When you first sent that email, I supposed you had already looked at the weather for Altoona and thought you seriously rubbing in the fact that you have +25 degree weather while we have snow. I’m not bitter. But to be honest, I hate it when it’s bad weather – except thunderstorms, which are dope - because people usually aren’t outside and when they are, they’re hurrying to their destination. The summer also means longer daylight, which is great for tracting.
This week has been pretty grand. With the investigators that we do have, we’re being more bold and the progression is definitely there. Despite not having much time in my own area, every single event that happened this week was definitely for the progression of Heavenly Father’s work and also for the benefit of my own spiritual development. Events like a baptismal interview I conducted for the Elders up in Ridgway, which turned into the most spiritual interview I’ve been in (she was truly prepared and ready) and also a reminiscent experience I had while on exchange in Indiana with Elder Harvey, who’s been out a mere 5 weeks; between our successful finding among the University students and the service rendered at the not-quite-famous museum of Jimmy Stewart, I felt like I was training again. It was exhausting and I remembered how much I like being in leadership rather than training. But it was good. All was good. All is good.
Many of the members of the Altoona Ward have really expressed their how burnt out they are in the struggling unit. Apparently if you’re a covenant-keeping latter-day saint, you have five callings in the Altoona Ward. They feel overwhelmed just keeping the ward going, let alone providing the missionaries with referrals to teach. Often missionary work is the last thing on their minds. So it hasn’t been an easy task for me to think of a topic for my sacrament meeting talk this coming Sunday. I’ve looked at the success we’ve had the past couple months and although it may comparatively look like miniscule progression standing next to South American baptismal statistics, miracles are evident when faith is invested in the Lord. This is true especially in the example of Richard, a long-time investigator we’ve been trying to get out to Church. I almost forgot how stressful and eager I get when expecting an investigator at church. Yesterday refreshed my memory as we chauffeured Richard around the building to the different classes, having him introduce himself to like every single member of the ward. I also wanted to falcon punch the high counselors who came and gave probably some of the most boring talks I’ve ever heard. Shame on me. But despite the fiasco it may have seemed to me, Richard said he learned and enjoyed it a lot. We set him with a baptismal date of June 16th.
So for the talk I’ve constantly been being drawn to the Atonement. And how a proper understanding of its seriousness and wonder will instil a desire in everyone to naturally want to share that Jesus Christ really did come, live and die for us. It’s been prophesied since Christ that in the peril of the last days, a real catastrophe will occur in the minds of the people - men’s heart shall fail them. And nothing can cure that fear and pitfall of both physical and spiritual death other than the Savior of the World. Diligently seeking to obey him will lead us to him. For it is only when we lose ourselves in the service of others that we truly find ourselves.
Greater love hath no man this this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
Elder Low
No comments:
Post a Comment