Trust The Process

Hi everyone I hope you had another good week. I've learned that the hardest times, turn into the best. I haven't watched Elder Holland's devotional yet, but I'm sure it was amazing and I am excited to watch tonight. I have two stories for you so I'll try to condense them..

 

On Wednesday we went to a lesson that fell through, but the English Elders were in the area so we drove by to see them, and they asked us to join in on their lesson. We taught a really powerful lesson about the atonement and about repentance to a man who has clearly done some things he has some serious regret for. He believed he was done. This was it. He had written himself off, and he thought God had too. He started to have a panic attack and have a little PTSD and I immediately interrupted and offered him a blessing. He told us he didn't feel comfortable with us touching him and he worried he might do something, but I told him it would be okay. We offered him a powerful blessing and he just took a deep breath and was just fine. Finished out the lesson perfectly. As we were finishing up, he went inside to grab something. His missionaries decided on February 25 to ask about baptism, and they asked him about it. He looked at them, and his jaw dropped. "No way bud. No way. That's my daggum birthday. Heck yeah I'll be reborn the same day I was born." He had a cigarette with him the entire lesson, but we told him not to smoke. At the end, he grabbed it from behind his ear, without realizing, and threw it into the woods. He fumbled for his lighter, and I snapped my fingers at him. He tossed it to me and said "I'm done. We're doing this."

 

The next story is with one of my investigators. The 19 year old named Brayan I know I have talked about him before, but we have continued to teach and help him. We taught him a lesson and we started by asking him what he had been reading. He was able to explain the entire First Vision, and the story of Lehi and Nephi in the wilderness with 'some golden ball.' It was amazing. Without him knowing, we sat there and asked him the 7 baptismal questions. He was able to answer every one and you could tell he knew it. At the end I told him the deal with the questions, and what they really meant. He seemed surprised. I told him how ready he was, and that this was exactly what Heavenly Father had prepared him for. We were able to put him on date for baptism for February 11. 

 

The moral of these two stories that I was able to experience is that the spirit will always win. Heavenly Father's team is the winning team. People who follow Him are never perfect, but the followers of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are simply people who are striving to do so. John and Brayan are two people who are striving in life to be more like their Savior. They have been able to feel the love of Jesus in what he has done for them, and for all of us. They aren't perfect, nobody is, but Heavenly Father will always pick us up and carry us. They're showing their faith, and taking steps to return to live with them again. 

 

Love you all 

Elder Smythe






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