"It's snowing!" - said no one in Rosamond
Monday, January 27, 2014
Anyone and everyone,
Before
I get the good stuff of this week, I need to go through some
incidentals. I have decided that I don't like the desert winters, and I
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really really really really really
really really really really wish I could have a blizzard right now to do doughnuts in. But alas, I cannot.
Okay,
now for the good stuff. In order to appreciate the enormity of the
situation though, I need to give a little back story. So we have this
investigator "Amy" (names have been changed because of privacy concerns)
who has a lot of health problems and has been struggling with coming to
church. She and her grandson "Bob" both have baptismal dates, but
neither have come to church yet and they needed to come at least 3 times
before the big day, and there were only 4 weeks left. So we talked a
lot to them about attending and Amy was all set to go, but Bob still had
reservations. He grew up in a tough part of town and has severe trust
issues with leaving his house all alone, so it looked like he wasn't
going to come and was also going to back out of his baptism. So we
prayed and prayed and prayed all week long to help them find the
strength and courage to exercise their faith in leaving their house
alone to come to church. And they came!!! We were so excited and
stressed out in getting them there, but they both came and enjoyed
sacrament meeting tremendously. They were only able to stay for the
first hour, but baby steps! As the Doctrine and Covenants says: "For he
will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I
will try you and prove you herewith." I know that prayer works and that
God does listen to every righteous desire of our hearts.
But
I know that it was not only the prayer and our own efforts that got
them to church. On Tuesday we had brought a member with us to the lesson
with Amy and Bob who had grown up in a situation almost identical to
Bob's. He had turned his life around and broken the cycle of broken
families when he joined the church, and that night bore his testimony
about how important going to church was to get the strength to be better
than you were raised. His testimony was what really got Bob to church I
feel and am so grateful for members in this area that are willing to
teach with us. It reminded me of a story in the Book of Mormon
actually...
Alma
the Younger was on his mission and having some fair success. But when
he got to the city of Ammonihah, they "...withstood all his words, and
reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of
their city." Did he give up at that point? No! He went into the city by
a different way and was lead by the Spirit to his new companion, a man
named Amulek. Now when Alma tried preaching to the people again they
were going to cast him out again, but when Amulek also testified to what
Alma said was true, the people "...began to be astonished, seeing
there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they
were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to
the spirit of prophecy which was in them." And moreover, it was a member
of their own city that taught with Alma. So just how Amulek testified
for Alma, so too did our member testify to Amy and Bob and touched their
souls and help them come to church.
I love you all and hope that you are enjoying whatever version of winter you have,
Elder Cox
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