Acquainted with Grief

     Hundreds of years before Jesus Christ was born, the prophet Isaiah foretold the kind of experience the Son of God would have on this Earth.
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." (Mosiah 14:3)
      I'd like to focus on the fact that he was acquainted with grief. To me that means he was very familiar with deep sorrows that come from loss and rejection. Now why was that an important part of His life? Isaiah knew that it would be so, and we knew it was definitely fulfilled when His dear cousin John was killed, and as he suffered for our sins in the Garden. I honestly don't completely know the answer, but I think it might have to do with our development of spiritual strength.
     I don't mean to be dramatic, or daresay that I know anything of the grief that Christ knows, but I get to taste it on my mission and hope that this might help you through the grief that you will find. Yesterday I found out that one of the gentlemen we've been visiting and blessing in his home and in the hospital will now be admitted to hospice in some area far away. He's in his early 60s and has just had a world of health problems since he joined the church. He got hit by a truck, was diagnosed with lung cancer, and then couldn't eat for the past month. He knows grief like I have never seen, and I just stood there wishing I could take his pain from him.
     The youth of our ward just went on a pioneer trek this last week. Before they left, they anticipated that the most difficult part might be walking such a long distance, or being away from their phones and family. A majority of them expressed that they found the most difficult part was the women's pull. During this time, the young men had to pull off the handcarts, and allow the women to pull the cart up a good size hill by themselves. The women struggled, but even more so, the young men grieved as they watched their sisters and friends fight their way up the hill. These boys would cry when they talked about how they felt during that time. We often question how God can let tragedy happen to us on this Earth, but I see it as an act of love and strength. If He stepped in to save Christ, none of us would be able to overcome death. I am grateful for the knowledge that we will certainly live again. I know that because I know Christ lives! He is acquainted with grief, and He is acquainted with triumph!

The Spirit of Truth!

   There isn't an entry I could write that could tell or capture all the wonderful things that have happened this week. Something that ties all of it together though is how the spirit of God enters into our hearts and minds to tell us what is true. That is what helped the McNeelys to know that being baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is what God wanted them to do. It's what confirmed to me in my heart that what they were doing was right. It also touched their son, who said that he saw this look of peace in their faces as they were being baptized that he had never seen before, I saw it too. It is such a great gift to us to be able to receive feelings of joy and comfort through the Holy Ghost, so that we know in our hearts when we're on the right path.

     "The Spirit of God speaking to the spirit of man has power to impart truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings. Through the Holy Ghost the truth is woven into the very fibre and sinews of the body so that it cannot be forgotten." Joseph Fielding Smith

     Elder Fisher and I have had many doors opened to us because we seek to just touch the people with the spirit, and hope that they will decide to investigate more. We were knocking doors in the neighborhood that we found the Chinese lady, and we met her husband! He also was not interested.. But their neighbor was a very nice young man that stepped out to have a chat with us. He knows several of the youth in the Ward from high school and he already has a great perception of the church. We were so happy to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon and challenge him to search its contents. I know that if he does, he will feel something that confirms that it is a book from God. Further down the street we met another lady that made sure we knew she was catholic, but invited us to return this week. Later that evening, we were knocking in military housing, where people are a lot more respectful and courteous. We were being eaten alive by mosquitoes! They were all over every household's front porch, and I swell up really badly after I get bitten :P I just forgot the bug spray in the car.. We got a few return appointments, but the entire time this young girl followed us around on her scooter. I think she could recognize by the spirit of truth that we had something that she wants for her family. Children are so pure and innocent, we need to be like that. I'm learning that I don't need to convince anyone that what I have to say is true, I trust that God will take care of that because it is true and He loves the people that I meet. Remember that as you share what you believe with the people around you.

It's a Privilege!

