Hello all,
I hope everyone enjoyed General Conference!
I have an extremely fantastic story this week. Ahem...
We've been meeting with Brother Aubrey since February. A week before
he met us, he had been praying to find some decent people to meet. He
made a deal with God that if God provided those people, he would do
all he could to make them happy. So, God sent us. He was probably
like, "Here are two decent missionaries, make them happy." God is
seriously hilarious. Anyways, Brother Aubrey took it as an answer to
his prayer, although with much trepidation. He's had a lot of
experience with religion, and is really skeptical about everything.
Several weeks ago, he tried to drop us. But God kept him awake all
night badgering him (his words) about a comment made in Sunday school
about priesthood. Someone had said often they felt unworthy of
blessings. Brother Aubrey had a strong impression during that lesson
that of course, NO ONE deserves blessings, God gives them to us when
we need them--especially when we don't deserve them! So after a night
of stewing he told us he wanted to keep meeting. He said, "I heard
about y'alls General conference. So I made God a deal. If the prophet
talks about my whole blessing idea, then I will get baptized." This
man gets revelation in such bizarre ways--and God seems to give him
what he wants even if it's not what he expects--that we didn't
question it. Or put it past God.
A major concern we've been having with him is that he doesn't have a
concept of the role Christ plays in salvation or his relationship with
Heavenly Father. He's always had a very close relationship with God
and doesn't feel like a Mediator is necessary. We've prayed and
studied how to help him with this. A week ago, we had a lesson about
prayer and asked him to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, which he
refused to do.
For several weeks now, he's been praying for an answer. He sincerely
wants to know and is willing to change. He's gotten really frustrated
at God for not giving him an answer. The other day he said, "Everyone
in testimony meetings is always like 'I got an answer and I know this
is true' and I'm like, 'where did you get yours?! I want one of
them!'" During one of these frustrated rants, Sister Jarman pulled out
the story of Moses when the Israelites were stuck between Pharaoh and
the Red Sea. They were about to be killed, but in the last possible
second, Moses was guided to part the Red Sea. She said, "I know God is
willing to give you an answer. Sometimes we have to stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord. And sometimes that doesn't happen until
the last possible second."
Fast forward to this weekend. When making his deal with God, Brother
Aubrey did not anticipate said Conference to be ten hours long.
Nevertheless, he agitatedly sat through all of the talks. In the last
few minutes of the very last talk of the last session, Elder Holland
(bless that man) made a statement about how God gives us blessings
whether or not we deserve them.
We called him afterwards and he said, "That wasn't what I expected but
I can't deny that was my answer. I do believe the Book of Mormon is
true and I'm going to keep moving towards baptism. And...I guess I'll
start moving towards Christ too." Hearing him say that was the
greatest, most joyful experience in the world.
There is no greater feeling then to witness someone come closer to
Christ. This entire process has strengthened my testimony of God. He
knows exactly how to communicate with us in our own language. I would
invite everyone to seek personal revelation more, listen more in your
prayers, and note the pattern of His hand in your lives. You will see
it, and understand His love for you far more intimately than ever. He
lives.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
Sister Johns
I hope everyone enjoyed General Conference!
I have an extremely fantastic story this week. Ahem...
We've been meeting with Brother Aubrey since February. A week before
he met us, he had been praying to find some decent people to meet. He
made a deal with God that if God provided those people, he would do
all he could to make them happy. So, God sent us. He was probably
like, "Here are two decent missionaries, make them happy." God is
seriously hilarious. Anyways, Brother Aubrey took it as an answer to
his prayer, although with much trepidation. He's had a lot of
experience with religion, and is really skeptical about everything.
Several weeks ago, he tried to drop us. But God kept him awake all
night badgering him (his words) about a comment made in Sunday school
about priesthood. Someone had said often they felt unworthy of
blessings. Brother Aubrey had a strong impression during that lesson
that of course, NO ONE deserves blessings, God gives them to us when
we need them--especially when we don't deserve them! So after a night
of stewing he told us he wanted to keep meeting. He said, "I heard
about y'alls General conference. So I made God a deal. If the prophet
talks about my whole blessing idea, then I will get baptized." This
man gets revelation in such bizarre ways--and God seems to give him
what he wants even if it's not what he expects--that we didn't
question it. Or put it past God.
A major concern we've been having with him is that he doesn't have a
concept of the role Christ plays in salvation or his relationship with
Heavenly Father. He's always had a very close relationship with God
and doesn't feel like a Mediator is necessary. We've prayed and
studied how to help him with this. A week ago, we had a lesson about
prayer and asked him to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, which he
refused to do.
For several weeks now, he's been praying for an answer. He sincerely
wants to know and is willing to change. He's gotten really frustrated
at God for not giving him an answer. The other day he said, "Everyone
in testimony meetings is always like 'I got an answer and I know this
is true' and I'm like, 'where did you get yours?! I want one of
them!'" During one of these frustrated rants, Sister Jarman pulled out
the story of Moses when the Israelites were stuck between Pharaoh and
the Red Sea. They were about to be killed, but in the last possible
second, Moses was guided to part the Red Sea. She said, "I know God is
willing to give you an answer. Sometimes we have to stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord. And sometimes that doesn't happen until
the last possible second."
Fast forward to this weekend. When making his deal with God, Brother
Aubrey did not anticipate said Conference to be ten hours long.
Nevertheless, he agitatedly sat through all of the talks. In the last
few minutes of the very last talk of the last session, Elder Holland
(bless that man) made a statement about how God gives us blessings
whether or not we deserve them.
We called him afterwards and he said, "That wasn't what I expected but
I can't deny that was my answer. I do believe the Book of Mormon is
true and I'm going to keep moving towards baptism. And...I guess I'll
start moving towards Christ too." Hearing him say that was the
greatest, most joyful experience in the world.
There is no greater feeling then to witness someone come closer to
Christ. This entire process has strengthened my testimony of God. He
knows exactly how to communicate with us in our own language. I would
invite everyone to seek personal revelation more, listen more in your
prayers, and note the pattern of His hand in your lives. You will see
it, and understand His love for you far more intimately than ever. He
lives.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
Sister Johns
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