Knowledge

Things are still great with Sister Snell. She is fabulous to work with and constantly teaching me by example. We are spending the majority of our time finding new investigators and luckily we have a lot of fun doing it! I'm getting better at fearing God more than man and find joy in speaking to my brothers and sisters who need the truth. Most of the time we go to busy areas of the city and street contact. It gets dark here around 3:30 (getting a taste of Max's mission) and no one is out, so we spend evenings tracting. It doesn't get old because you never know what the response will be! When my mind wanders I often just feel fascinated by the things some people come up with!

It's just...fascinating! And sometimes frustrating : ) the "all roads lead to Rome" take on religion is so hard to combat (i.e. "i think everyone just needs to find their own way and we'll all end up fine"). The only way is really the Spirit. We were tracting on Saturday night and found a couple who attend an Evangelical church. We had a great conversation with them about Christ but they were doing most of the talking. When I brought it back to the Restoration and bore my testimony of the Prophet, I had the most powerful surge of the Spirit backing me up! I thought I felt the mantle every day, but this was much bigger...the most I've experienced yet! They accepted a Book of Mormon and I could tell Sandy had felt something. I hope and pray that she reads it! It is so humbling to feel that and know that the Lord is truly using us as tools to help His children know the Truth. And it's also amazing to know that there is more power available to me as I do the Lord's work if I will embrace it!

In my study of knowledge this week I was struck by the words of Alma when he said, "And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?" (Alma 32:19) When the Plan was laid out, it was clear that we would make mistakes on Earth regardless of our knowledge. Our merciful Heavenly Father gave us a veil that would cloud our knowledge. That knowledge returns to us only as we prove that we are strong enough and diligent enough to live by it. It will not come to us if we are too weak to keep the commandments. In his mercy the Lord keeps us from absolute assurity until we have proven our consistency. My knowledge of missionary work will only come as I prove that I am strong enough to live by it. How do I prove that? By living everything I already know and working diligently and consistently despite lacking knowledge of the rest! Similarly, knowledge of the truth will only come to the investigators who are willing to change. Alma said, "Now of this thing ye must judge, Behold, I say unto you that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work." We will keep working to find those who have the desire to change and be changed!

The work continues to roll forth! And how privileged I am to be involved!