Elder Jackson Beach: Transfer Week!

Howdy to all of my family, friends, neighbors, and ward members at home, on missions, at school, work, or wherever you may be. I hope this email finds all well with y'all.

This was a short week because of the temple trip last Wednesday, so there may not be a whole ton to report on. Either way, here's how this week went down:

We have been seriously teaching Dustin this week. In the past when we go over to his house, he is so distracted with all of the kids running around and yelling and stuff like that, that we usually just check on his reading, invite him to things, and help him out with whatever he needs. We would discuss Gospel principles, but that often didn't last more than a few minutes before he gets distracted by things or something like that. He loves to talk, and we like to meet with him, he just has trouble staying on one topic at a time. However, this week we have had 2 or 3 really good lessons with him where we were able to discuss repentance and baptism a lot.

Dustin has also been discussing things with his wife Joan after we leave and between our visits, so that's a great thing. In preparation for our discussion on Friday, we had given him the assignment to read 2 Nephi 31. When we got there he hadn't read, so we started reading it with him. We only got through like 1 verse, and somehow just ended up talking about baptism without even getting to that part of the chapter. Dustin doesn't quite understand it yet because he pretty much thinks that baptism=salvation, and that after you're baptized you can't make any mistakes whatsoever or you go to Hell. In my mind that just makes no sense, because it is literally impossible to be perfect, even after we have covenanted to be exactly obedient. We did our best to help him realize that repentance is available even after baptism, and that it is available to all, no matter what we may have done. We also got on the topic of baptisms for the dead, which he didn't fully understand (mostly because he still thinks baptism=salvation, and how can you "be saved" for someone else if they were a bad person in this life?). We helped him to realize that we are not making that decision for them. People in the Spirit world are basically being taught by missionaries, and they still have the chance to accept or reject whatever is taught. The only thing we are doing when we are baptized for them, is just that - being baptized for them. We are not teaching, developing faith, or repenting for them. We are just giving them the opportunity to enter into the covenants of baptism, because when you don't have a body, you are unable to perform that ordinance. I'm pretty sure he picked up on that, but we might have to readdress that topic briefly. The most important thing we were able to teach him was about the Atonement, and that everyone is always able to repent. We also talked about what it really means to repent, and how repentance works. (Repentance is NOT just saying 10 "Hail Mary's" and 8 "Our Fathers.") Repentance is about having that change of heart that is talked about in Alma 5. We have had some great discussions with him recently.

We also invited him to Cager Howes' baptism. He is one of the kids in the branch, and Dustin's son is friends with him. The baptism was Sunday night, and Dustin was fairly certain that he would be able to make it. We were sort of expecting him at church, and really expecting him at Cager's baptism. However, when I texted him Sunday morning, he had told us that his one of his really good friend's mom had passed away that morning, and so he said that "all bets were off" (meaning he wouldn't be at church or at the baptism) because he needed to get some things done to help out with all of that. I was pretty sad, not necessarily because he wouldn't be at church or at the baptism, but because he was just in a tough spot, feeling sad, and there wasn't much I could do to help him. I guess it was a good thing that we taught him about baptisms for the dead just 2 days before :) We are going to just keep teaching him and helping him, and I'm certain that someday he will come around and see that baptism is essential, and you don't have to be perfect to be baptized, nor do you have to be perfect afterwards. He is doing so much better than he was when I first met him during my first transfer here, and I know that it is thanks to many prayers in his behalf. Please keep him and his family there. He, Elder Marshall and I, and our Father in Heaven all appreciate it. Thanks!

So unfortunately Dustin was unable to attend Cager's baptism. We had invited several other people, but we weren't really expecting them to show. However, just a few minutes before we started the service, Deana walked in! She hadn't been to church in the morning, and she hadn't replied to any of our texts over the last couple of days, including our invitation to the baptism. But she walked in and I was just so happy. She was also really glad to be there. I think I told you her story already, but several months ago when Elder Peterson and Elder Hastings were teaching her, she was so solid and was preparing to be baptized herself. However, soon after I got here she ran into some anti and dropped us. A couple weeks ago we met her at Walmart and she started coming to church again. She told us at Cager's baptism that she and her husband "had some words" about her attendance at the service. For whatever reason, he is super anti, and he may have been the cause for her dropping us a few months ago. I already knew that he was anti, but I guess it's a really bad situation. I'm pretty sure he's not anti-Mormon, just anti-religion or anti-God in general. I feel bad for her, because she really knows that what she has learned from the missionaries and from the Book of Mormon is true, and she wants to do the right thing, it's just that her husband hates it. Please keep her in your prayers as well. I hope that someday soon his heart will be softened enough to let her righteously exercise her own agency in the best way that she knows how.

This month, as all of you know, is the month that we have been asked to light the world. It's not a hard thing to do, (especially when your mom sends you tons and tons of stuff to help you out with it - thanks Mom!) so I would ask each of you to commit, or recommit, to lighting the world this Christmas season. I just have one experience to share about lighting the world, and I have two reasons for doing so. 1) It was special to me, and 2) It goes to show that it is really simple to participate in this initiative. Here's how it went: day 7 was "suffer the little children to come unto me." Mom sent a couple of toys (hot wheels cars and bouncy balls) to give to some little kids who might want/need them. I immediately thought of the Kirks. They are some less-active recent converts that I have told y'all about before. They haven't been to church recently, and we haven't been able to see them at all this transfer because of their schedules and other circumstances. Anyway, they have two kids - Aiden is 8, and Natalie is 4. I wrote the parents a little note, and was planning to just drop the stuff in their mailbox. However, when we drove by their house, the door was open so we parked and went to go say hi. Right as we were walking up the steps, the mom walked out the front door and we nearly scared her to death, haha. The dad wasn't home, so we just talked for a little bit on the porch. I'm not exactly sure what their family situation is right now, but I know it's not the best. She told us that everything was going alright though, and it seemed to be that way. Natalie was so excited to see "the Letters" (that's what she calls the "Elders") and both she and Aiden were so happy to get a couple of little cars and bouncy balls from us. Their mom was really appreciative, and I could just see Aiden and Natalie squealing and having so much fun with their new little toys. It made my day, and it made theirs too. It was a great way to finish up the night. I have been having fun "lighting the world," and I hope that y'all can take some time each day to do it as well. You never know how much of an impact that one little act of service will have in the life of the one you serve - and your own! It's awesome.

Well, I hope y'all are having a great Christmas season. I hope it's snowing lots at home. We did get a tiny bit of snow for about an hour this week, but none of it stuck. I was told that almost every other area in the mission got at least an inch or two. Bummer, but that's alright. We don't need any crazy Southern drivers out in the snow and ice haha. I look forward to seeing everyone on Christmas. Love y'all!

Elder Beach

#RollTide

#LightTheWorld