Easter Letter

(Jonathan is responding to my letter where I told him all about Time Out for Women):

Wow, that’s so exciting! It sounds like you had a great time. That actually brought up a few poems I read while my companion was emailing first.

   One of them is:

My Father at the helm

The curling waves, with awful rear,

A little bark assailed,

And pallid fear's distracting power

O'er all on board prevailed

Save one- the captain's darling child,

 Who fearless viewed the storm,

And, cheerful, with composure smiled

At danger's threatening form,

"And can you smile," a seaman cried,

"While terrors overwhelm?"

"Why should I fear?" the boy replied,

"My fathers at the helm."

So, when our worldly hopes are reft

Our earthly comforts gone,

We still have one sure anchor left

God heals, and He alone

He, to our prayers will lend an ear

and give our hearts relief;

and turn to smiles, each trembling fear

to joy, each torturing grief.

then look to Him, mid terrors wild,

when wants and woes o'er whelm,

Remembering, like the fearless child,

Our father’s at the helm!

I really like that poem.

Anyway, I’ll try to get some pictures to you (if I ever take some :) but we took a picture of our district this Wednesday because that was our last district meeting. Because Saturday we got our transfer calls. I'm still here in Berkeley and where there are still all sisters in our district but now there’s going to be a tripanionship so 5 sisters in our district. And the interesting thing is the sisters are switching wards. So we’re going to have the same sisters but they will just switch wards. It’s interesting.

There’s another poem I would like to type that I just found today while my companion was emailing and I think it applies to what I’m going through right now.

          Little by Little

"Little by little," an acorn said,

As it slowly sank in its mossy bed,

"I'm improving every day,

Hidden deep in the earth away,"

Little by little each day it grew,

Little by little it sipped the dew

Downward it sent a thread like root

Up in the air it sprung a tiny shoot

Up in the air it sprung a tiny shoot

Day after day and year after year,

Little by little the leaves appear;

And the slender branches spread far and wide,

Till the mighty oak is the forest's pride.

Far down in the depths of the dark blue sea,

An insect train works ceaselessly

Grain by grain they're building well

each one alone in its little cell

Moment by moment and day by day

Never stopping to rest or play

Rocks upon rocks they are rearing high

till the top looks out on the sunny sky

The gentle wind and the balmy air

Little by little bring verdure there

Till the summer sunbeams gaily smile

On the birds and flowers of the Coral isle.

"little by little," said a thoughtful boy,

"moment by moment I’ll employ,

learning a little everyday

And not spending all my time in play

"And still this role in my mind shall dwell,

whatever I do I will do it well

little by little I’ll learn to know 

the treasured wisdom of long ago

and one of these days perhaps well see 

that the world will be the better for me."

Do not you think that this simple plan

made him a wise and useful man?

I really think I’ve been growing little by little each day. I love it. I had my last New missionary follow up meeting where all of the new missionaries go and get taught. So I think I saw my MTC friends for the last time unless they are in my district or zone one day. That would be awesome. My companion was companions with his MTC companion that would be so fun. Anyway, while in the training meeting President Merideth said we are getting more English speaking sister missionaries this transfer than we have English speaking sister missionaries out in the field right now. And that he said to the elders, don’t be surprised if you are called to a leadership position with all sisters. So I think right now I am being trained on how to be a great district leader with all sisters in the district. I really learned that I don't seek for leadership opportunities, like that isn’t my goal, but I am constantly preparing for them in case I am called to one, knowing that even though I am called as a leader that doesn’t mean I am better or above anyone else. I really really love this Mission President. He is soo amazing and full with love. I’m so blessed he is my president and his wife is so amazing as well. It’s amazing.

An amazing thing happened. Last Saturday and Sunday our district fasted for investigators and missionary opportunities and Sunday after our dinner when we broke the fast we got a call saying a 9 year old in our ward told his dad that he wanted to get baptized, and the members we were eating with helped out the sister missionaries this week and now the sister missionaries had one of their investigators accept a baptismal date because of this member that resolved their concern. But this 9 year old boy is named Antonio Michaels. He’s amazing and so smart. It’s so exciting. He’s going to be my first baptism. His date is April 21'st.

It’s nice hearing from you. Hope you are doing great!

Love,

Elder Ranquist