This
has seemed like a really, really long week. An incredible week, with lots of
great miracles, but looking back at the start of the week, it feels like it was
a month ago (and, technically, it was last month)
Tuesday was
Mardi-gras, but all of the cities around here had already had most of their
parades and activities and stuff. I am sure that there was some partying going
on, but we left at 6 to drive to Vidor for our zone conference on Wednesday.
There were 8 missionaries staying in the Ross' family room, and another 12
elsewhere on the property. Of course, there is usually 6 on his property, so
that is only 14 extras. Only!
Wednesday morning, as
we were preparing for zone conference, I realized that my tie was missing. I
distinctly remembered having it on my hanger, so I knew it had to be around
somewhere...sure enough, it was, laying on the ground, where it had been all night.
Sigh. It wasn't too dirtied up, though.
Zone conference went
super well. We talked all about the First Vision, how to use it in our
teaching, and what it means to us. One of the pieces of advice that President
Hewlett gave us was that when we are contacting, we should teach up until the
point when the person we are talking to tells us to stop. More on that
later! I accompanied one of the Elders in my district singing Joseph Smiths
first prayer, and it was a rough one on my part. At one point I just had to
stop playing, wait a second, and then jump back in. He was a champ, though, and
kept chugging right along.
Thursday we got to
start applying what we learned! We first had a lesson with a sweet couple, the
wife is a member and the husband is not. We were just doing Come Follow Me with
them, but in the middle we both just started teaching and testifying of the
restoration and the First Vision. It was a very powerful experience, feeling
the spirit of those words.
As we were out
tracting later, we were not finding a lot of success at all, but eventually one
man came out and didn't immediately cut us off. In fact, he didn't cut us off
for about a half hour, during which time we taught the restoration, read from
the Book of Mormon, and gave him his own copy. President's advice to us really
works!
We then had a supper
and lesson scheduled with a very sweet couple we met and taught last week. And
there was a crazy experience. I was admiring an embroidered picture of the Last
Supper that they had hanging on their wall, and asked them where they got it.
They said that W__’s mom had made it, and that she had made another one too
that was pretty cool. Then they went to grab it. I was expecting a picture of
the cross, or of Mary, maybe of Peter in the water...no, she came out with an
embroidered version of...facsimile #3 from the pearl of Great Price? I quickly
pulled out my phone to compare it, and while it only showed the first three
persons, it was almost identical. And this couple were raised Catholic, have
been Catholic their whole lives. They have no idea why his mom made it, or what
it means. I have some questions myself! We didn't mention the similarities, not
ready to explain at that point what the Pearl of Great Price is, but it was
definitely a surprise.
We continued to apply
the principle of teaching until they kick us out on Friday, and it is just a
phenomenal experience. We got to teach two very good lessons on Friday because
of it. It is a little scary, feeling like you are imposing, but so far we have
had good reactions and really good lessons.
Saturday is the source
of our subject line this week. In the morning, we prayed for our planning and
made a plan to visit a man, Mr. H__. When we arrived at his house, however, it
was clearly vacant. Not a soul had lived there in some time. Well, as we
continued walking and looking for people to talk to, we saw a man out getting
his mail and struck up a conversation with him. A little bit into the
conversation, we asked him his name, and it was none other than Mr. H__
himself, at his new house! The Lord knew where to send us and when, and we
testified to him that we were there on the Lord's errand. Truly a
miracle.
Sunday continued to be
a day of the spirit and of miracles. I loved what one of the members shared in
his testimony. He said, speaking of his life before his conversion to the
church "I lived in darkness, but I didn't know it because I didn't care
about much of anything". And that really hit me. How many people around me
just need that light, but will have a hard time recognizing it because they are
"beyond feeling". Am I ever like that? It was a great moment of
introspection.
Every Fast Sunday all
of the missionaries and unit leaders in the Orange stake gather together for a
missionary meeting. President Hewlett and President Harris of the Orange Stake
both presented some messages and training for us to learn from. President
Harris shared several stories from historical missionaries as a way to show us
that the Lord will be in the work.
After we got back, we
only had a little bit of time before we had to be in for the night, so we
sought the Lords guidance and went to see a family who we have been trying to
get in with since I got here, with no luck. Well, when we got there, the lights
were on, and they were both at home! After some small talk, he started talking
about the struggles with the very darkness that the brother had talked about
during Sacrament Meeting! It was extremely spiritual as we shared the feeling
that we have had, and the way God has shown us His love.
I love being a
missionary and testifying of Christ! I never want to stop having that focus on
Him and His gospel. And later in life, I plan to put the nametag back on,
although that time with a permanent companion. The Jordan's, a senior couple
who have been serving in the Jennings branch for the last 18 months, are going
home tomorrow, and everyone is very sad to see them go.
Speaking of going, I
am going to end this here, but I love all y'all! Happy birthday to the best mom
on the planet!
Love,
Elder DeFord
P.s. no, I didn't take
any pictures, so sue me.
No comments:
Post a Comment