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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Mission Letter Week 31 - 17 February 2014

WHEW! FINALLY EMAIL TIME!!

Wow, this week has been a giant miracle and a living hell. Sad news first, Elder A has returned home. But on the upside of that, his mother wants to get baptized! However, the reasons for his leaving are not related to his mother.

Unfortunately, you have a fool for a son and he forgot his camera and the quote by Elder W. I will make sure to bring those both next week.

Allow me to tell you the story behind Elder A and I'll fill in the rest after. (Elder A said it would be OK to share.)

Elder A is a very intelligent man. He has finished college and even had a business he left behind for his mission. He is also a convert and newly reactivated and has very few members of his family who are members, and none are active. He came out on his mission and was very, very excited to learn more and be awesome. He and I actually came out at the same time, were in the MTC together and everything. In that short time, he has learned everything that would normally take 20 years to learn. EVERYTHING. From the littlest details to the grand scheme of things. Phase there. Remember Elder W? Well, he is also a very deep and intelligent man. He started out very, very "dark" (in Spirit) and has fully experienced the change the Atonement can give you. He also studied VERY deep doctrine. He never taught with it though, and he knew how to control it. His greatness came from his love, and his knowledge and understanding of the Atonement. Nothing else. Elder A did not grasp that. He went deep...and it broke him. He has returned home now because he came to know God so closely and because he did so, (well, not ‘because’, but as in all things there is opposition, so…) he also ‘got to know’ the adversary very well. It terrified him and broke his mind. Literally. It was scary and not Holy. He is receiving 'In-person" help from the Area Seventy, Elder Davenport, who is in charge of all the medical stuff here.

The only reason I give you such a detailed report on all this is so you can understand the spirit we have felt all week. Powerful, Glorious (on one hand), but TERRIFYING (on the other hand). Deep doctrine is not what teaches us. It is not how we come to know our Savior’s love for us. It is through SIMPLE MEANS that we do this. Simple obedience (though not blind). Simple love. Simple studies. See the pattern?

It IS possible to hurt yourself by thinking you are doing something right and good, if it is given to you by the adversary. That sounds harsh as that seems to accuse Elder A of working with the Devil. This is not the case. Rather he relied on his own logic and understanding to learn of God and then tried to use the power of God to call down understanding and miracles. God gave it to him. And he found out it wasn't what he wanted/expected.

One thing he missed out on is the quote I will have for you next week. An important detail that makes a big difference. Sorry to leave you hanging on that little one again I just don't want to ruin it.

Everything above is really what I wanted to get at (since last week). Trust in God, don't ask for more than what He knows you need, and trust in God…Yep… Said that twice.

With that, everything is going SUPER well in our area, and we are now working with Elder F in a "tripanionship" and have a car at least till the end of this transfer. :D The V family is doing great right now though there are tensions in the home and we all know where that comes from. The adversary does NOT want this family to join the church. Too bad he's (the adversary) on the losing team.

We have had a hard time finding other people because we spend so much time with the V family and the R family (don't know if I have mentioned them yet) and we are convinced that is why there are now FOUR Elders in this ward not just two. So we have a handful here. Which is good. It's great actually. The way it's supposed to be. We will be taking some time to heal this week but hopefully we will get some good work in too. We shall see.

I hope I got everything out that I needed to...I don't really even know right now. My brain and spirit are FRIED and all I can say is thank you for bringing me up right because I am on auto pilot right now and am just trusting in the hand of God because I can't do it right now. I'm okay overall though, so I'm not giving cause to worry or anything. Just a trial I'm meant to go through. I feel it is not my worst one either.

I love you guys a bunch! I actually had a thought earlier today. Since we email at the end of P-day, I am going to take videos and pics all Monday next week and send you a “Day In The Life” worth of pics and vids! >:D We'll see how it turns out - hahaha!

Trust God. Don't do anything dumb. Keep the faith, fight the GOOD fight. Talk to you next week!


 


Elder 9

 


** OH! and my neck size is now 18.5 :D

1 comment:

  1. Wish I could express more eloquently how proud I am of you. You are learning so much at such an early age. All this my friend will prepare you for all the trials and challenges you will have throughout your life. You got it just right when you touched on how deep doctrine doesn't bring you closer to Christ. In my opinion, it can lead you farther away and waste your precious time. Real closeness to the Savior comes in serving, praying and studying His example. Real and lasting faith is in spiritual things not just intellectual things. Love you Jonathan! <3

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