It's been a great week. Steve, Karen, and Carlie were all baptized! It was awesome. So many people came that it almost filled the chapel! Elder Simmons and I were asked to give the talk on baptism, which was pretty interesting because 1) I'm not used to team teaching behind a pulpit into a microphone and 2) it's weird giving a talk, not teaching a lesson. WAY different. They are going to be such strong members, I can really tell.
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| Left to Right: Me, Elder Simmons, Carlie, Karen, Steve, Bob Hales, Chris Fuhriman, Sister Brown, Elder Brown |
Things are going well with many of the investigators. We lost 3 this week (due to the baptism) but the Lord brought us 7 more people to teach this week.
A family of 4 former investigators called us out of the blue and asked if we could come over and talk to them because they've been going through a really tough time. When we went to teach them, they were all there, plus a fifth person. They live in really humble circumstances in a dangerous pocket of town. They have been humbled a lot because of recent trials and they are much more prepared to receive the word. In fact, they all have accepted to work towards November 10th to be baptized. The biggest problem was they were going to get evicted. We shared some comforting scriptures with them from 3 Nephi 13 and promised them that the Lord would take care of them if they were to make Him their priority. After we returned to our apartment, we prayed long and hard for a miracle to be provided for this family. Turns out that a few days later they were evicted. For a few days, they had to live in a broken car. But when we called them again to check on them a few days later, they were back in their trailer again and things worked out to where they can still live there! I know that the Lord was behind it.
Another man we taught, Kevin, was the husband of an inactive woman. When we first met him last week, he asked us "Who is Jesus?" That's always a bad sign; everyone in the South knows who Jesus is, so we knew he wasn't asking us out of curiosity but to test us. I guess our first answer was good enough for him so we were able to set up an appointment to meet with him again. As we met at the appointed time, he pulled out a really nice pamphlet out of his Bible that was called "Christianity: Cults & Religions". Here we go! He started reading what the pamphlet said "Mormons" believe and---I'm not gonna lie---there was some pretty ridiculous, border-line blasphemous stuff in there. We were able to set him straight and he was willing to accept the truth. He's a really staunch Baptist with an impressive knowledge of the Bible, and he says he will know if the Book of Mormon is true if it doesn't contradict the Bible, so I'm not worried. It will be interesting and probably pretty difficult to help him understand the truth, but once he joins the Church he will be a super solid member. We have high hopes for him, especially because there were several times were he said, "My church teaches this, but I believe it's more like this..." and those things that he believes that digress from his church's teachings are actually more in line with the truth.
The final person we found this week was Lynette's daughter, Victoria. Lynette had a great time at church and got emotional during Sunday school and Relief Society. She is just eating it all up! She loves the new knowledge she is gaining from the restored gospel. Victoria seemed a little overwhelmed during our lesson because her mom had a lot of questions that wouldn't make sense to anyone without a little bit of a background, but she said she'd read from the Book of Mormon and meet with us again. I think she also has really high potential.
David is doing really well. He had to go to the hospital again this week because his "stump" is acting up again. But ever since that spiritual experience he had he's known that the Church is true and that he needs to be baptized, so that's given him a greater reason to live the Word of Wisdom. He's been tobacco free for over a week now! We usually don't baptize people unless they've been living the law of chastity and the Word of Wisdom for the last three weeks or more, so he should still be ok to be baptized 13 October.
Trevaughn, our nine-year old investigator, is excited to get baptized this weekend. I think his step-sister Angie is jealous because she has to wait till October since we haven't taught her as much as we have him. He asked me to perform the ordinance on Saturday and I look forward to it. It's going to be a stressful evening---there's a baptism in the other ward right before Trevaughn's, then right after the baptism we're teaching Lynette and Victoria, and we have to make sure to end at 7:30 so that they can make it to the ice cream social the sisters in the ward are having before the Relief Society General Conference broadcast at 8---but I'm excited!
Yep, things are going great here in Hope Mills. I love this place. The work is just so amazing!
So... if you're observant like my Dad, you would have noticed that the subject for last week's email said "The Best and Worst Week". I told you why it was the best, but I forgot to tell you what I meant by "the worst." Last week was the worst week as far as pain goes. When we weren't teaching a lesson, or planning or making phone calls, I was pretty much laying on the floor trying to find some relief. That made me think a lot about what the Lord wants me to do about it. Over the last two weeks, through inspiration I received in the House of the Lord, while at stake conference, and through personal prayer, I feel that I received an answer from Him. My thoughts and feelings began to be inclined towards the idea of going home to seek out physical therapy and return to the mission field once the problem is resolved. This wasn't in accordance with my will, but as I thought about all the reasons in the past that I didn't want to leave, a quiet and peaceful reassurance came into my heart as if Someone was saying "Don't worry about it; it's going to work out." I have a testimony that God answers the prayers of His children. It doesn't come all at once, and it never comes without work. But through diligent prayer, fasting, and real intent---including submitting my will to God---I was able to gain the answer I was looking for. I know that it is an answer from God, and because of that I am not afraid or even upset to do what He wants me to do. Why would I rather yield to my own desires than to the will of God? I would be a fool to think that I have a greater idea of what lies ahead than does my Heavenly Father. And so I will be returning to Utah on October 3rd (9 days). While I'm not afraid or upset, it still is a very hard decision and I am going to miss working here and being a missionary a lot. I am looking forward to returning soon to the mission field to complete my mission. I hope it's soon, "but if not" (Daniel 3:18)... not my will, but the Lord's be done (see Luke 22:42)!
So... yeah! I know it's probably pretty surprising and all-of-a-sudden. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
I love you all and hope to hear from you soon! (If you send a letter after Wednesday it would probably be best to send it to:
726 Mill Shadow Dr.
Kaysville, UT 84037.
With love,
Elder Schank
