Let's get down to the nitty gritty
German was super funny at our last lesson. Everything he says is a little funny because his spanish accent is so thick, but when we called him last night to see if we could stop by for a quick visit he said, "Oh yes, please, I have been a missing you guys." Dang I wish I could type it how he says it. He was excited for us to come over because after saying he wanted to read the whole Book of Mormon he actually made some good progress this week. He read the first book of Nephi, so I thought, well that's a pretty concerted effort. In a really really long round about story format kind of way including witchcraft and demons he said he found it in concordance with the Bible, which was his way of saying he felt like the Book of Mormon was true. We read with him the account of Christ instituting the sacrament in the Americas and invited him to make some preperations to attend sacrament meeting in the upcoming weeks, right now he works as an in home care giver to a few elderly client 7 days a week. He's swamped!
Transfer calls were last night. I've only been here for 2 months! I got Emergency transfered here half way into the last 6 week block and then finished these past 6. I leave Thursday for somewhere to serve as a zone leader. Elder Dewitt is staying here, he was kind of jokingly bummed about it. He definetly didn't want to leave and have to learn a new area his last transfer, but he also didn't want to have to take control while the new Elder gets adjusted here. It'll be a good thing for him, and he'll finish out his 2 years. Put a bow on it. I'm super peeved i'm missing the Christmas party this Saturday, the ward has really grown on me here. I loved it.
I'll get packing and send the new address as soon as I can
Other news, I went on an exchange with Elder Diaz, he told me he became active in the church like a year and a half before leaving for his mission, and it sounds like he's just made huge changes all around. He seems a lot happier than he was a month ago, and coincidentally he's also a lot more committed to the work than he was a month ago. While on the exchange I interview Fatu Semoy, she's from Lebanon. She got state side like 4 weeks ago, met the missionaries through her sister and got baptized on Saturday. That's pretty Good!
We did some tree trimming and put up some Christmas lights for some less active members of the ward. I attached a picture from when we were working on that.
I was studying a willing heart this week. In being infinitely good, we know God is not innocent, all things are before him and he infintely chooses to do Good. In saying he's innocent, i mean he's not ignorant of the possibility of doing wrong. He is independently righteous, He independently follows the laws of heaven. We on this earth are learning to do likewise in exercising our agency to always do good. I was wondering why some were "More blessed" for having wilfully chosen to humble themselves, having learned of the true nature of God, while those who were compelled to be humble were not held in such esteem. In discussing the state of the heart from the parable of the sowers, the word of God may be planted within us, either through willful obedience or through compulsion, and in both cases the hearer has accepted the Word of God. Now are they done? They have just begun!
Those who have accepted the word onto a crusty pathway will never let the seed permeate into their heart and gain strength so when the trials of life come like the sun on that seed it will be scorched and their faith will die. Those who have thorns and briars or worldy desires will choke out the seed in its infancy, and the stony and rocky ground will reject the seed with their unbeleif and it will never be rooted in them. A fertile ground, a heart willing to not only accept the word, but then to proactively nurture and care for it in diligent effort will through their patience and diligence one day enjoy the blessings of Eternal Life.
I grasped a little more the "Load" explained that Elder Bednar described last April. Through out independent and willful exercise of faith. Faith to follow the prophet, faith to fulfill a calling, faith to be a little more charitable, faith to endure with patience, in the active manifestation of our faith will the Grace of God be felt in our lives. The lord will bless those that at least accept the word for a time, to encourage the good they've done after being compelled into humility, and he will shower his blessings, revelation and many strengthening trails upon those who are willfully seeking to do good continually.
I miss you!
I love my salty family!
Elder Tyler Meidell
No comments:
Post a Comment