So yah... I just hit 1 year. :0
This
week was another Super Sayan week. We lead the zone in number of
lessons taught and in new investigators found, and in baptismal dates
given BUT SO WHAT because we don't lead in sacrament attendance and in
baptisms and Lasam still doesn't have a chapel and there are thousands
of people perishing in unbelief... so there is SO MUCH WORK LEFT TO BE
DONE. That's one thing about missionary...it's never over, it's never a
job well done, because there is always more people to find and more to
teach and more to baptize and all that. There is always more to be done.
The Lord is never done either.
This work is so important, and it is so hard.
I
don't have a lot to say, or maybe I should have a lot to say, but I
don't know what to say. Maybe I will share one of my many experiences I
had this week.
I want to talk about tithing. Tithing is a
massive problem for the members of the Philippines. We tract down a
long lost less active family this week. I entered the home, which for
them is a dark shack lit by candle light, and the first thing I saw was
nothing. There literally was just about nothing in their home. No
chairs, no furniture, no beds, no nothing, other than a fire pit where
they cook, and a piece of paper with a checker board drawn on it where
the kids play checkers with bottle caps. We sat down on the floor with
this little bitter old lady who was curled up in a ball on the floor and
leaning against the wall. We talked with her a bit and asked her if we
could teach her. She said yes and so we prayed with her. She went on
to tell us about how she was 'forced' to be baptized by the branch
president, even though she didn't want to, and then how they were
'forced' to pay the tithing for three years. Elder Roberto was the one
leading the lesson so I just listened to them at the beginning. Then I
asked this lady if she believed if God loves her. She got quite and
started thinking, and then she quietly replied "I don't know if God
loves me or not." I asked her if their life was good during the 3 years
that she payed tithing. She said that they had money and life was good.
Then I asked her why she stopped paying tithing. She firmly told us
that she can't afford it and she is not able to pay tithing. I sorta
wanted to tell her that she can't really afford much else either. I
asked her if she thought her situation improved after she stopped paying
and she said that they have been poor ever since. Of course we immediately opened to 3 Nephi 24 where Jesus quotes Malachi chapter 8,
specifically about the law of tithing, and all that about that amazing
promise about how God will open up the windows of heaven and pour out a
blessing and there will not be room enough to receive it for those who
pay tithing. I promised her in the name of the Lord that if she would
pay tithing again and come to church, that her life would become more
prosperous and pleasant than it ever had been in the past. Then I asked
her again if she would pay tithing again, and she sat there and thought a
while, and said again that she wasn't able. I felt the Spirit so strong
during that lesson and Elder Roberto felt it and I know she did, and I
can't believe she didn't say yes.
Missionary work is hard haha. Pay your tithing. The promise in Malachi is true.
It
is transfer week next week so we will see what happens. I love you
all, and hopefully I have a better email for you all next week.
Love,
Elder Andersen
P.S. BTW I have another mini pigsa just above my previous one uggghhhhhh... OWE
Sorry also for my crappy pictures, my camera is broken :(
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