Week 33: Someone tried to Bash us again

I got a couple of comments from my last email about my hair in the sink. I just want to clarify that while I cut my hair over the sink just so I could use the mirror. I did not leave my hair in there. I swept it all out and threw it in the trash. I'm not a barbarian.

So I don't have too much to write for this week. Probably the most eventful thing was this lady that tried to bash us. So we had tracked into her son, Chris, about a week or two ago, and we gave him a Book of Mormon, and he said we could come back. Then we got a text and he said "I think I'll stay Baptist." And he mentioned how he had some questions. So we asked if we could meet up just once so we could address those and so he could hear us out. We met up this week, and he was standing outside, and his mom was knitting on the porch. Right off the bat, the vibe felt weird. Chris seemed genuine, but it was weird, like he was acting for his Mom. It felt like he was there to practice bashing and defending what he grew up with. So I straight up asked "Did you guys just invite us here to practice bashing? Are you guys actually interested in talking, or have you already made up your minds despite what we say?" His mom seemed very angry with us. She brought up pretty much every anti topic, all of which, she was very misinformed on. Polygamy, Word of Wisdom, DNA studies, racism, temple stuff, linguistic stuff, etc. She got mad that we wouldn't discuss the temple with her, because were supposed to be open with people we teach. We told her that she's not ready to hear it. She also made some pretty wild, and wrong claims, and I told her straight up "you just don't know that much about our Church's history."  She said she does because she has mormon friends she talks to. We addressed a lot of her claims. She also talked about how Jesus said that there would be no other Book besides the Bible, I asked her where, but couldn't remember where because of memory loss. (There isn't one) Anyways, her son Chris has some genuine questions. He said there could be more scripture. And he said he would read the Book of Mormon. It was kind of annoying because his Mom would interrupt with secondary questions. At one point we just stopped talking, and she asked us why. And we said "Well there's only so much we can do if you haven't even read it." Chris said he would read it and pray and call us in a few weeks. So Chris is hype. Looking back, maybe I was a little to firm with his mom though. She told us to read the Bible and pray to know the truth. She said how we'll remember this day, when we stand before God. God will tell us "you had your chance, but you refused to listen." I told her "I could say the same thing to you ma'am." Yeah maybe I was too harsh. Any tips for how to handle a situation where the lady wants to bash? I mean she said she'd look into our book too, so I guess it was kinda successful.

Anyways, I love you guys!! Stay sober, work hard, read the scriptures, and love God!! Look to God and live (Alma 37:47)

- Elder Wride

1. Afrikaans Book of Mormon. It says Die a lot.

2. We kidnapped a frog

3. Exchanges. I bought some Spiderman sunglasses

4. Elder Ellis with a praying mantis

Week 32: Patience is a Godly Virtue

I learned an important lesson this week. I'm not sure how much I should share here tho...

So Monday, I got to call my parents, and we had a good talk, but I was feeling pretty sad. Shed a few tears. I felt like I was really doing all I know how to do, but that God was ignoring me. Then Tuesday night, my Companion and I were having a talk, and I shared some things that were on my mind. We were talking about witnesses, and he started to share an experience, and I got very interested, and then he said he felt like he shouldn't tell me. He said he felt like the spirit told him not to tell me any more. And that really frustrated me. I couldn't be mad at my companion, because his experience is his, and he has the right to share it with who he wants. But I was frustrated and upset and I felt more justified in the idea that God is just ignoring me. That he won't speak to me. I went to bed in a sour mood. 

When I woke up I was already feeling better. Sleep is magical and healing. I decided to focus my personal study that day on Patience. I learned a lot, and I'll shared a bit of that here.

1. The first was about a greater witness and lesser witnesses. The day will come when all mankind will stand before Christ and see him as he is. Every knee with bow, and every mouth confess he is the Christ. I'd say that's a pretty great witness. But if there is a greater witness, that implies there are lesser witnesses. So until the day comes when your greater witness comes, what are you supposed to? Well, just think about the many little witnesses you've recieved. One thing that helped me was thinking about all these beautiful things that I've got because of the Book of Mormon, and because of the church. Those are all little trstifiers that it is good and true. So while I haven't had a greater witness yet, I've had many, many small witnesses.

2. Second is what is IMpatience. Sometimes it makes it easier to know what something is by studying what it isn't. Impatience is when you want something, and you want it when you want it, and you want it what way because that's the way that is best (according to you). So in a very literal sense, when you are impatient, it's because you think you know better than God. Patience is when you know that God knows best, and so you surrender to his will.

3. Third is a thought I got this morning while listening to a talk. "Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work, and Count It All Joy!" By Elder Jaggi. The scripture he brought up was James 1:2-4. It says 

2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience .

4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

So I've taken that new tactic. Instead of focusing on what I don't have, I'm going to focus more on what I've already been blessed with. Instead of focusing on what I want to know, focus on what I do know, and share that with others. Anyways, patience is important. You don't know better than God does, and he's got blessings in store for you. You just got to wait for the appointed day.

- Elder Wride

Sorry I don't got any pictures. Except I gave myself a trim. And someone sent me this funny video.