So, who's ever felt like their life was on film? I know I have, Elder McGowan and I have spoken about that idea a few times, and it seems rather appropriate in connection with life as a missionary where the Lord is literally providing us with what He needs for us to do. Let's talk about a few highlights real quick.
Monday night at 7:PM we had finished with an appointment and were going to spend the remainder of the day out on the namesti talking with people. We parked the car, hopped out and started praying to be guided in our efforts and to be guided to those prepared for our message. During the prayer, we were interrupted by a man who invited us to come worship with him at his church, but we declined and he rushed off. We bowed again to wrap it up, and one of our less active members walked up, apparently shaken and rather troubled, and interrupted the prayer. We had some work to do. The first man had just spoken with our member (no idea how they got on the subject of religion, let alone our church - faith in this country is an attribute of great weakness and dependence, not something people just chat about on the street), and had started to share with him all of the "truths" about mormonism, including a particular passage from Galatians 1 which says that angels won't reveal the gospel. We whipped out our scriptures from the trunk and started talking it over with him, including pulling references from the scriptures, bearing testimony, discussing his testimony with him, and recommending some passages from the book of mormon. He was somewhat put back together afterwards, but it took several days of quick meetings to work the matter over with him. We wrapped up the meeting and, with other commitments on the plan, we hopped back into the car and drove home. We didn't find anyone new that night, but the one who needed it most found us.
Tuesday we had a full day of teaching/finding efforts. It was very exciting to look at our opportunities, and up until about 4 PM we were on track. Some members here have been struggling recently and we were rather dissapointed when an appointment with one of them was cancelled. From there, our plans slowly unravelled as other individuals cancelled/came late, with less time/commitment. Amazing what happens when your plans don't work out, but even more amazing what happens when you get a good backup plan kicked in. English then started up, during which my companion taught our class and I prepared the home teaching plan for the branch. My mom was pretty frustrated last week when I didn't mention that they don't have an Elder's Quorum president here, so they've got me filling in that responsibility. So, there you go - I've been the Elder's Quorum president here since February.
Wednesday was amazing - it was rainy, we had finding on the plan. As we were out going through parks and streets and stopping and testifying and pulling out books of mormon, we were not seeing much success. Finally, we found Pavel. Pavel is our shining light of progress among weeks worth of searching, our diamond in the rough. He's studying to become a locksmith and is an atheist, but was interested in our message enough to come to our chapel and to hear from us. He's a little goofy and would fit the part of a quirky professor, but we love him. We gave him the book of mormon and Alma 32 to read about faith and how to get it. He left, and we looked forward to our friday meeting with him.
Thursday the Assistants came down from Prague to help us out, and we found many people who had interest in our message and many phone numbers. It was really nice working with Elder Hatch again and I learned an awful lot from him and from the exchange. Friday we had Pavel on the plan. We weren't sure if he'd come, but he did! And he said the following about the Book of Mormon. "I read the chapter, and I read the introduction. This book is true and very powerful, and I believe that this is my life's chance to believe in God. Tell me about Joseph Smith." We were thrilled! Working in a country of people who struggle to exercise faith in another person, let alone in a book or a prophet our our Heavenly Father, that kind of a response is brilliant. We watched the film The Restoration with him and gave him another reading assignment as well as invited him to come with us on an excursion with the branch. The forecast was rain, but something I've found is that when the Lord has things to get done and servants in place to get it done, it doesn't matter what the environment is like - it will get done. We asked him for good weather, he gave it to us, and it was a beautiful clear morning. We almost missed the train and, while standing on the platform, realized that Pavel was standing in the train station still. We ran inside, grabbed him, and hopped on to the train just before it departed. The vylet was great, however I got a cold from it (yes mom, I'm taking supplements and have a pomelo, a kind of cross between a grapefruit and a pinecone, which should boost me up from it). Sunday came around, this was the really neat moment for us.
Sunday morning we were standing, in the rain, in front of the building. I'm wondering if that volcanoe in iceland is messing with the weather over here, because it's been pretty cold and pretty wet. I saw a man walking kind of goofy down the street, a big umbrella and a mothballed suit on his person. He stopped at every shop on the way just looking at the windows. Then he came up to us. "Good morning!" Pavel came to church! Oh, we were thrilled! He feels uncomfortable around strangers and groups of people, but the night before we convinced him to come, and he did! The other elders here got their man from india preparing for baptism to church, and we had a less active at church as well with her whole family. Yes!
Church was great, we watched part of priesthood session, and then afterwards we saw some neat miracles. Lada, a recent convert gypsy, came up to me. We're really good friends, and he needs a lot of support but he's making great progress. Recently his life has been in chaos and I've been really worried about his personal responsibility for his life, particularly when it comes to keeping covenants and getting the priesthood or going ot the temple, but he told me something that happened over the weekend. "I had a dream last night. The vylet we went on saturday was really great for me, and it gave me a chance to think and get away from everything. The nature and forest really helped me clear my mind out. That night my dad came to me in a dream and told me that he wants me to be good and live the gospel completely, because he wants to get baptized and get his temple work done." We were both in tears as he related how he knows now why he needs to make changes in his life - because his dad is involved. I couldn't have prayed for better miracles for him.
Well, that's basically the bulk of our weekly highlights. The zone is taking small but sure steps forward every week, we vaccumed and cleaned our car today, and we've become the owners of a used hand mixer. Oh, I've got some plans for some really awesome tortillas, cookies, and other baked stuff that has been out of reach for a while now. Life is good.
We're planning on giving pavel a baptismal commitment this week, getting a stack of new people put into our plans, and otherwise making some amazing things happen.
I do have to say one thing about the power and authority of my calling as a missionary. For a while I think I've been doing what I'm supposed to, giving where I need and want to, and trying to fulfill my purpose effectively. But what I haven't done is realized the power and authority of my setting apart as a missionary. Missionary work is the answer to solving the problems of the world. I personally can't go out and feed every starving child, fix every broken marriage, or heal every person's wound. But, the knowledge of the gospel and the living of true principles will feed us all with surplus, and heal all wounds and injuries. Really, missionary work and our efforts to establish Zion upon the earth are the most noble and meaningful labors we can be engaged in. Things I did before my mission when it came to computer programming or marketing and business were all good and constructive. But, if we truly are engaged in improving the cause of our fellowmen, then it is the living gospel of the Living Savior that will bring about the happiness and peace we are all looking for. I think I'm starting to know what is meant by the passage in Mosiah 15, and I am grateful to know that I am a part of that. This week has been one of those life changing weeks, and I feel that I have been oriented on a path for the rest of my life that will lead me to that which is best for myself and for those whom I live and love to serve.
Love you all, grateful for your support, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you all soon.
Love,
Elder Anderson
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