While I clean this slate with the hands of uncertainty - 09/30/13

I HAVE A DREAM that SOMEDAY I will have investigators that attend church WITHOUT phone calls, begging, pleading, persuasion, or guilt trips.

It seems that God likes that dream. My eternagator from the canyon came to church this week, along with her son and grandson. We didn't even arrange for a ride to come pick her up! She just came. Granted, we had to lay down the law on her pretty hard when we taught her on Thursday, but still! She came to church using her own agency. And she accepted a baptismal date: 26 October 2013, the weekend *after* transfers. I'm just happy that she seems committed enough to stick to a date.

Also related to that dream: our Seventh Day Adventist friend works from 7am to 12:30 pm every Sunday taking care of elderly people in Corona. She told us that she wants to get baptized, but that she can't come to church until she takes her maternity leave in December. Her fellowshipper (whom I love dearly) talked to her about quitting earlier than that, but they looked at the finances and they don't think she can make ends meet without pushing through to December. So the three of us decided that all we could do was pray for some way to appear for her to get baptized sooner than December. I was also hoping that God could bless us with some rained-out Sundays so that our softball star investigator would have an easier time coming to church.

Oh, I almost forgot: On Tuesday, we had a talk with one of our favorite part-member families and was led by the spirit to promise him, in no uncertain terms, that he could not resolve his issues with our doctrine until he got on his knees and prayed about whether the Book of Mormon was true. I read to him Moroni 10:3-5 and 2 Nephi 33:10-12. I then promised him that if he took Moroni's challenge and prayed about the Book of Mormon, then either we would have something to talk about in our next meeting, or the next meeting would be our last. I felt very confident in saying that. If he gets on his knees and asks, God will let him know. We've taught him more than enough, and he keeps coming back to the same hangups. It was time. 

I left him with a note for his wife that said "From the desk of Elder Hansen and Elder Harrison: Please excuse "TG" from bath time with the twins tonight. He was learning about the Book of Mormon with the missionaries. He has committed to pray about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon in a quiet, grateful moment during the week. Love, the missionaries." He thought that was amusing. 

Also on Tuesday: we met with our softball star investigator and talked to her about 2 Nephi 31.  She had lots of questions.  As we read it out loud together, discussed it, and defined things that she didn't understand, she got so very happy. The spirit was thicker in that room than humidity in a SC summer. She kept saying how she just couldn't stop smiling. I would have put her on date in a heartbeat if I wasn't scared of her softball schedule keeping her from church. I wonder if I should have just pushed the issue anyways. But perhaps there was a reason why my tongue was still every time I thought that.

So, we had a pretty decent week. We taught more lessons than last week, and they were mostly really productive lessons. I've been bolder than normal recently, and it feels awesome. Joshua 1:9, baby. We also have been looking for service opportunities with a passion reminiscent of my former passion for World of Warcraft. We took care of one old lady's lawn this week, and I think we have four more service projects lined up for the coming week. I love service! It's way better than trying to find something productive to do at 10am when everybody's at work. 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: our Seventh Day Adventist read all four of the chapters we wrote down for her and told us about them and read from her notes what she learned from them. She's making our job way too easy. She said she feels that desire that Alma 32 talks about really strongly, and I quoted the Savior's "Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." She is a sponge and wants to soak up more and more of what we can teach her. It's so exciting to work with her.

This part is my favorite part of the story. In fast and testimony meeting, we learned from this investigator's mother-in-law that her elderly client on Sundays is no longer needing her services. Nothing to do with her, but the company she works for. So it appears that now she is out of a job on Sundays and can attend church every week. That story was shared from the pulpit in the second testimony - I was first - and my jaw dropped. That is one of the coolest and quickest answers to prayer that I have seen in weeks. 

So keep up the good work, guys. God is hastening his work, and he is pouring out his blessings abundantly upon those that labor in his vineyard. I've been coughing and sniffling and not sleeping at night, but I am trying to emulate and ponder on Isaiah 40:31. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." 

My closing thought for today: "Whenever you have the choice to be right or be kind, always choose to be kind."