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| I think maybe one of these days I just got to send out a sad photo or something to mix it up. |
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| Elder Wagstaff and I preparing for the day. |
This week has been fantastic!
Our numbers this week have been significantly higher than all of our other weeks! We have taught our new investigators and they are progressing now. Its not the numbers that I am focusing on though, because they are a byproduct of what is actually happening which is the work of salvation!
Happy Fathers day to all you fathers and potential fathers! Yesterday at church we wished one of the members a happy fathers day and he came up and told us "We're born to be fathers and husbands, but not in that order." That cracked me up :D
We have been able to teach Alex and our others investigators. While things are happening with Em and Victoria, I would like to focus today on Alex.
To be really brief because I don't have a whole bunch of time I will talk about Alex's experience at church yesterday. Dont let it get you down or change your perspective because things are going great and he is progressing. We have taught him and done a lot of service with him. Things are going great. He is praying and reading The Book of Mormon every day which is essential and great. The Book of Mormon will be essential in his conversion which he is doing.
Yesterday at church, Alex due to other things, was only able to stay for sacrament. During sacrament meeting Alex asked me about if it was common for members to be playing Angry Birds or messing around on their devices during the meeting.
Late in the evening we had a lesson with him and that's one thing that really perturbed him. He mentioned how when he attended a baptist and a catholic service and the people were a lot more respectful and engaged during it. Elder Wagstaff, I, and the returned missionary who came with us testified and talked about certain things to resolve that concern, but in the end it seemed to be a big deal for Alex.
Now I am not saying this is going to end up being a big thing, but I know that despite any challenges that come up if he has a testimony if The Book of Mormon, everything will be alright.
Just a little word about examples.
There is a lot about our examples that affect people. Our example behind and in front of closed doors really do matter. There is so much that goes on under the hood with our examples that we don't understand.
Prophets and Apostles are watchmen on the tower who warn us of trouble and things to wary of. Elder Oaks during the last general conference gave a very bold prophetic warning.
"If the emblems of the sacrament are being passed and you are texting or whispering or playing video games or doing anything else to deny yourself essential spiritual food, you are severing your spiritual roots and moving yourself toward stony ground. You are making yourself vulnerable to withering away when you encounter tribulation like isolation, intimidation, or ridicule. And that applies to adults also."
In that he only warned of some of the specific consequences of doing that. There are more consequences to things that we do. What we choose to do has an affect on those around us. Part of Alex's negative experience at church could have been avoided if members of the church heeded the prophets warnings and advice.
Of course these examples that Alex experienced is not the whole church. Elder Bednar said
"I believe [they were] wrong to judge the validity of our Church’s claim to divine authority by the shortcomings of the men with whom he associated in our ward. But embedded in his question to me was a correct assumption that [members of the church] should be different from other men."
My challenge and invitation to you is to "[B]e thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, [and in sacrament meeting]."
With love,
Elder Sumsion
Referenced:
Elder Oak's Talk
Elder Bednars Talk
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