking a lot about how we can all feel " broken" in some way, shape or form.  We each have weaknesses and trials that we face during our journey. As I thought more and more about this I've come to a realization that we really aren't broken. Those so called "cracks " that we all have,  serve a purpose. 

Our Carpenter  has suffered our infirmities, insecurities, and weaknesses, but He also overcame them when He rose on the third day. He succors us. He knows the purpose for our suffering.  The challenge is finding the strength to trust Him and believe that He will fix the cracks in our lives and create something beautiful.

Bread of  Life?

Um.....I got nothin'

Yup, while tracting we found a loaf of BREAD taped to the fence.  It cracked us up and had to get a picture.

So, on another note....Sister Hallam and I have decided to enter a float in the local parade to help remind people the true meaning of Christmas!  President Blair loved the idea, and the ward members are helping.  We decided to have a live nativity!! We have goats, horses and hay.  Not sure how we are going to get the animals to stay on the float.... pray for us! 🐐 🐎 💒

AHHHHH!  I'm in love.

I just wanted to let you all know how grateful I am for this gospel. I look back at where I was just a few years ago and honestly kind of cringe.When I lived away and was going to the Singles Wards, I only went to Sacrament most of the time and didn't really care what was being said. I went because I was supposed to. To be honest I didn't really gain a testimony until I felt like I had hit a rock bottom, and I'm so grateful for
that rock bottom in my life. Because of it,  I've come to know my Savior and Redeemer. I've come to know that not only does He know what I have and will go through, but HE is the one who has overcome it. He did that when He rose on the third day. I've come to know how much God really does love us. He really does want us to communicate with him, and he really does answer us IF we are willing to listen and align our
will with  His. 

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God to
bring this fullness of this gospel back to the Earth. I know at this gospel is perfect, but that there is no single person in it that is perfect. And I think that's a beautiful thing. We are all striving and trying to turn our hearts toward the Lord and He sees that. He rejoices when we do. 

I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
Without a doubt in my mind, I know that it was written for our day.  I know we all have a roll in missionary work. I know this gospel is the only place where we can find true and everlasting JOY. 

I'm sorry it's so short, but it's in the simplicity of the gospel where you find the truth. So I hope it's in the simplicity of this testimony that you can feel of Gods love for you.
I hope you all know I love you and miss you dearly. 

Love,

Sister Strange Name