Monday November 21st, 2011

I don’t think it was until I started putting in my papers that I started to notice the different personalities of the current missionaries in my ward. They were real people, not just robots in suits. I’m coming more and more to the realization that what sets us apart as unique servants of the Lord is how we perceive and react to those we encounter. I am in danger of just becoming a “suit” to members and investigators if I mindlessly regurgitate Preach My Gospel lessons 1-5 without listening to the concerns the people present, both audibly and inaudibly.

This past week has been difficult. There have been three investigators that we have had to drop

because of their lack of desire to know the Church is true. I am reminded of the simplicity of the

experiment Alma outlines in his 32^nd chapter,

“But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will

not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it,

because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

"Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit

thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye

will not nourish the tree,

"And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to

the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

"But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by

your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit

thereof, it shall take root;and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting

life.”

Can’t people see the gravity of this crossroad before them? Here is the choice between truth and confusion, happiness and misery, eternal life and spiritual death. The Book of Mormon, the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Church of Jesus Christ are all either true or not. And if people aren’t willing to truly seek that truth for themselves, we cannot continue to spend the Lord’s precious time trying to convince them of it. It’s a terribly disappointing thing when the fire within a seemingly “golden” investigator starts to die until it is completely burnt out.

Our job as missionaries is not to be a suit, but to present this important message as clearly and powerfully as we can so that our investigators can make an informed decision whether to accept or reject the seed. Once we present it, we have no power over their agency. The Lord would have all His children come unto Him, but He will never force us to do anything against our will. Such is the love of a divine parent, for “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world.” (2 Nephi 26:24)

Elder Low

P.S. For some reason it always seemed so easy for Dad to organize a group of missionaries into a choir in his mission. I can’t even get my trainee to sing with me in the WARD choir. One of the members of the Bishopric joked with us and told us that the four Hershey Elders would be doing a quartet number on Christmas Sunday – they promptly responded that I would be singing a solo instead.

P.P.S. Gah, I hate having Christmas so close to my birthday; I never know what to ask for. You can never go wrong with skinny ties or gospel media. What I really enjoy are things that I can use in lessons, like visual resources and aids. I’ve been reveling with the Mormon Messages DVD you sent me, I love using it in lessons. It would be really cool if you (or you could get some of my siblings to help out if you don’t know how) could make a DVD with some of the newer Mormon Messages on it or even some talks from General Authorities (can’t

go wrong with President Uchtdorf or Elder Holland talks). Talks in general are a really good idea. Mormon Tabernacle Choir CDs would be great as well (for my favourite MoTab songs see previous emails). Or something that would also be fun in my studies would be study guides for the Standard Works, especially the Doctrine and Covenants and the Bible. Sometimes I really need help understanding those New Testament scriptures…

P.P.P.S. You can tell Sister Simmons that I DID receive the Primary Package and that I loved it! The kids are growing up so fast! They all look so different now! I think when I get around to actually responding to my snail mail (I’m quite behind) I’ll write a letter to the Primary children collectively.