Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Seeing The Mercy and Love God Has For Us


9/30/13

 


This week has been great! The highlight would definitely be when Lia McMurtrey was baptized! Her father was able to perform the ordinance and stand in the circle at her confirmation. It’s amazing watching the light of Christ enter into someone’s eyes. It’s such a gift to be a missionary and help others feel of His love for us.

 

Funny story. So we show up 2 hours early to start filling the font for the baptism and find that the water heater is broken!!! Elder Olson and I are frantically trying to figure out if we have done something wrong because it wasn't warming up! We called our ward mission leader and he didn't know what to do. So we called the bishop and he didn’t know what to do!!! So we had a cold font! Lia will never forget that! The spirit was still very strong and we were able to get one of our investigators to come to the baptism!

 

A small miracle happened this week. Elder Olson and I had dinner with a wonderful family named the Vandykes. 5 awesome kids ranging from 14 to 2. Brother Vandyke has been out of a job for a number of months and has been looking very hard to find a new one. After dinner and a lesson, Sister Vandyke asked if one of us would leave a blessing on their home. Elder Olson gave an amazing blessing and asked that Brother Vandyke would find a job soon and be able to support his family. The next day, Brother Vandyke called a job he really wanted and had been calling for quite some time. And he got it! It’s a small miracle, but a miracle nonetheless.

 

Investigator update:

 

Echo Neilson: 9 yr. girl with a lot of life in her. She comes from a rough family but was brought into this family to lighten everybody’s life. She is all smiles even when hard times are around her. She has a very short attention span but I’m grateful to be teaching her and helping her. Please pray for her father to let her get baptized.

 

Ron Lapp: 50's. A great father. but not a member. All of his kids are baptized and his wife has gone through the temple. But he is really hard headed. Please pray for his heart to be softened and to let him feel of Christ’s love for him.

 

Kristie Zemlicka: 30's. Her new husband is a less active member. She doesn't understand why she should stop drinking coffee when other people go and eat fast food and call it good for the Word of Wisdom. She also doesn't feel like she could live up to the Mormon standards. She is a great lady and a wonderful mother. She is all smiles and loves having fun. Please pray that she will search for Christ in her life and come closer to him.

 

Thank you for praying for me and for our investigators. Prayer is real.

 

It’s definitely getting colder and the wind has really picked up. It’s crazy trying to ride a bike down a rocky path with the wind fighting you the whole way! But we did it and we do it on a daily basis.

 
 
I wanted to share something I learned this week. I’m reading "Jesus The Christ" and in the second chapter is explains why a savior is necessary. But to start everything off he talked about agency and the gift it is. Talmage talked about how God knew us in the pre-existent and how he studied us and really got to know us. So much so that he knew that when a decision had to be made, he knew what we would make. Thus he knows how we will end up, how communities, nations, and the world will end. It’s really amazing! Now because he knows this he also can prepare us for decisions others will make. Example: Many of us were shown signs, hints, or spiritual promptings before Madie died. This shows the mercy and love that God has for us and how much he cares for us. This is how I believe God works in our lives. He has the ability to do whatever he wants. But he will NEVER stop us from using our agency. God could have saved Madie that night. But for whatever reason, and yes he must have a reason, He didn’t.  I now realize that it’s not me who should be looking to forgive God, but I need to ask for his forgiveness for what I have done towards him and give thanks for trying to warn us and guide us. He loves us. This I know.
 

Scripture of the week:  D&C 95:1 “Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you.”

 

Fighting for the truth,
Elder Eldredge
 

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