April 30, 2012
Hey Friends and Family,
So I have kind of a lot to write
today but I’m not exactly sure how to put it. As we see the MANY times in the
Book of Mormon and the Bible, the children of the Lord, once obedient, humble,
and following the paths of Christ always seem to fall back into an
"Non-Obedient stage". No matter the amount of blessings they received
or saw, they forget and go back to sin and forgetting God. Until they
eventually get smitten by the sword, famine, plague etc., and turn back again
to God. I am thoroughly convinced and can bear testimony this is one of the
main purposes of the bible, that is, to show us all the mistakes of the people
of the earth and to learn from them and try to not fall into the same pattern
ourselves. Unfortunately that trick is
actually "LEARNING" from them. After the hard time we had
last week I decided that I was going to turn back to the Lord and do absolutely
everything in my power to follow his teachings, and to seal that
testimony I can report that last that as I have been following
this goal has given me a closer relationship with Jesus Christ than I have had
before.
It all started with district meeting on
last Friday, when our district leader was getting on the whole district for not
getting up on time and following the morning schedule... including himself. Now
don’t get me wrong, my companion and I still had one of the highest in the
district, but I will admit my faults and say that I didn’t wake up on P-days
and study, nor did I wake up on Sundays at 6:30 because I don’t work out those
days. So a 5/7 was pretty good. But was 2 more days of getting up on time
really worth the blessings I was missing out on? Well anyway, we all decided
that we would make "Accounting to the Lord" every night a goal for
the district and well as our District leader went around the room and asked
every person if they would commit to getting a 7/7 for the following week. Of
coarse everyone agreed.
I report that I held true to my
promise and I got up every single day like I was supposed to, except I decided
to take it a step further. I decided that I would make every prayer I gave
count. I would not miss a prayer before starting anything. I would make my
studies more effective and actually directed at investigators. I can honestly
say that I have not had as many prayers in my life with as much "Real
Intent" or studied the Bible or the Book of Mormon with as much
determination as I have this week. It really, honestly, and truly makes a
difference. How sneaky Satan is as the first thing he attacks is the reading,
praying, and going to church of the members of this church. Its the first thing
he goes for and they all lead to something else, until you find yourself not
doing the things you should.
My attitude and my love for people have soared,
my thoughts have stayed clean and mission driven, my lessons and teaching have
increased in power and depth, and I have this energy that seems to have no end,
except I’m tired all the time, and lastly I’m starting to see what "My Joy
is Full" feels like as I’m starting to work my way to that point myself.
People had been opening up to us more. I had spiritual experiences this week
while knocking where we have found 6 new investigators and they seem to be way
more prepared than any that we are working with now. (It is either that or just
that the spirit was not as strong as it is now and so they progress more).
People are reading their Book of Mormon and loving it, members are
fellowshipping. All this has happened in just one week! Don't you just love our
Father in Heaven?
We last Friday we had another district meeting
and when we put numbers up again, I was astonished that only Elder Humphreys
and I had 7/7. The district leader and his comp had the lowest. I was even more
surprised when everyone reported that they did their accounting to the Lord
everyday. I honestly don't believe them because of the fact that I know our
Heavenly Father would not be happy with the attempts they made at that and so I
could see why they would be so happy about it. But I decided that it wasn’t my
place to judge, neither do I know what their situation is. All I know is that I
want to keep this feeling.
In Job, there is a verse
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the
LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
That basically said it all to me. I can be obedient to
what the Lord asks me to do out of wisdom because I fear him but that does
not mean that I understand. Someone who understands is someone that is exactly
obedient because he has the wisdom to fear God and the understanding to know
how it will help him GROW to become more like Christ. Understanding is a
characteristic of someone in the Celestial Kingdom. As I grow in
wisdom and understanding every day, I feel the love God has for me
and the people here. But I didn’t let that stop just after the first week;
I have continued it, now on day 10, without any chance of stopping.
I realized that it is perfectly POSSIBLE to be obedient
for someone’s whole life. Just look at Nephi, Helaman, and Moroni, and many
more who proved that it is possible. I hope that to my kids they will see that
in me, like I see that in my father and his father. Though none of us are
perfect in any way shape or form, we can get close, but the best possible thing
to do is set an example... Like Christ did.
With much Love,
-Elder Stewart
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