Parable of the Ten Virgins

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.  It is a blessing that our health and finances are such that we can serve the Lord full-time.  Every week is filled with many different situations and we are grateful for opportunities to learn and grow.

Here are a few pictures from English class.  I am always grateful for the help of the missionaries.

After English class, Elder Tanner took a walk down memory lane by playing from my beginner Bastien piano book.

I love the smiles of our happy missionaries.

 Elder Moreland and Elder Hansen

Hermana West and Hermana Trone

Hermana West is adjusting well.  She is always smiling 

and always trying to speak in Spanish.  

Wednesday we had a Zone Training Meeting, so all the missionaries from our island were together.

These elders were enjoying round 2 of "Cafe Rio" Sweet Pork Burritos.  

I love that these girls always offer to help in the kitchen.  

And of course, Elder Larsen is my right-hand man. 

Since it is fall, we had to have Apple Cake with Carmel Sauce again.  Because I have a very small amount of pecans that I am saving for the holidays, this time I made it with walnuts.  Not as good, but very tasty.  The missionaries didn't seem to mind.

Elders Dyer, Hansen, Moreland, and Maxfield

If you are wondering why this young man is beaming from ear to ear, 

it is because he has turned in his papers to serve a mission.  

This has been a difficult decision for him, 

but he finally realized 

it was not only what he should do, 

it was what he wanted to do.  

He should find out where he is going in about four weeks.

Dario

Dario with Elder Sarango and Elder Thunell

We were invited to a party for Victor and Cynthia.  They have much to celebrate in November; both their birthdays, their first wedding anniversary and Cynthia's first anniversary of her baptism.

Cynthia seemed happy with a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

Elder Hansen and Elder Tanner were so impressed with their healthy choices for dessert that they asked me to post their plates so that their mothers could see.
I did not take pictures of the large bowls of ice cream that they had after their fruit!

Elder Larsen taught four Institute classes this week.  Everyone seems to enjoy his classes.  He is a very good teacher and makes his classes interactive and enjoyable.  Elder Larsen has used the parable of the Ten Virgins several times this year.  It teaches such a powerful message about the importance of of our daily preparation for the Second Coming of the Savior.  I have always loved this quote by President Spencer W. Kimball:

“Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions, marriage in the covenant for eternity—these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps.”

But with our most recent study, I have been impressed by the end of the parable when the foolish virgins knocked on the door to gain entrance to the marriage and the bridegroom, or the Savior, says "Verily I say unto you, I know you not, " Matthew 25:12.  I will stand before the judgement seat someday.  I am striving to develop a closer relationship with my Savior so that He will know me at that day.  

Here is a beautiful video of this parable.

Doctrine and Covenants 45:56-57 says:
"And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.  For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. "  I pray that I can be wise and abide the day of His coming.