Hi everyone
I have been in this area for about 9 weeks now, and I will be here with my companion Elder Wallenzien for at least another six weeks. We have had our ups and downs since we have been here. We have met and taught well over 100 people and we have helped many of them feel the spirit and we have also helped many others feel the spirit of contention and anger. My companion and I have mostly good weeks until Sunday comes around and then it’s like everyone that says they’ll be to church don’t come. This week we both had faith that people would come to church. We had a dozen or more people say "yes, we are coming don’t worry". Then Sunday morning rolls around and we have a dozen or so no shows. So my companion and I decide to go pick some people up and drag them to church but instead the people ran from us.
Nephi tells us that "I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth" 2 Nephi 9:40. It seems that even today the word of God is just too hard for some people. However, some days I wonder if it has more to do with our faith. Either 12:18 talks about faith "wherefore they first believed in the son of god"
Ever since I was a young boy I learned that faith is the first principle of the gospel and that we need to believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior. That seems like a pretty simple thing to do until our faith in God gets challenged by “hard things". My companion and I get pretty discouraged after we work hard all week and on Sunday we have nothing to show for it. The only comfort we get is through the scriptures when we read about the Saviors life when he was upon the earth. He faced many difficult challenges and many people rejected him and even though He was rejected by so many he still suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for those very people. Then he allowed himself to be taken, beaten, spit upon, stripped of his clothing and then nailed to a cross in behalf of the very people that rejected him in life. I might be wrong but I don’t think that was very easy thing to do.
Ether 12:27 tells us that " if men come unto me I will show them their weakness, I give unto men weakness that they may be humble" God has given us all weaknesses that we may be humble, things are not meant to be easy but " my grace is sufficient for ALL men that humble themselves before me, for if they humble themselves before me, and have FAITH in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. "I know that people are not perfect (some times I wish they were) but I know that when we humble ourselves before him, he will help us find a way to keep his commandments. "I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them”.
Faith is the first principle of the gospel for a reason. As we have faith we hope for a better world, which should motivate us to keep the commandments and serve Him, and as we believe in him, he will help us to do what is right!
Now I just need to find some way to help people see that the commandments that God has given us and baptism is a way to a better life. I guess is what I need to do is have a little more faith, and try a little harder! I know that God is on my side and that everything will work out! Thanks for listening.
Family I love you! Miriah happy birthday big girl, I love you! Mother happy birthday tomorrow! I love you more then anything thanks for everything, you are the best!
Love bbear
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