Over the last few months, the Lord has been good to us here. Elder Palmer overcame his homesickness, and the Lord led us to some people who are prepared to receive the ordinances of the gospel. Meanwhile, poor Elder Pinster (who didn’t to move very far from his ‘dad’) is flourishing in the YSA ward.
This week we met a former investigator named John. His teaching record said, in effect, that he was using his head too much and not relying on the spirit and prayer enough. Well, people and their life circumstances can change!
We stopped by to see if he would be interested in renewing investigation of the church, and found that since the missionaries had last visited him, he had read HALF the Book of Mormon and had four printed pages of unanswered questions. The missionaries never bothered to tell him they wouldn’t be coming by anymore and he was a bit hesitant to start with us for fear that we would up and leave again.
We’ve been working through his printed list of questions — some of which are really good! — which are all pretty high level questions about the 12 tribes of Israel, prophecies about Christ’s divine sonship etc.
We’re excited for him!
We’re also teaching a nice guy named Sean. Sean said he’d come to church this week and we were so excited to see him. Well, he came in his suit and tie — just to let us know that he was sorry but he couldn’t stay! We’re going to give a church tour to him now on Thursday. 🤞🏼
I’m surviving the heat. I actually feel pretty well acclimated now. 95 or 100 degrees doesn’t make me super uncomfortable any more. I’m going to sweat whether it’s 80 or 100 so I just don’t worry about it.
My back has been killing me this transfer though. I’m looking forward to seeing a chiropractor in 4.5 months hahaha. This week I hung from a rafter to stretch out my back and my legs went numb 😮 It’s all the time I spend sitting on my behind in our little corolla or in a church pew or at my desk!
The time is winding down now, but our efforts are ramping up! Thank you for your continued prayers on my behalf and the behalf of our investigators.
A spiritual thought for the week:
In our present environment of permissiveness (everyone gets to pick what’s right for them...) with a lack of objective moral absolutes, anonymity is often used to further a “progressive” march away from what is right and true. Marijuana is an excellent example of this. Used in relative secrecy for decades, it gradually (and quietly) gained enough support for relatively sudden, broad legalization.
But many other foul and even evil practices are popular because they are anonymous - adultery, abortion, theft... and even behaving in immoral ways in virtual reality. Living out a violent and twisted fantasy in video games (Grand Theft Auto) when we would never behave in such a way publicly.
From my favorite speaker, Elder David A Bednar:
“Satan often offers an alluring illusion of anonymity. Lucifer always has sought to accomplish his work in secret (see Moses 5:30). Remember, however, that apostasy is not anonymous simply because it occurs in a blog or through a fabricated identity in a chat room or virtual world. Immoral thoughts, words, and deeds always are immoral, even in cyberspace. [...] ultimately we will be judged of Him according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts (see Alma 41:3). “For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).”
I exhort everyone within the reach of this letter to turn off the TV, turn off the console, get off the computer, and — at least occasionally — reorient yourself to reality. Does what you are taking in in your free time - especially when you are alone in virtual anonymity - match the person (you want to be/want to appear to be) in public reality?
Love y’all! Have a great week!
Elder Derek Troy
PS Went to downton abbey. Not sure what the big deal is. Got bit by a mosquito. Would not recommend.
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