Week 93

THAT WAS QUITE THE WEEK

This last week was a really special week. It was full of disappointments and miracles. I think that at one point we had about 40 lessons scheduled for the week (investigators and new potentials that we had met on the street). However, at least 20 of those lessons stood us up or cancelled. I remember we got to Saturday and I was just mad. I just didn't understand why people could not understand how important this message we are sharing is. I just didn't understand why everyone refused to give us a chance. I felt that there we were talking to so many people, but nobody was willing to hear. Isn't this the most precious and important message in the world? Why did nobody understand?

I still don't know all the answers to those questions, but yesterday the Lord gave me some answers. I realized that timing is important to Him. Not everyone is ready right now. I also learned that if one thing was true, it was that the Lord will never abandon anyone and nobody is a "lost cause" to the Lord. So, even though most people are lost, the Lord will be there as soon as they are ready to accept Him. 

I also had an experience that taught me charity. Last night we had a family home evening activity and our recent convert brought his friend. His friend is a very active christian in a different church. After family home evening, I went over to talk to him to see if he would be willing to meet sometime. He immediately asked me if we read the bible as a church. After which he told me how he had never heard of the Book of Mormon and that he was used to reading the bible. He then proceeded to ask me if I read the bible regularly and he then pulled out a bible scripture on a piece of paper from his wallet and asked me if I could tell him what it meant. I felt attacked during the whole thing. I felt he didn't really like our church, and I felt the way he was going about it all was very prideful. He then proceeded to tell me that he believed our church felt different than most christian churches, and the way he said it just made me feel offended.

So, we met with him this morning. He was going to return to school in Taibei, so he asked if we could meet this morning before he went back. We brought out bibles and we were ready to "open the scriptures" to him. Then the lesson we had with him changed my attitude. As we began to meet with him, I realized that he was actually really interested in our church and that also he had asked me all those questions about the bible and the Book of Mormon because he was genuinely interested in learning more. He turned out to be golden. A lost soul looking for the truth. I realized that I was offended during the conversation I had with him the night before because I was so used to be rejected and called out by other Christians that I immediately assumed his questions and his comments were all an attempt to attack. I assumed he was just another prideful Christian from another church, but then realized that maybe it was me who was being prideful. I learned that I need charity, for charity is essential in helping anyone accept this gospel. We will not build anyone's faith in this church by tearing down their faith in their own church. 

Another miracle we saw was getting seven people to church on Sunday! Our investigators are progressing now! The Wang family is doing really well and our new investigator 品逸is doing really well too. Next week is transfers. I hope I stay.

I love you guys! 

Elder Quist