The Touch of the Master's Hand

Dear Minnasan,

This week was our last District Meeting of the Transfer. Would you believe it? I can't, but then again, I never really can. We had a funny discussion right before the meeting started, though. My companion always reads the "White Handbook," or the book with all the missionary rules in it, in funny accents. She has a particularly great Russian and Scottish accent that makes me laugh every time. But the great part is that the Elders in our district apparently do that too! Except they have NAMES for their accents. For example, our District Leader can do a really great Southern accent, which he named Tyrone. And the Australian missionary has a British accent that he has named Nigel. They also told us about how one of the Elders accidentally threw his companion's toothpaste out of the window....yeah, it's interesting what we do to keep ourselves entertained, haha.

At that same meeting, a first transfer missionary said something really profound that I would like to share today. Our District Leader asked us what our image of a "humble" missionary was. We all were like, "He would be selfless" and stuff like that. Then this first transfer missionary raised his hand and said, "A piano." And we were all like, "What now?" But as he explained what he meant, it really took on a large meaning.

He told us that the piano, or the guitar, and any other instrument always bows to their master - to the musician. They yield themselves to the musician, and because they prioritize their desires as lower than the musician's desires, they are able to produce wonderful music. The musician is able to use them, and together, the outcome is a beautiful musical piece. This is much more than the piano could ever do by itself. The piano, alone, could never play a single note. But because it yields to the musician, who knows the music and the notes, a musical masterpiece is produced. This is exactly the same with us. We, alone, can do nothing. We must yield our wills to God. We must be an instrument in His hands. When we humble ourselves enough, to say as the Savior did, "Not my will, but thine, be done" that's when the music is made. That is when the miracles come.

This humble first transfer missionary also went on to explain that it doesn't matter how old or new the instrument is. If the musician is skilled enough, then all of that doesn't matter. If the musician is skilled enough, then the music will sound beautiful no matter what. The piano may be scared, and battered. It may be old. It may not be beautiful. But that doesn't matter a bit. It doesn't matter what we look like, or what we think our perceived imperfections may be. The Musician, the Master, the Lord of all, is in charge. He can make of us more than we could ever make of ourselves, if we are but humble and yield to His will.

This brings to mind a poem:

The Touch of the Master's Hand

’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three—” But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”

And he held it up with the bow.

“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand

What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:

“The touch of a master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,

A game—and he travels on.

He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,

He’s “going” and almost “gone.”

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought

By the touch of the Master’s hand.            

Sister Weigl

FIVE QUESTIONS:

1.  What do you like about the new program for sister missionaries....not streeting and such? Well, we haven't had much of a chance to do this yet because we didn't have any records for the Less-Actives yet...so we didn't know who they were or where they lived, but we got these records this week and have started to work on it. Something I like is that they already know who we are and why we are there. Like, we don't have to explain ourselves. They already know, which is nice.

2.  Is there anything this week you learned or did different because of the new program? 

You get to talk with more people and make more friends, because you don't have to spend as much time housing. You get to spend more time actually talking to people.

3.  What is one thing you have learned from  companion?

It's okay to be yourself.

4.  Name one thing you would like to do this coming week? 

HAVE A BAPTISM.

5.  Did you learn anything from an investigator or ward member this week? 

The Bishop is really awesome! He loves the members so much and is willing to sacrifice pretty much anything for them; his time, his effort, his money. For example, this week, The Elders are having a baptism. The Bishop offered to go and buy the investigator a white shirt and tie. I want to be that kind of servant for the Lord.

We also had an Easter Activity at the church this past week! We got to meet and talk with two less-active members, and 18 nonmembers came. It was really awesome. We played little games and then explained how each game represented one of the eight days before Christ was resurrected.  It was a Primary activity, so it was basically focused on the kids. Somehow me and my companion got pulled into doing the Easter egg hunt though, which was supposed to be only for the kids. Then, we couldn't find our team's eggs, which was super embarrassing. All the kids finished before us. But you know.The kids had a ton of fun. There was also lots of food. And the food was from Costco. Yes, there is Costco in Japan. And yes, they still have those big Costco muffins. Some things never change.

But anyways, another fun biking story. I was biking up a hill this past week (my companion was walking. It was a big hill.) I passed this old lady and the lady was super impressed. She started cheering me on, shouting "FIGHTO! FIGHTO!" When I got to the top, the old lady stopped another lady who was walking by and was like, "She just biked up that whole hill! O-tsukare-sama!" It was hilarious. And awesome. People in Japan are the best.

Japan is like, one of the safest places. I feel like I could leave my door unlocked and it would still be okay. Most people pretty much just kekko us, which is just Japanese for "No, I am not interested." In Japan, we don't usually knock on people's doors, we  "ping-pong" their doors, which just means we ring their door bells. But usually the door bells aren't near their doors. Usually they are out by the front gate. Weird, right? And the door bells usually have cameras, which is sort of unnerving.