I received two packages this week, one from the Chantilly Ward (Thank you!!) and one from Uncle Randolph! I also received letters from Bishop Forsyth, Dad, four letters from the Christopher Yost Family, and Dear Elders from Mom and Courtney Doolittle! Being so far from home these letters mean so much—-thank you!
Before I forget, my Propet shoes are starting to wear a hole in the heel on the left shoe.
Well it was certainly an interesting week, one with moments of joy, sadness, frustration, and just moments where I scratched my head and wondered what just happened? The transfers were certainly interesting this week. One of our Zone Leaders was transferred to a new area for the last week and a half of his mission. Elder Guyer who I was with in Pinamalayan is now the District Leader and his new companion is Elder Johnson who came out with me from the MTC.
It was really nice to have a full week of work We have a lot of baptisms coming up so we're really working to prepare them for their Baptismal Goal Dates. We're teaching some really awesome children that are really progressing well. One of them just turned 8 years old and is just the sweetest thing. She's pretty shy, but she is the smartest 8 year old I know! She always reads in the Book of Mormon and remembers everything we teach her. It's children like her that truly help me understand why the Savior loves children so much. We're also teaching her cousin who is 12 years old. He's a crack up! Sometimes he sits in on the lessons with his cousin and is always trying to show off his knowledge. I think he thinks he's pretty slick because he's on Lesson 3 and his cousin is in Lesson 1! We're always having to ask him to be quiet so his cousin can answer. Well we were teaching him and we asked him what the 5 parts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are (Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Endure to the End). He looked stumped! And then his sweet 8 year old cousin with a sweet, yet slightly mischievous smile on her face said "Pananampalataya kay Jesu Cristo, Pagsisisi, Pagbibinyag, Patanggap ng Kaloob ng Espiritu Santo, and Pagtitiis Hanggang Wakas." The look on her cousin's face was priceless!! As we left the lesson, we saw him studying so that never happened again!
This past Friday/Saturday was probably the busiest I've been here. We were supposed to conduct pre-interviews for our Baptismal candidates who would receive final interviews the next day. This is a bit of a change in our mission because previously final interviews were the night before the baptism. However if an issue comes up in the interview, it's pretty embarrassing if the baptism is announced and everything. Boy, am I happy for this change now. We interviewed one candidate and he has come such a long way. He has had some issues in the past, and though it is really hard for him, he is trying so hard to keep the commandments. He's at church early every Sunday in a white shirt and tie . He's completely changed the way he dresses and acts since we've started teaching him. Going into the interview we were a bit scared of what might come out and if he might need an interview with the Mission President. We interviewed him and were relieved that there were no unresolved issues but we were shocked when he told us he had a word of wisdom issue the day before. We were devastated. Up until this point on my mission I can't necessarily say I've seen the Adversary taking an active role in trying investigators, but this young man is being tried so hard. His family is not really in the picture, and they've left this 17 year old to kind of fend for himself. He has no financial support, and kind of bounces between houses of friends and members. The other day, he had no food, nothing to drink, and was so hungry. He went to his sister’s house for food, and the only thing she had was a hot drink. Like I've always said about Osama bin Laden, I'll say about Satan: He may be crazy, but he sure isn't stupid. This young man was so devastated and felt so bad. We're working with him and I know that through the Savior's Atonement, this young man will be able to prepare himself for baptism.
On Sunday we taught a lesson in Sunday School on Joseph Smith and the restoration. This young man went home from church to his father's home and there were a group of people from another church. They told him a lot of things about the church that were not true and really confused him. We were able to sit down with him and talk things over, and give him a Priesthood blessing. The Adversary is doing literally everything in his power to stop this young man from getting baptized. We had a long walk home and I had a long time to think. I thought, "Why does he have to go through so much trial and hardship? Why can't the Lord just stop all these things that are happening to him? A quote came into my mind by the Prophet Joseph Smith, "Deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it."
I've always wondered why Joseph Smith, like Paul seems to glory in tribulation. It then occurred to me, that the greatest growth we experience comes in times of trial and hardship, times when we think there's no way for us to endure. Without trials, we would stay the same, even as Adam and Eve would have if they had not partaken of the fruit. Joseph Smith has always been a role model of mine, and now I've determined to take on this same motto, and glory in tribulation. No matter what you experience here on this Earth, no matter what you are called to endure, whether it be in deep or shallow water, know that at the end of the day, God will deliver you, and you will triumph over all, as did he. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love you all!
Love,
Elder Yost
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