Hey all!
The time has come. It's Elder Fairchild's final full week in the mission, so we're gonna hit this town with all we've got. We've seen some awesome miracles in good ol' Monett this transfer, and I'm excited for what's on the horizon.
Right now, part of our calling is to challenge the misconception that the Monett Zone is...depresso. We want to help our fellow missionaries see what an incredible and unique blessing their time here can be. In order for this to happen, the same basic steps that are found in every conversion story need to be taken:
1) Faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel
2) Obedience to His commandments and repentance when we fall short
3) Hard work with a good attitude
If there's one thing I've learned so far, it's that I am utterly dependent on God out here. Nothing happens without His help. It's like I'm a little kid and God lets me hold onto the steering wheel while He drives. The gathering of Israel operates 100% on renewable energy—the pure power and pure love of Jesus Christ.
Moses 1:10
"...Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."
~
Here's some fun stuff that happened this week:
- found a cool guy from whose entire extended family is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints back in Mexico City! He told us that two of his cousins are obispos and that his grandmother made him read the Book of Mormon when he lived with her as a boy one summer. He has tons of questions for us, so we're meeting with him tomorrow!
- found a couple who almost joined the Church back in the '90s but fell away for various reasons. The wife lost her faith in Christ completely as a result of the next church she went to, but now she desperately wants to believe in Him again. You let the right people in your house today, my friend. We're having dinner and a lesson with them tomorrow too.
- stumbled across what might have been my very first garage sale on my mission after a full year of tracting (finding people to teach by going door-to-door) every Saturday. It was worth the wait though, because Elder Fairchild and I both got sweet Lego sets for ten bucks each. All it took was over two hours of washing musty legos. Worth.
- I've had a little bit of trouble sleeping this week and it was especially bad a few nights ago, but after pleading my case with the Lord and reading a chapter of the Book of Mormon, I slept like a rock for the rest of the night. My favorite verse from my 3am study was Helaman 5:41:
"41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you."
~
(Christian) song of the week: "Trust" by Johnathan Ogden
Cool BYU speech: Finding Wonder In Remote Places by Janis Nuckolls
~
Thought: "Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus" by Elder Robert. M Danes
Who is God? What does He look like? What is His personality?
It seems much easier to picture God as some amorphous, incomprehensible force of mercy and justice than it does to picture Him as our Father sometimes. I don't recall His face or remember the sound of His voice, and I don't yet comprehend all the reasons why He sent me here. I want to, though. I really, really do.
What I do know is that our Father in Heaven is more than just a divine rule-setter. He wants us to come to know Him for who He really is, so much so that He sent His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to show us what He is like.
There's far more I'd like to say about that statement than I have time to write and you have time to read, but to show how prolific this doctrine is throughout the entire standard works of scripture, here's a few references I found:
- Matt 7:22-23 (3 Nephi 14:21-23)
- Jeremiah 31:33-34
- Hosea 2:19-20
- 1 John 2:3-6
- Philippians 3:10
- 1 Nephi 22:25
- Mosiah 26:23-24
- Alma 6:6
and
John 17:3:
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ have bodies and personalities. Follow Jesus Christ, live His words, and share His Gospel, and you will come to know Them personally.
Love,
Elder Rigby
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