WHEW! What a WEEK, what a week!
We went on a hike this morning - it was a doozy!
Worth it. I wish El Paso could've heard us from up there - "Read the Book of Mormon! IT'S TRUE!!" :)
My two "hijas"- troopers!
Elder Evans hurt himself pretty bad, but he just laughed! He's a tough cookie.
This Friday, we woke up at 4:00 am so we could get in 30 minutes of exercise before going to seminary, which starts at 5:30 in El Paso. To save miles, we stayed at the church and were able to do our 3 1/2 hours of studies and even vacuum and set up the tables real nice for district council, which turned out to be a blessing, because we were surprised to be joined by our mission president!! He gave us some very inspired advice for our ward and our investigators and less active members. Then, we went home to do three hours of weekly planning, in the which we dropped about 3 fourths of our investigators. 😥
We have also rediscovered the joy and power of sharing Family History with less-active members. We had an appointment with a family whose father hadn't been all that enthusiastic to have us over. We planned, we prayed, and we prepared to teach them about Family History. It was like night and day difference - before, the Hermano was squirming in his seat and happy to show us to the door - now, he was completely engaged in the lesson. He said, "Yeah! I need to find my family - and my father's family needs this!" We were also able to teach them the Plan of Salvation. We left them both with a determined resolution to go to the temple.
We got two new elders in our ward, thanks to the missionaries coming in from Puerto Rico. In our ward council meeting on Sunday, the missionaries almost outnumbered the other members! The four Elders are now on bikes and, having been on bikes myself, I am far more willing and happy to give them a ride than I probably would have been if I never had. Fun times!
I was reading in the missionary chapters in Alma recently. At one point, it looks like things are just going downhill for them:
"And now behold, we have come and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world – not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God. And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again. And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we suppose that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.” (Alma 26:28-30)
I thought as I read that, "Why!? Why would anyone be crazy enough to teach not only in people's houses, but in the street, in their churches, on the hillside, just to be mocked, spit on, ridiculed, and thrown in prison?" I then thought, "Man, and I think getting chased by a dog on a bike is bad news!" I continued studying and came across this verse:
“Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear. And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love” (Moroni 8:16, 17). So this is Mormon writing a letter to his son Moroni; the one fleeing from LITERALLY everyone because they're all Lamanites out to kill him - and in the chapter before, Moroni records some of his father's words to the people:
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” (Moroni 7:48).
These verses made it obvious to me - if you love the people, you'll have no fear! It's like the song, "There is beauty all around, when there's love at home [or at school, or at work, or on the field, or in the ward]"
So love, love, love,
Hermana Smurthwaite
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