How grateful I am for a Savior. We had zone interviews the the President again, having a new transfer started, and when we weren't interviewing we participated as a zone in "Zone Training" and talked about some specific points, like baptismal invitations and making the principle of "God is a Loving Heavenly Father" real for us. We had to make some tough decisions this week. In an effort to jump start our evanescing teaching pool, we took some new steps. We dropped all we were teaching but 2, the only 2 progressing, and have been meeting with members nightly to pray with their families that we can find more friends. That they can find more friends. Without offending our bishop or any members, we have to ask them to do more. The work out here needs to change. The ward is trying to support us, but the missionary's role is to support the ward in finding and inviting others to come unto Christ. We are slowly implementing this new approach to, hopefully, gather Israel at an unprecedented level, as was encouraged by our Mission President.
Monday night, our zone sent in voice recordings of miracles that happened to each companionship this week, they call it "Miracle Monday". It caused me to reflect on the things that I have witnessed, and did not consider a miracle without this retrospect. The Good Shepherd loves All His Sheep. I was reading in 3 Nephi this week, and I can't help but get emotional when I read in chapter 17. Jesus loves us, He gives time to each of us if we simply reach out to Him. Even for those who haven't reached to Him, who don't know Him, He suffered your pains and He knows you perfectly. Christ was perfect so that we don't have to be sad anymore. So we don't have to feel pain anymore. I think about the time we live in, how great it is to spread the gospel of love and eternal life to all ends of the Earth. Death is not the end. Birth was not the beginning. John wrote, concerning the second coming of Christ,
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away"
Sometimes I am ungrateful for this opportunity to give a little back to the older brother who did everything for me. I am selfish to think that my problems could ever compare to, or ever get in the way of, the work of salvation to all men. We are all promised happiness, I feel His arms around me, I feel His love every Sunday as I take the sacrament, or when I sit in His holy House. He has given so much to me, how can I not proclaim His joy to all those I meet? It doesn't matter how strange church history gets, it doesn't matter how hard it is to believe, the Book makes you feel good, doesn't it? If only everyone I asked would simply read it and ask God themselves. How unworthy am I to proclaim His word, yet He qualifies me every day. Yet He forgives me of my sins and beckons me to come closer, to try again. I cry for His hand every night to touch this work when I feel I have wasted His time, yet He allows me to wake up and try again the next day. His work will go on, and as Paul wrote,
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life...nor things present, nor things to come...
Nor height, nor depth... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
No matter what you think, They will always love you, and They will always receive you with open arms. Thank you all for your letters of encouragement, I think of you all when I press forward.
Love
Elder Gneiting
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