Another one

Sup

So this week was decent I guess. Time zips by insanely fast out here so I honestly don’t remember much of what happened. We had a zone conference which was hype. Got to see my boi’s Elder Goodman and Elder Kimball which was hype! They are good lads. (Te quiero elderes )

But yea I don’t have much to say this week in terms of stories because we had a zone conf in springfield and an exchange in effingham that took up a lot of time this week. And pretty much everybody we’re teaching is ghosting us right now haha so that's been real fun. We get lessons set up, and then when we text to confirm the lesson, they cancel. So we’ve decided we’re going to stop confirming lessons and just show up . 

We invited a handful of people to get baptized this week. They all said no haha. But it’s whatever!

We also shoveled a ton of snow this week because there was a huge snowstorm. We put out a service ad and it blew up with people wanting to utilize us so we spent a ton of time shoveling. My back will never be the same. 

Also our heater has been malfunctioning so we woke up the other day and it was below 50 degrees in our apartment.

Also our washing machine is broken and I’m not on my last pair of clean clothes so send some prayers this way please

Also after 7 months in the field, I decided it was about time to buy a suit, so I went to Kohls and got a suit. The best part is, I was able to get like 150 dollars off! I just had to give them my social security number

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But yea there’s some logistical things.

Now for a spiritual feast hosted by me-

We did a lot of teaching as usual this week, but not a lot that are worth sharing. One of them though was Dusty! She is so awesome. We met with her again and she told us how whenever we meet with her she just feels so much peace and stuff, and then we leave and she gets sad again. We told her that it’s not us that she likes talking to, but instead it’s the Holy Ghost that is speaking to her through us. Anyways, she’s making speedy progress and me and Elder Powell are both super hyped for her. She has been prepared by the Lord.

We were in a lesson yesterday and this chica said she could never join our church because of all the questions that she would need to have answered. I then told her that there really is only one question she needs answered, and that is if the Book of Mormon is true. If it's true, nothing else matters. The Book of Mormon holds everything in place. And it’s so true you guys! Don’t spend all your time on the unimportant questions. Figure out if the Book of Mormon is true, and every other question you have will be answered.

100% of the time, if you read the Book of Mormon seeking to know if it’s true, you will get your answer. And to tell you the truth, that answer most likely won’t be an angel you see or a voice you hear. Why would God send an angel or a voice to tell you something that he’s already had someone else write down in the book right in front of you? I’m willing to bet that you will never get the answer in the way you expect you’ll get it. That goes for those we’re teaching as well. I have not had anybody who truly seeks for it not get their answer. 

So, when people tell me that God hasn’t told them the Book of Mormon is true, I’m like 

“well have you read it?”

“no”

“”

I’ve had so many lessons like that and I just want to pull my hair out. More than ANYTHING I just want these folks to know it’s true, but I can’t do anything if they won’t humble themselves and read it. We had a lady the other day tell us she’s not reading it because “she’s Christian”. I about fell out of my chair when she said that. LIKE WHATTAHSDFASDFHASF

I just finished the BOM again and the number of times it goes off about Jesus Christ is innumerable. If you are a christian, you will believe in the Book of Mormon. 

I know people have gotten their answer of the Book before reading it, but come on, if you want to know if it’s true, you HAVE to know what you’re praying about! And you can’t really do that unless you’re reading it. 

Way back before the mish, I really struggled with getting my answer. And guess what!? I WASN’T READING IT. So, I read it, and then I got my answer. My answer has never been where I’m praying and then I hear a voice or anything like that. It’s always been while I’m reading it. I just feel my heart burn and I know it’s true. I’ve also seen the good the book does for people, and that to me is a sure witness of it’s truthfulness.

Plus, use your head. Joseph Smith. Love that man. But yea let’s think about this: third grade education, doesn’t know zip squat, had no notes while translating, translated it in less than 65 days, doesnt ever contradict itself, supports the Bible perfectly, only grammatical changes to the first edition, never had to have help from his scribes to pick up where he left off, the book is written in the style of many different authors, has archeological evidence supporting it, has 11 official witnesses testifying of the gold plates, plus several other non official witnesses, plus the millions of people who have gotten their answer of the book, and the list goes on and on and on. But even more impressive than all of those things is how powerful the Book is in it’s testimony of Jesus Christ. No evil man could write that book, and no good man would have written it unless he had been commanded by God to do so. 

I know in both my mind and my heart that the Book of Mormon is true, and it answers all my other questions. When I struggle with a principle, I just ask myself, “is the Book of Mormon true? Was Joseph Smith a prophet?”. And then it’s all good. Every other question becomes unimportant.

So just don’t forget y’all that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world and the scriptures testify of that. 

I’m just gonna stop myself here haha. I could go on forever but just don’t forget folks that the closer you are to the savior Jesus Christ, the happier you’ll be (hence why the Book of Mormon is so important because all it does is testify of the savior)

Actually my last thought-

So we did a ton of driving this week. We were driving and listening to Homeward Bound by TabCATs. This is one of my all-time favorite songs (especially as a missionary). Anyways, I was enjoying the lyrics thinking about home. In my mind I was just thinking about my life up to this point and how fast it’s all going by and what it will be like to go home someday. Then, I had a thought come in my head saying “that’s not really your home”. As I was thinking about that, these lyrics came up in the song-

“If you find it’s me you're missing

If you’re hoping I’ll return”

At this point, I started to get all teary eyed and had to look at the window so Elder Powell wouldn’t see my manly whimper. It just hit me so hard that this song is like our relationship with our Heavenly Father. I had the strongest feeling in the world that my Heavenly Father misses me! He misses me and he’s “hoping I’ll return”. It was a powerful moment. Just remembering that whether in the mission field or not, I am on this earth which is in and of itself, it’s own mission field, and that God is hoping I will make it back home to him. Then I had another thought that God wants us all to get back to him so badly. I know we can all make it if we try!

CIAO <3

Los Amo

- Elder Wride