Hello everyone!
We have been trying to find family's to teach and baptize by
the end of September. It is an intimidating prospect and one that has tested
every missionaries' faith. This past week, E. Knighton and I dealt with quite a
bit of opposition. At times, I felt like my brain and thoughts were scattered
and I couldn't things ordered to really make Spirit-guided decisions. How
easily I forgot that the Lord works through really weak people to cause great
things to happen.
Last Wednesday, I was irritated with E. Knighton and by that
I mean that I was actually frustrated by circumstances outside of our control
and E. Knighton wasn't doing anything except making punk-ish (he admitted it)
comments to make the situation lighter and I was struggling to accept them and
let them make me happier. Plus, our car is running on like 12% oil and our
desire to get the oil changed did not occur that day. Plus we tracted in a
small town named Elgin and we weren't able to find a family like we had
planned. Of course, all these things was just a matter of where my attitude was
at. Except the oil. That's a problem.
Anyway, we get back to Baker City in the afternoon, right on
time to head out to a place called Wingville to do some country-side tracting.
I'm dead tired and I don't feel able to function spiritually. I took a 7 minute
nap while my companion tried to ask me questions. I prayed to be able to work.
I got up and left the apartment. As we started driving out to Wingville, I told
E. Knighton to pull over so we could pray. We prayed and when I lifted my head,
I felt that I could press on. I told myself that now was the time to place
everything in the Lord's hands.
We visited a few places without much answer or success. Saw
a sweet looking log house. We stopped at a house that E. Knighton felt prompted
to visit and we met a nice guy who said we could come back. That lifted our
spirits quite a bit. Then I remembered a house we had passed on our way out to
Wingville. I directed E. Knighton over there. We got out, opened up the gate
and walked up to the house. A little girl answered and smiled out at us. We
asked her if her parents could come to the door. She said she would go get her
mom. As she left, I thought inwardly and then expressed to my companion,
"Behind every sweet child is a parent who doesn't want to see us."
When I said that, I knew I shouldn't have, that I should have had more faith,
that I shouldn't have even thought that in the moment. The mom came to the door
and the Spirit there caused a conversation to happen that afterward we
marveled. We will be heading back to their place to start sharing the Gospel.
Things were pretty silent in the car afterward as we both pondered on what just
happened. I felt chastened and rebuked and I was grateful for it.
I know that the Lord prepares people to accept greater light
and truth into their lives for the benefit of their families. The Springer
family was baptized this weekend! It was a wonderful couple days for their
baptisms and confirmations. I was super nervous because Amanda was the first
person I ever baptized and though I had to do it twice, the Spirit that
confirmed the ordinance was very real. I am very grateful for those experiences
the Lord has seen fit to bless me with while I've been on my mission and how
the lives of those people around me have changed. I was also able to
participate in the confirmations on Sunday. I am grateful for the Gospel. I
know it is true.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Love,
Elder Adamek
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