This week was a really hard one for Elder Lavulo and I. We had a lot of things thrown at us again that didn't help with the situations that we were dealing with already. There have been a few things that have gone downhill a little bit and It's honestly been hard because I don't really know why they've happened. Heavenly father knows why and sometimes I just wish he would tell me! haha
The outcome of this week was a good thing though. Elder Lavulo and I have become closer than we ever have been before, and we're even better friends than we were when the week started 7 days ago.
First thing is that Tarl our investigator has been struggling really bad. He started to gain a really solid testimony of the Gospel and he was so sure that the spirit was guiding him to the right things, but everything kind of did a 180 with him. He has a friend that was at a lesson once and she was interested in hearing more from us, but sometime this past week she went to his house asked is he knew of the things we "believed" in. They looked up anti Mormon stuff online and Tarl was literally convinced by it that we were a bunch of crazy people. He even tried to go over to Brother Saffron's house who he has become best friends with since we introduced him in a lesson and convince him to leave the church or something. Brother Saffron talked with him and Tarl realized that he was being irrational and what he read wasn't true, and he gained an even stronger testimony of the Church. We had a lesson with him after that and it was one of the best lessons I've ever had and he was so excited to be baptized and he had read 10 chapters in Alma and he seemed so happy too. It was amazing to see how fast he had changed and become happier and at peace because he had gained a conviction that Christ's true church was back on the earth. Well then he looked up more anti stuff and it caused him to fall again. He told us about it and he had seemed completely different and it was saddening to see it happen again. But last night we had another lesson with him and Brother Saffron and he seemed touched by the Spirit as I read 3 Nephi 11 and spoke the words of Christ asking all of the people to come towards him and see the nail prints on him. It went extremely well and we all answered a lot of his concerns and I think Tarl is coming around, but I really don't know 100%.
That's what happened with that and it was really hard this entire week to see it happen. I've lost probably over 15 investigators here from them hearing or reading something negative about the church and it's been frustrating to see it happen over and over and over again. When Tarl told us about it I felt worse than usual because he has become such a good friend to us and I've come to really know him too. I was sad that I could lose another person that I'm teaching, that could be so happy, and that could be blessed by the gospel of Christ to a bunch of ideas about what I believe in that aren't even true. It's been hard to see if I'm doing all that I can for the people I teach when it happens all the time. After hearing Tarl and going home I prayed for a long long time trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do and this week Elder Lavulo and I have been studying hard for him and working hard in general. Hopefully things will change this week and I know they will because I can tell Tarl is special and God wants him to be happy. There's opposition in all things and I know it's not going to be easy, but I know that everything will be okay with him.
Elder Lavulo and I have had troubles besides that this week and we've bonded so much because of them. I'm grateful I have someone by my side at all times that I can trust and be friends with. He and I are pushing each other every day and we've been biking and teaching as much as we can to get a baptism. We bike like 25 miles a day across the whole town every day so that we can find the people who are ready to receive the gospel. I don't really know how this next week will play out, but I don't really care as long as I do what I'm supposed to and put my trust in the Lord. It's hard but the worst it can get is still pretty great. I'm still a missionary at the end of the day. I still have friends here and have come to love the people that I serve here. I still know Christ is my Savior too. I'm happy and I'm excited to see how this next week plays out.
Hope you all had a great week. Happy Father's Day!
Love,
Elder Bills
"I can imagine that it was really hard for him since he always gets grumpy when he gets hungry! I can relate a little bit too. It's hard to keep going when people yell at you and it's 100 degrees with 100% humidity and you're biking up a hill that lasts forever and I bet it's hard to do what he did, but the learning experiences are worth it every time."
These missionaries are someone's son or daughter. They pay for their missions themselves and the only reason they are there is because they know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and accepting Him and His Gospel will truly bring joy and happiness in this life. Even if you don't agree with our beliefs, please be respectful and kind. Or here's an idea, let them share a message with you. I promise it will not be a waste of your time to listen to an uplifting message about the Savior. Thanks!