Well, transfers were last Wednesday, and we finally found last Monday night that we will be staying in Scottsboro for another transfer, which I am really excited about. I really love this area and all of the people that I have had the opportunity to meet, teach, and build a relationship with in the last 6 weeks. I'm happy to be here for another transfer, and I hope and intend to make the most of it. (After we heard our transfer news, we found out that Elder Maness from our zone, WHO HAS ONLY BEEN OUT FOR 12 WEEKS, will be training a brand new missionary. That's pretty crazy. I hope I don't have to train after only another 6 weeks. But I guess if I am called to do it, I had better be ready.)
This week we have continued to meet with Roger. I'm still really excited about teaching him, and he is one of the reasons that I'm glad that we are staying here in Scottsboro. We got to teach him the Plan of Salvation this week, and during the lesson we planned to invite him to baptism on a specific date. Before the lesson, we were talking about how his reading/praying had been going, and if he felt like he had received an answer as to whether the Book of Mormon was true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. He told us that "I know it is, and I know he is." I was super excited because he has received the answer that we invite so many people to try and receive for themselves. But Roger actually did what he needed to, and he has received his answer. Anyway, we taught him about the Plan of Salvation, and during the part about our life on earth we talk about our purpose in life. Well, our purpose in this life is to prepare to meet God (Alma 34:32), and in order to do that we have to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That consists of faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Anyway, as I was talking, I just kind of started to go through them. I helped him realize that he had indeed shown faith by meeting with us missionaries, by reading the Book of Mormon, and by praying. He had also begun to repent by making small changes in his life to put himself more in line with God's will. I explained that "the first fruits of repentance is baptism" (Moroni 8:25). I then reminded him that he had literally just told us that he knew the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration. I then invited Roger: "Because you know these things are true, will you be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" He told us that he would, and then we set him a date for October 14. We explained that that was just a date to shoot for, and it could be moved if we needed to move it. The only reason that it might have to be moved is if he can't get over his Word of Wisdom issues. Roger is solid, and he has a testimony already that Joseph Smith was a prophet. But we haven't taught him the Word of Wisdom yet, and no matter how strong his testimony is, I know it will be tough for him. I hope and pray that he will 1) understand that the Word of Wisdom is a commandment from God, and 2) pray for and find the strength to live it. If he is able to do those things, there is no doubt that he will be baptized on the 14th. After the lesson, we asked him if we could expect him at church on Sunday, and he said, "What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I'll be there." Haha, he's such a solid investigator. One awesome thing about him coming to church was that last week he came to church in all black (I think black was the only button up shirt he has), but this Sunday (yesterday) he showed up in a white shirt and tie. He said that he had gone to Walmart that morning and bought them. I'm so thankful that we were led to him a few weeks ago, and that he has progressed so far so fast. I know Heavenly Father is watching out for us, and that He answers our prayers and the prayers of many others in our behalf.
Another highlight of the week was that one of the ladies in the branch volunteered to teach a Book of Mormon study class on Wednesday nights, and the first class was last week. Roger was able to come to that, and he told us that he really enjoyed it. I did, too. Here is one thing that I learned from it that I thought was pretty cool: In the very beginning of the Book, Nephi says, "I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith..." (1 Nephi 1:20). In the very end of the Book, Moroni says, "I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things...that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things..." (Moroni 10:3). So basically, from these two verses, we learn that the entire Book of Mormon is just showing us how merciful the Lord is. I thought that was a cool connection that I had never noticed before.
Another highlight: Last Friday we drove down to Birmingham to have our follow-up trainers meeting. Basically just all of the missionaries who flew out from the MTC with me came back with their trainers and we just talked about how everyone had been doing for the last 6 weeks. It was fun to see some familiar faces, and catch up with Elder Deschamps and some others that I knew from the MTC. Everyone seems to be doing awesome, and so many of them have had so many awesome experiences like I have. It's fun to talk with them and see how their own mission experiences have been. We were able to have some trainings/discussions from President and Sister Sainsbury, and they were all so good. President talked about 2 Nephi 31, and the Doctrine of Christ, and he also talked about the story in the New Testament about the road to Emmaus. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus met with some people after His resurrection, but they did not recognize that it was Him. He talked with them for a while, and they asked Him to "tarry with them." In Luke 24:30-31 it says, "And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him;..." Remember, before this happened, "their eyes were holden that they should not know him." (v. 16). But as soon as He broke the bread, blessed it, and gave it to them, their eyes were opened and they knew Him. As soon as they took the sacrament with Him, they knew Him. President Sainsbury explained further that this is how we come to know Christ: by participating in ordinances. That is why getting investigators to church is so important. That is why helping investigators to come to the waters of baptism is so important. Because participating in ordinances like baptism and the sacrament is how we can come to know Christ. I love trainings like that, because I am really good at reading the scriptures and understanding what I read, but I'm not as good as I should be at seeing what isn't written, or learning everything that I can from each passage that I read. I'm trying to do better at that. Anyway, that was a great meeting and I learned lots from it.
Last night we went to see the Kirks. They are a family who got baptized a few months ago, and haven't really been too active since then. I'm sure I've told y'all about them before. Anyway, we met with them and we were able to have a good lesson with them. We read Alma 36, where Alma is sharing his conversion story with his son Helaman. We asked Brittney and Nathan to think of how their conversion was similar to that of Alma. It was a pretty good lesson, and they both enjoyed it. Nathan seemed to be doing much better than the last time we were over there. Last time he seemed kind of down, but last night he was joking around with us the whole time. They are a great family, but they just have a lot of problems going on in their lives right now. Brittney kind of unloaded and told us all about them. One of the only things I could think of when she was talking was that situations like that are the reason that I don't look forward to the possibility of being a bishop someday. I'm certain that bishops hear things like that, and worse, all the time. And bishops actually have to know what to say to help them. As missionaries, we aren't really supposed to counsel others, so we didn't say a whole lot. I was thinking, however, while she talked that she could really use the book The Continuous Atonement. It might be exactly what she needs. I was going to say something about it, but guess what? I didn't have to, because Elder Hastings did. I don't think he has ever read the book, but he invited her to read a talk by Brad Wilcox, the author of the book, and I'm pretty sure that whole talk is part of the book. That was cool that we both were thinking the same thing. I hope she reads it, because I feel like that it is exactly what she needs. Next time we are over there, I'll tell her about The Continuous Atonement.
Well, this has been a good week. With one transfer down, I only have like 15ish more to go. It's crazy how fast time flies! (that was meant to be both serious, and a joke). I still have a long ways to go, but it is crazy how fast these last 2 months have gone. I'm excited to make the most out of the next 22.
I love all of you, miss you, and wish y'all the best in school, work, missions, or whatever is going on in your life. I appreciate your love and support, and know that I love you and you are always in my prayers.
Much love,
Elder Beach
#RollTide
P.S. Another happy birthday shout out to my Dad (today), my sister (yesterday), and my other sister (last week). I hope you all had good birthdays. Love you again.
Hammocking by the lake near our apartment.
Pondering.
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