Hello everyone!
Another week in a blur. To update, we went on
exchanges twice so it felt like I was never with my companion again. But it was
a good week, super busy and tons of lessons and things are going well. Our
investigators right now are doing alright, we have one named mike and weren't
able to meet him for a while but he contacted us and we are meeting regularly
again and we didn't even have to remind him to read his scriptures. He just
started up again! It was an amazing miracle! But other than that I have some
sad news from Nicole. We already knew we wouldn't be able to baptize her for a
little while because of a ton of legal things that I just don't want to go
into. But turns out she is going back to seattle for a month and then edmonton
for another month and so we won't see her until january, and there is still a
chance in January she will have to go to Quebec for a while too. So basically
we visited her last night and said good bye and committed her to continue
reading the BOM while she is away. But none the less I am so excited to be here,
I was super sad to have to say goodbye as it is highly likely I will be
transferred before she returns. That is how it goes sometimes, but nothing
stops the work of the Lord.
But this week I read something that gave me
even more of an appreciation for the savior. He really does love us. This is
one of my new favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon, it is 3 nephi 19. And
what I found was so cool. As I read it, I thought of the new testament and the
chapters where the atonement is performed and the parallels between the two.
One with a good example and one with a bad. So what I found was that in both
scriptures, the Savior directs his 12 to pray, and he goes a little way off to
pray, returning 3 times to his disciples. Now in the new testament, he finds
them sleeping, and on the third time he says "sleep on." But think
about how much better it could have been if they would have prayed, and what
the savior would have said? Luckily in the BOM we have an account of what
it would have been like, "and jesus said unto them: Pray on." (verse
26) Now I wanted to point out a few
things. The savior is not performing the atonement again, but the parallel
between the two is what I found fascinating. And the other thing, is the
significance of what happened each time the savior left the 12 in the book of
mormon and the things he prayed for. In verse 28 it records what the Savior
prays for, it says "father, I thank thee that thou has purified those whom
I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them
who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through
faith on their words, even as they are purified in me." And the wonderful
thing I realized was that our Savior is praying for his servants and their
investigators. How amazing is that! I love my savior and I am so grateful that
I have this chance to represent him. He truly does love us.
Elder Ollis
The attached picture is of our investigator Nicole, her boyfriend, who is a recent convert, and their baby as we said goodbye.
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