"One of the great privileges of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the privilege of contributing to the growth of the Kingdom of God through paying tithing." (Preach My Gospel pg 78)
        I found it really interesting that they used the word privilege to describe this sacrifice that we're asked to make. Usually we look at giving of our substance, like paying taxes, as an obligation. However, when it comes to sacrifices for building the kingdom of God, we consider it a privilege. That's because in retrospect, it will be a fantastic thing to have been a part of. Think of the pioneers of our nation. While they struggled through hardship and trial, I'm not sure that they considered what they were doing to be a privilege. But when we look at what they accomplish now, we honor their lives and legacy. So it will be as we make sacrifices to build the kingdom of God.
        This week there were a few moments that were not pleasant, but I consider them a privilege to have experienced. We knocked on doors for hours out in the sun and humidity. One evening we met this couple very familiar with the church. She is from Utah and her grandparents are actually members. When she was 9 her grandmother tried to have her baptized without her parents permission, so she has very negative feelings towards the church. They teased us a lot but it was funny and I thought we might be able to really get to know them! But then they turned us away. As we moved down the street we heard some music and laughter coming from this other house. As we walked by we tried to be friendly and offer to share something with them, and this man walks out and tells us whatever we give him he'll throw away. And so that's what he does! He just opens up the trash can and throws one of our cards right in. That just shocked me! I didn't know that people could be so openly rude. Later in the week we were knocking near the bayside, and we actually knocked on a Chinese person's door! She was from Taiwan, and it felt so weird to be speaking Chinese again, but she also wasn't interested. Although rejection isn't fun, I still feel privileged that I even get to be a missionary and take part in such a great work.



Try and always have that attitude about things that God asks you to do.

Chinese American Missionary

     My first and only Fourth of July in the capitol as a missionary! Honestly that's a huge bummer, because I had such a great day, and an amazing week overall. I actually anticipated the opposite because earlier on in the week we heard that there were threats of a hurricane moving through the area. How are you supposed to do fireworks in the rain?! I think we figure it out back in Seattle.. On Thursday evening we had no appointments for the evening, so we went out to knock on doors. We were driving along and Elder Fisher had the thought to turn down this one street, but we had already passed it. So we flipped around and went to check out this street we had a hunch for. Dark clouds were rolling in right over our head, and I really did not feel like taking a shower. But we got out of the car and started knocking. We had only gotten four houses down when a man in his late 20s comes walking by with his dog. We compliment his dog and he quickly identifies us as mormons. He then proceeds to ask us what we're all about and says he's really open and interested to know what we have to say. We had the greatest discussion about Jesus Christ and what happens after this life. He has recently been going through an in depth study of the New Testament, and has been trying to explain a lot of the teachings of his current pastor. He shared that earlier in his life he got into partying at college, and every worldly pleasure, but found that it left him empty and unfulfilled. He repented and feels that he was born again. He married a good Christian woman and now has an 18 month old. He has a testimony of our redeemer and the power of the atonement. He brought us over to his house where we got to also speak with his wife about the scriptures and about our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and ask God about its truthfulness. There was such a good feeling about our discussion, they were being so genuine with us. Unfortunately he is going on a mission trip with his church to Uganda to help out in an orphanage for a month, but he will take the Book of Mormon and study the contents during his travel.
     I also got to watch the baptism of a young lady in Lexington Park, where the spirit just testified to me in my heart that what she was doing was right. That we do have the authority to perform that ordinance. On the 4th my ward mission leader and his wife took us up to DC to see the parade and visit some of the museums. All along the way we talked to people on the streets and on the metro. We felt like celebrities because everyone quickly identified us as missionaries and stopped to talk with us. One couple was just sealed in the temple the day before, another young man was baptist and we had a good conversation about salvation. He then gifted us with some anti-mormon material! Every year on the mall they feature countries from around the world, and this year was China! What a coincidence! Even though I didn't see a single firework on this fourth, I felt more joy than any other year. I think we can feel that at any time if we live to be the kind of Americans our Fathers dreamed we could be, we will find true joy. That means to live trusting in God, and serving others, so let's do that every day of our lives!