We had an interesting week. Things are picking up slowly but surely here in Lebanon. We found a new investigator named Nathan, he's a cool young guy who seems to have pretty high moral standards. He had some misconceptions about the church and initially it seemed like he wanted to bash with us but after we talked for a bit he seems to be genuinely interested or at least curious. We will see how things go with him.
We also were able to meet with an investigator named Joel who is really neat. He is from Africa and speaks 7 languages. He is currently part of a group that is working to translate the Bible into a language whose name I can't pronounce or even dream of spelling. But he is super cool.
And we had some success working with our members. We got 2 or 3 of them to come out with us this week and teach people. One of the members that came with us is a really cool recent convert named Boogie (or at least that's what he goes by). He was perfect! We taught an investigator named Randy with him and he like perfectly addressed all of Randy's concerns. It is so neat to hear his perspective on things as a new member of the church, it's very fresh and honest.
I have a brief message this week. It is from 2 Nephi 32:3-5:
"Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
"Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.
"For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do."
We all have need of the Lord's guidance. And we all have work to do in His kingdom. He has given us the means we need to understand His will for us and to receive His guidance and counsel that we all so desperately need. If we will ask, seek, and knock - prayerfully feasting upon His word and seeking for what He would teach us and what we need to do - and listen closely to and follow the prompting of the Holy Ghost, the Gift of which many of us have received - we will be told "all things what we should do," and we will be shown what to do to achieve those things. We don't need angels to come to us and minister to us and tell us the answers, because we already have before us the very means by which angels communicate: the Holy Ghost and the words of Christ. Ultimately the Lord wants us to grow, and we must learn to act for ourselves in order to grow. And it is often in the very effort and process of searching for answers and guidance that we find just what it is that we needed.
I know that God loves and guides His children. I know He will guide you and me as we seek for it. I have received His guidance many times in my life and especially as a missionary, and I know we all can - and must - receive our own guidance from Him as well, throughout our lives, relative to our callings, our families, and our personal lives.
I love you all! Make yourselves a great week!
Love,
Elder Alex Swindler
Pictures:
1) Fishing for our district p-day. Top: Elders Cazier, Vellinga, and Leon. Bottom: Me, Sister Roser and Sister Vance
2) I caught a fish!
3) The leaves are changing
4) We made lemon pasta
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