Sunday, October 29, 2017

Week 085 - God Is Not A Father Of Secrets

Wow. It looks like you guys had a nutty weekend. I got worried for a bit because the Texan hurricane news came all the way to the local Rafaela papers and everyone knows I’m from Texas, so people kept saying to me "hey how´s them Texas rangers handled the storm bomb?" Well I don’t know, I’m not always in communication with the family. Well anyway I’m glad to hear you’re all right. Hopefully all will be well for those who weren’t so lucky, I’m sure the church and many members can help and are helping those struggling with the disaster.

We had a great week here, I got to know some pretty amazing people. The other Sister missionaries had met a girl name Virginia who wanted the missionaries to come over to her home, and so they passed on the address over to us because she lived in our area. We actually went over to her home a couple weeks ago and met her, but we were never able to catch her at a good time until last Tuesday. Super great discussion on the restoration and when it came to talk about the book of Mormon she asked us if she would be allowed to read or maybe have a copy of the book. Well obviously we had one ready and said it was hers. Then she began to cry and thank us for coming. we came back two days later, she said she had read and knew it was true, so out of the book we taught her the plan of salvation and how her life takes part in it, and the Importance for her to be baptized and upon asking her to be baptized, she began to once again get emotional and say she would love to. I began to be reminded of how rare of a possession the Book of Mormon truly is. In one way, for our conversion to the restored gospel; but in another, in knowing that god still speaks to us and reveals more scripture. For Virginia, knowing that god is not a father of secrets, but that he wants to speak to us and wants us to know that we have a purpose, is an amazing new understanding, and for someone who had no idea of such things, it’s quite shocking and emotional peaceful.

We got invited over to the Rosa’s home for a birthday dinner this week. It was the birthday of their son Tommy. This is a family that was not active before, and are trying to work to stay strong in the church. So we´ve grown a great bond with this family and I felt very pleased that they invited us for this special occasion. Even though we´ve passed by their home many times before, this night was the first time they really opened up to us in their difficulties to stay strong as a family and in the church. The church is very weak in this branch, weak in members and in callings and so on, so there is a lack of unity. A lot of people think that if someone goes inactive in the church, that it’s always because there is some kind of commandment that they were breaking, so we have to look for what they’re not doing. But I really do think it’s hard to stay strong in the church, when there is a lack of unity, when we don’t have friends, and especially when our leaders don’t acknowledge the struggles in member’s lives. So we have to ask ourselves what we are doing. Do we love others as much as we love god. Life is lame when you don’t feel loved. Every area I’ve had struggles with that, and it’s complete garbage when someone comes to the true church of Jesus Christ and doesn’t feel loved by its members. It kills me to hear that, and I can’t do much, but I can do what I can. As a missionary I’m not always going to be here. But that also doesn’t give excuse to those who go inactive for such reasons, because as we read in Ether 12:37... If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. We can’t blame our actions on the actions of others. But I hope I can show the same love others have shown me.

Later we found an old investigator from a couple of years ago. Over the years this older women has lost many family members and is now living alone. it was crazy though because we had tried visiting this women many times before, and at the wrong time, and when we we're finally let in, for some reason all of her old lady neighbors also decided it was a good time to come and slurp down some amargos as well. So now we were part of the old lady’s club block party eating toasts talking about the latest of dramas. It was great, but we eventually decided to leave because I had enough of the madness. We´ll be back for some toast. Which by the way, is cooked on top of the furnace. Now you can toast an entire loaf at the same time. Super cool.

We finally ended our week yesterday getting to know and discussing with Melina. She also was a reference from other missionaries. And when we showed up she was happy to hear from us and talk with us. She´s studying at the local Rafaela University next door. So she´s pretty smart, and asks a lot of good questions and has a lot of good responses. So we had a sweet talk about the restoration. And she was very interested by it. She has a kid and she´s a total snot, but whatever. And we ended the lesson on good terms, with her very interested in reading the Book of Mormon and finding if what we had said was true. Like always we focus largely on the importance of asking god if what we said was true. That is was the restored church is founded upon. Simple prayer. Some people don’t get that and never actually even try to prayer. It’s a sad response. But what can you do.

Anyways I love you guys! Thumbs up for rock and roll!


Elder Greene







No comments:

Post a Comment