Week 76 – Happy Day!

There is no reason to be sad, if you are stop. On that note, things are picking up right now in the life of Elder McFall. Things seem to be coming together, just not really in the way that I had pictured or imagined. It seems that so often as missionaries we are focusing so much on that goal of baptism that we fail to realize that our Lord rejoices over ANY soul that repents and returns unto him. I love the scripture in Moroni 10:32 (maybe that is why it is my missionary scripture) about inviting all to Come unto Christ. That is the essence of missionary work; it is at the core of our defined missionary purpose, which is also synonymous with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With that in mind, we have been doing a great deal of work with Less-actives recently. It is so neat to help some I guess rediscover the gospel and how it can bless and affect their life. Complacency seems to be our biggest offender right now. People just stop doing those simple things in their lives. They stop going to church for a multitude of reasons. They no longer read from the scriptures. They fail to say their prayers. Honestly it is sad. Those are 3 things that truly are simple, they don't cause us to expend any great effort, but doing those will ALWAYS keep us on the path, if we want that. I am just grateful for how simple the gospel of Jesus Christ is. We have been seeing these less active members start to come to church, one for 2 weeks in a row now, and we meet weekly. She wants to be that great example for her 10 year old daughter and she wants to make it to the temple. That is the common thread with all those that we teach, we focus on the temple and to any other covenant we have made, or will make and put that in the center of their minds. When we begin to get a glimpse of what we could have, that sacrifice doesn't seem so hard anymore. The blessings of the gospel are innumerable, simple as that. 

We did teach our investigator Tanis, her husband Quinn wasn't around. She is the one we are really focusing on right now. She does want this, she wants to develop her faith and see that really come back into her life. What she needs, just as we all do, is a true knowledge of the Atonement. The enabling, redeeming, and exalting power it brings. I think if you even glimpse what that can actually bring you will want to at least experiment on it. That is where we are at right now. 

Our other 'gator named Ken we taught a couple times this last week. It has been a huge blessing working with him. The only unfortunate news there is he is moving, just an area over though so we will pass him over this week and he can continue on to his baptismal date at the end of May. Exciting though because the missionary, okay one of them, that we will pass him to is Elder Winnie who I know from home and is from our same stake! So that is neat! 

A scripture that has special meaning to me, I would say most recently, is one that is consistently on my mind is D&C 84:85, "Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man. " I honestly have seen that over and over. When I teach, not sure if this will make sense, but I go in there with a game plan but when we teach I do everything I can to allow my mind to go blank. Now that probably sounds terrifying at first, but it isn't. As soon as I do that I have felt over and over as I have treasured up experiences and the many things I have studied that scripture and word just begins to flow.

One scripture that has come to mind over and over again recently has probably been "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?" from Luke 15:4. Well really anything from Luke 15 as it has 3 very illustrative parables of finding that which was lost. I guess it has been on my mind for a couple of reasons. One would be for the fact is that is what I feel a great portion of my time and effort is spent doing, and in doing that it is just as valuable to our Savior, as it states in verse 7 of that same chapter. He finds great joy in the soul that repenteth, so should we. There are some lost sheep I tell ya, but we can find them. I guess I am beginning to get a glimpse of how our Father must feel. Makes me think of the scripture in Moses 7:29, "How canst thou weep?" He does so much for each of us, and I do feel that he weeps over His children that stray and will do all that He can to bring them back unto him. Honestly as much as I can sit here and tell you that things are great and I find great joy in teaching the less actives, it has been hard to find that same joy as you feel over someone you are bringing into the church for the first time. I don't feel burdened, but rather comforted? Sometimes you fall into that thought trap, even when numerous scriptures say otherwise, that He is only proud or happy with the work you are doing when it is connected with baptisms. But really the scope is much larger; it is about Covenants as a whole. We need to help ALL of our Father's children on their covenant path. Baptism alone is insufficient to return to Him if you do not have the Temple Endowment, Priesthood for males, and Sealing. We focus so much on the first that we fail to realize when we baptize someone, really the cross hairs are on the temple. 

Other than that things are moving forward. We are working our absolute hardest to help each person here in the ward begin to understand their crucial role in the Work of Salvation and how they each can be ministering and teaching as the Savior did. Interesting how when we emulate the example of our Savior not only do we become like Him, but we then have a greater desire to help others find that joy for themselves. Gosh, the gospel is good. 

Love you all!!!

Elder McFall