Dear friends and family,
Hello! This last week has had a lot of great and not-so-great moments.
Just hours after sending my last email, our previous investigator Andreea called us while we were writing letters during our preparation day. She asked if I would be the one to baptize her on Saturday! Of course, I said YES! We totally called it. We just knew she'd go all the way! The service was wonderful. I baptized her and Elder Peck confirmed her a member of the Church and bestowed the Gift of the Holy Ghost to her on Sunday.
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| before Andreea's baptism |
Other than that, the news is kinda depressing. My pain is increasing and evolving and it's really just more frustrating than anything because it inhibits us from doing a lot of the work we'd like to be doing. Now my joints aren't only achy and stuff, but now I have consistent pain in my lower back and neck and every once in a while I get these random sharp, shooting pains that go from one joint to the other: shoulder to elbow, elbow to wrist, hip to knee, knee to ankle. Those shooting pains last for just a few minutes, max, but it still hurts and we don't know what's wrong with me. I reported my pain to President Cotterell and our mission doctor, Dr. Liljenquist. Dr. L apparently thinks I have either ankylospondylitis or rheumatoid arthritis (judging by the symptoms I gave him over the phone). I know I'm not a doctor, but I don't really agree... I'm thinking more like a stress fracture, slipped disc, or pinched nerve, because if I remember correctly from Medical Anatomy and Physiology, ankylospondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis don't just suddenly happen... plus the pain and frequency of the shooting pains increases when I lay down, which I think would indicate that there is something wrong with my spine. Plus there's no swelling. And ibuprofen doesn't help. But then again, I can't think of any thing traumatic that would have caused a fracture or slipped disc or anything like that. I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine. Anyway, enough of that. This... condition (whatever it is) is really making it hard for me to not be frustrated. It keeps us from working as hard as we'd like... we've been making a lot more phone calls and we've done a lot less tracting, to say the least. I can't ride a bike in traffic with cars and there are no sidewalks; the other companionship in Greenville has kindly agreed to let us have the car full-time. I just want to get this fixed and for the problem to go away. Elder Peck and I lovingly refer to my pain as "the issue", as we don't really know what else to call it.
Speaking of medical stuff, we were asked by missionaries in another area to go to the hospital to visit a man who was flown from their area ours to give him a priesthood blessing. That was interesting. He was in the ICU, which I've only ever seen on TV. We went, not knowing a thing about this man besides his name, and when we got to his room we had to sanitize our hands and put on masks. He was completely unconscious; he had an eye patch on; his legs, arms, and face were cut up; he was missing patches of hair; and, judging by his breathing pattern and the sound he was making, he was probably on a respirator. We gave him a blessing to help him heal and to be more open to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It was amazing how as we layed our hands on his head and administered that blessing, I felt a sincere love for that man and I earnestly wished for him to heal well and accept the gospel message. I also felt that even though that man had no idea who we were, what we did, or that we even know he is there, that the power of the priesthood will affect his healing process and his outlook after he comes to.
We don't even know what's up with Virgil. He postponed our appointment with him last week and didn't come to church. We have an appointment with him tonight. We have been praying and fasting very much for him to be open to realize that he should follow the spiritual confirmations he has received that have told him time and time again to be baptized for the remission of his sins. Please, if you read this before 7:00 (eastern time, of course), pray for him... and for us.
Over the last week there has been a sentence running through my mind pretty frequently that I have come to know is very, very true: "No gospel principle is fully learned until it is consistently applied." I believe that. Looking back, I realize that the principles in which I have the greatest faith are those which I have applied to my life. For example, I know the Book of Mormon is true because I have applied its teachings to my life. I know that we can grow from our trials because I have done so. I know that we are happy when we follow the prophets' teachings because I have applied them and they have led me to be happy. This is in line with the Savior's own teachings: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17, emphasis added). Similarly, I recognize that there is a strong correlation between those principles with which I am unsteady in my testimony and the principles I have not yet applied. Application, application, application. This is the key to the building of our faith. This is how we gain a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
My challenge to you is to think---right now!---of some specific gospel principle that you would like to have a better testimony of. Pray for help to increase your faith and do what you can to apply it in your life. Then see if your testimony of that principle doesn't grow. I know that it will as you do your best to apply it, and that your increased testimony will be a wonderful strength to you in your own life. Though it may be a little seed, it will sprout and grow into a tree as you nourish it by applying gospel principles in your lives until you can partake of the good fruits that come from your work (see Alma 32:28-43). I will pray for you to find success as you accept this invitation.
Thank you so much for your prayers and fasting on my behalf. I know that through prayer and fasting our faith swells to qualify for miracles... which is exactly what I need, so thank you! :)
With love,
Elder Schank
Alma 32:28-43 reads:
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.
31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.
32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?
36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.
41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.
