Well, it's been another good week. Never a boring day in barstow, that's for sure. This week we almost caught in the middle of a bomb threat, drove over a bridge and there were cops everywhere. But there was no bomb, so we're good.
Also, we were walking in a less safe area and saw a bunch of people gathered around and found out that a hard core rumble was about to go DOWN. So we sped walked the other way.
Also a nice jewish guy stopped us on the road and asked us to come help at a food bank he owns. He then proceeded to tell us everything he owns, and the dude literally owns half of barstow.
We taught quite a few lessons this week. We also found 2 new investigators. Both were going through some hard stuff, so we testified of the healing power of the atonement and that peace can be found in the pages of the book of mormon. I hope they read it and can experience it themselves!
Actually, I did a smidge frustrated this week. WAY too many people here are going through hard times, and our answer is almost always the same. Read the Book of Mormon, Pray and turn it over to God! He's promised you healing and peace and comfort on conditions of your repentance and your obedience. If you do that for just 15 minutes each day, everything will change!
And they don't do it. And then they complain that we're not able to help, and that god never helps them and that they're mad at God....
Trying to have more Christlike love for them and not get so frustrated. Especially because I know for a fact I do the exact same things. Christ offers me healing and I don't accept it through my actions. Ah, life.
Anyway, we had an awesome lesson in Elder's Quorum about Commitment. I've been plowing through the Ensigns and I read and article about Commitment by Elder Holland and it all seemed to fit together. There's a major difference between being committed and contributing. It's very good to contribute, but we can't see our contributions as valid evidence of our commitment!
To illustrate this, a pig and a chicken are walking down the street when they see a sign in a store window "Eggs and Bacon desperately needed!" The chicken turned to the pig and said "I'll give the eggs if you give the bacon!"
Haha, this is a humorous way of showing that while the eggs have worth to the chicken, it would have been a much greater sacrifice for the pig than the chicken.
We watched the John Tanner story this morning as well, which is a story of a very wealthy man who lived at the time of the Early Saints. He joined the church upon reading the book of mormon side by side with the bible, and began to sacrifice EVERYTHING for the church. He owned stores, hotels, and even an Island and sold it all to travel with the saints across the country. He loaned money to the church to pay for the temple and many other things. It's estimated he was owed 50,000 dollars by the church, but before leaving on a mission he forgave all debts. He literally had nothing to his name. At points he was forced to beg for food, but lived and died a happy man who had truly stored up many treasures in Heaven.
Now God is not asking that we do what John Tanner did, but he is asking that we're committed. Elder Holland tells of a time he was asked if he would give his life for the church. He said "I am giving my life for the church" He knew what the boy meant. He meant Would Elder Holland Die for the church. But Elder Holland said "That's the easy part". God doesn't want people who will die for the church, he just wants us to see this all through to the end. He wants us to finish what we started. We can rest when we are dead, but for now let us all press on in the glorious work of salvation.
I love you all so much!
Church is true!
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