11 For,
behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore
he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto
him.
12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.
 |
| Mall Day! |
It
was much needed too, because last Monday we went to the mall and I was
in Trunk City. I tried on tons of Maurice, Wet Seal, and Rue 21 clothes
(found out I went down a pants size heck yeah) to see what I would look
like as a normal person, was pleased with the outcome, took maybe two
hundred selfies in fitting room mirrors and secretly yearned for the day
I'd get to wear this stuff in public. Snapping back to missionary mode
was difficult, esp. with the luck we've been having so far, i.e. not
much of it. Our teaching pool has gone down significantly as we've
shelfed everyone that's not progressing and not finding all that many,
since we ran out of apartments to tract, all's left is richie
neighborhoods now. We were tracting one and Sister Dailey flipped open
the Book of Mormon at random, twice, and read these aloud to the great
and spacious homes before us.
11And
it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth,
and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who
were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of
their fathers. [3 Nephi 1]
and then
17And
it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army should go against
those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility and level
them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause
of liberty. [Alma 51]
I
mean, we're not like, condemning the opulent or anything. But these
verses gave us little hope for their receptiveness to restored truth.
Don't worry, we knocked anyway.
But
then Tuesday came and we were blessed with a member referral. Sister
N's dad was in town, had come to church last Sunday, and Tuesday they
texted us asking if we could come over for dinner and a lesson with him
in their home. In case you weren't sure, that's EXACTLY how missionary
work is supposed to go. Members doing the finding and scheduling - not
because we missionaries don't want to, but because it's 100% more
effective when members do. This was also the FIRST time in my 11 months
and Sister Dailey's 9 months that this has happened to either of us.
But the N family is just that stellar. So we teach Bro J the
Restoration, and it was clear that his life experiences had prepared him
for this. His mind's wide open and he said "I've seen how happy this
church has made my daughter's family. And I'm jealous. I want that
too." He started reading the Book of Mormon, and I gave him my copy of
Our Search for Happiness, which if you've never read it, is a sum up of
our beliefs as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, very clearly explained to help nonmembers understand, and
written by an apostle, Elder M. Russel Ballard. If everyone read this
book, they'd be converted. No question. So good. Bro J came to church
again yesterday and the N fam invited us to teach another lesson; he
says something like "God's saved my life more than once, I feel like He
has a purpose for me. I just haven't figured it out yet." Sister
Dailey and I had to bite our tongues from screaming "WE HAVE IT" and
instead calmly explained the Plan of Salvation (also known as, the
purpose of life.) He liked it. He said the eternal family thing stood
out to him and even asked about the sealing ordinance. We explained
that that comes after the first covenant: baptism. He's now on date for
August 2nd. Just as soon as he moves from Virginia to here in
Florence. I am hoping so hard I get to stay here long enough to see it.
We
have one other investigator on date for July 26, she's the one with the
infant with myriad health problems. I mean, the constant challenge
keeps her helpful, but it also makes it super hard to catch her at home.
We tried a second time to bring priesthood over there for a scheduled
blessing, but she was at the hospital with the baby, little guy got sick
again. Such a bummer when people don't have working cell phones so we
can find out these things in advance. Speaking of babies. The daughter
in law of one investigator, the one who was distraught over not having
anything for the baby she was expecting, has since delivered and
relocated. Her mother in law had custody of the baby, because
apparently taking adderall while pregnant makes your baby an addict and
when people find out you also smoke and the baby's father drinks like a
fish, they don't let you keep the child until you've cleaned up. I
know, right? People out here face some heavy-duty problems that I've
only read about in books, and even then thought were a dramatization.
But the poor woman gratefully accepted a Book of Mormon, and before
we'd even asked, promised to come to church with her older kids as soon
as she healed up. Thing about the Book of Mormon: if she really does
read from it every day as we've challenged her, the strength to overcome
is a definite guarantee. No matter how real your problem, that's a
promise. And I'm never happy about anyone having it so hard, but I
can't help but recognize that these afflictions prepare people to
receive the gospel. And how great is my joy in the soul that repenteth.
 | |
| A Golden Investigator! |
Which
brings us to our dear newlywed less active. He didn't come to church
like he said he would. Said he'd woken up just not wanting to go.
"I'll be ready in a week," he said. "You said that two weeks ago," we
pointed out. "I know, I know..." Really, it's like dealing with a
teenager, an unmotivated, hardheaded adolescent. But ever since I met
him five months ago, I've felt a personal responsibility for him, so
we've kept going back and going back. And last night something changed.
First of all, we were bold. We called him to repentance with a
handful of scripture verses and zero shame. "If ye love me keep my
commandments." "Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance." With
a strong testimony already, he admitted that he knew what was right and
that he had to do it now, for himself, for Christ, and for his family.
But then he spilled out his fears. That the adversary will make him a
personal target again. That the trials will just keep coming and he'll
never be able to rest or see the part where the blessings come. That
repentance will hurt and the battle will never end. So we told him
about Liberty Jail. "My son, peace be unto thy soul. Thine afflictions
shall be but a small moment, and if thou endure it well, God will exalt
thee on high." And in Romans, "For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed." And Alma, "My soul was filled with joy, as
exceeding as were my pains!" There is peace in and only in righteous
living. The Atonement of Jesus Christ will heal you, if you let it.
No, the challenges will never cease til we're safely dead, and yes the
adversary works on us constantly especially the strong ones that he
knows had great capacity to do good, but "cheer up your heart and
remember that you are free to act for yourself" as Nephi said, because
though either route comes with pain, you either serve God all your life
and get an unimaginable reward at the end, or serve Satan, get pleasure
in the beginning, and end up with nothing at all but torturous guilt.
With Satan, you're falling in holes, with Christ you're climbing
mountains. Both are hard. But get you to very different places.
Furthermore, an apostle once said that if you could see the legions of
angels surrounding and supporting you, you'd never be scared again.
Those include your ancestors, Sister Dailey pointed out. He smiled at
that. And at one point said, "You feel that? The Spirit is here.
After all this time, he's still pushing me." It was there, and it was
so strong and so tender, we just sat in silence a minute and reveled in
that unearthly peaceful moment. Then he told us that it had been long
enough, that he had to come back now, but that he needed us to see him
every day if we could, and call him when we can't, basically to carry
him back to the path, moment by moment, until he's found the iron rod
again, is reading every day again. Challenge accepted. When you get
him feeling the Spirit, he's the most penitent person you've ever met.
And how great was our joy in this soul that repenteth. It's true what
they say about missions being both super hard and super worth it because
of the immense love you come to have for the people you were sent here
for. He thanked us for caring so much, for putting up with him, and we
told him the truth of it, "It's because we love your family and we want
it to be eternal." "So do I," he said.
 |
| Our Mission Leader |
Sincerely,
Sister Valdez
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