Last Tuesday as we were driving out to Skylar's house to continue teaching her, we got a text from one of our investigators named Deana. Backstory: Elder Hastings has told me that she is super solid, believes the Book of Mormon and everything, and is basically ready for baptism. She actually had a date set not too long ago, but her husband wouldn't agree to let her be baptized, so that didn't happen. We still thought that she would be baptized eventually, her husband just needed to agree to it. We have tried to see her a couple of times during the last couple of weeks, but I still have yet to meet her. I always just thought that we couldn't catch her at a good time. Anyway, she texts us while we were driving, so Elder Hastings hands me the phone to read it. Deana said something to the effect of, "I just watched a video of an ex-Mormon guy exposing Joseph Smith. Needless to say, I'm no longer interested in becoming a Mormon." Like I said, I've never even met her, but I was just crushed. We asked if we could call her, but she just said no and goodbye. I was pretty sure we never were going to speak with or see here again. However, we have still been texting with her. We have tried to help her remember what she felt when she first read the Book of Mormon, and how much she loved/believed it. She told us that she is just really confused right now, and she is still searching for the truth. I know that she feels that way because she has found the truth, but know she is questioning herself and questioning the answers and feelings that she received as she learned of the truth. It's a tough situation, but I hope that we can be able to help her in whatever way we can to remember what she came to know was true just a few short weeks ago.
After receiving that text from Deana, we had to go in and teach Skylar. Elder Hastings taught me this really cool way to begin reading 1 Nephi 1 with an investigator and explain it to them to help them understand it, liken it to themselves, and get hooked on reading. That's what we did with Skylar. I feel like it went pretty well, but I think that she is still going to have a hard time understanding what she reads in the Book of Mormon if someone isn't there to explain it to her. I hope and pray that she will do her best, and that her parents will help her with it. Her family still hasn't been to church since we started teaching her, so I wonder how on board they really are. We have talked with the Branch Presidency about baptizing her, and they have told us that there is almost no point in doing it if she and her family are not ready to commit to come back to church and to do those things that they need to. I hope that they will see the importance of what we missionaries are asking/inviting them to do.
On a better note, Friday was Diane's baptism! It was awesome, and she loved it. Her son, Donnie, drove here from Texas so that he could baptize her. It was a great service, and I got to give a quick talk about baptism. It helped me throughout the week to think about my own baptismal covenants as I prepared to give that talk throughout the week. It was a great opportunity for me. During the time that Diane and Donnie were changing after the baptism, we asked all of the members that came to the service to write Diane a little note/testimony, and then we put them all in a jar and gave them to her after it was all over. I really love the members here, and they all seem to love each other. Lots of people in the branch are very supportive of Diane, and I'm glad that they all were willing to share their testimonies with her. She has told us that she really enjoys the branch and feels at home there. I'm grateful for that, because often times converts will quickly fall away if they don't have those feelings or if they don't have a few friends at church. I know that Diane has lots of friends at church, and I'm thankful for the members and their love towards her.
Friday night we had a zone conference call, and at each of our conference calls we are given a "focus question" a few hours before, and then a couple of people are called on to share their thoughts. The focus question this week was kind of two questions, but it was, "What blessings have you seen this week, and what can we do to remain happy/positive during our service?" I didn't get called on to share, but I thought about those questions a little bit. As I mentioned at the beginning of this letter, I learned this week that probably a lot more people than I previously thought read my writings each week. And the blessing that I have seen is that my service as a missionary and my experiences that I write about are having a positive impact on those who read about them. As far as being happy goes, I remembered hearing a talk/devotional that we listened to the other day while we were driving, and it talked about exactly that. So, how can we be happy? Most of these can be found in 2 Nephi, but they are all in the Book of Mormon. 1) Accentuate the positive (for example, see the differences in attitude between Nephi and Laman/Lemuel while they are in the wilderness), 2) Learn how to work, and learn the value of work (2 Nephi 5:15, 17), 3) Keep the commandments (2 Nephi 5:10), 4) Attend the Temple (2 Nephi 5:16), and 5) Cut out contention (4 Nephi 1:15-16). I know that as we do these 5 things, we will be able to "live after the manner of happiness (2 Nephi 5:27). As we do these things, we will not only be/feel more happy, but we will be able to recognize that happiness and recognize other blessings that we receive for doing them.
On Saturday we got to get up at 5 AM and drive down to Birmingham for a multi-Zone Conference with Elder Craig C. Christensen, one of the Presidents of the Seventy. He was a really cool guy, and we were lucky to be able to meet with him and hear his words. He had a lot of things to share, and I learned a lot, but here is one thing I'll share with you: D&C 67:10. It says that if we strip ourselves of jealousy and fear, and humble ourselves before the Lord, "the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am." What a promise! 1 John 4:18 says that "perfect love casteth out fear." I know that we can strip ourselves of fear and jealousy if we have love. When and if we are able to love others as our Heavenly Father and as Jesus Christ love us, then the veil will be rent, and we will not only be able to see/know Them, but see others as They do. That was just a cool scripture that Elder Christensen shared with us.
It was also awesome on Saturday at that conference to be able to see some of my old MTC friends and some of the people that I flew out with a few weeks ago. You become friends with people so easily out here. It was so great to see people that I know and love. I feel like I'm just friends with everyone I meet - my MTC pals, my new district and zone members, and all of Elder Hastings' former companions. It's so much fun to meet and associate with all of the missionaries out here. They say that ABM (Alabama Birmingham Mission) really stands for America's Best Mission, and they're right. Everyone here is awesome.
On Sunday night we went to go see Nathan. He and his family were baptized a few months ago, but haven't really been active since then. His wife Brittney, and his kids have been to church the last couple of weeks, but Nathan hasn't come to church for a while. His family is the one who we went to see when the ZLs Elders Krupa and Fotu were here last week. Elder Hastings and I went to see Nathan last night, and he was actually really excited to read the scriptures with us. I'm not sure why exactly he hasn't come to church, because he still seems like he has a pretty strong testimony and a desire to do what's right. Anyway, we read 3 Nephi 11 with him, when Christ appears to the people in the Americas. We got to the part where Jesus tells the people to come and feel the prints in his hands and feet, and somehow we got talking about how resurrected beings are perfected. Nathan then asks us, "So if you are perfect after being resurrected, how come Jesus still had those scars?" I had never really thought about that, but Elder Hastings shared a scripture and a thought that were the perfect answer. Isaiah 49:15-16 says, "I will not forget thee. Behold, I have Graven thee upon the palms of my hands; the walls are continually before me." Elder Hastings explained that Jesus kept those scars as a reminder to Him of the love He has for us, and also to remind us of what He did for us, and how much He has to love us to do what He did. We are always on His mind. He will never forget us, and He will never stop loving us with his perfect love. I'm so glad that we have a Savior who loves us and cares about us no matter what. I know that He will never leave us. It was a good lesson that we had with Nathan, and I hope he finds a way to make it back to church.
Again, I'm always glad to be here in America's Best Mission. I love y'all back home, but I know that the most important thing I could be doing right now is not at home, but here in Alabama. I love the people, and I love the work, and I love all of you too.
Love,
Elder Beach
Diane's Baptism!
I got to see my MTC comp at the multi-zone conference!
No comments:
Post a Comment