July 17, 2017
Just Like Iowa…Well, Sort Of
We had the pleasure of going to a farm with a less active this week. They people gave us some food and some of that was fresh maize corn. It wasn’t sweet corn, but you better believe that I served up some amazing corn on the cob for everyone! I have some pictures attached of the farm stuff and the corn on the cob. It felt like heaven to dive into that corn. I was ecstatic to have this food! It was really, really nice. We only spent a little bit of time at the farm, but the less active came to church the next day and looked happier than ever.
To Michael: I saw a photo of you, with Mom and Dad, eating vanilla wafers. I am so going to eat those when I get home.
Solomon
I shared this story with my mission president and I want to share it with you as well. Early in the week, we were going through our area and going along the usual route. Normally we would turn right, but on this day we turned left to visit a few houses that we haven’t been to before. As we were coming to the last house on the path, we saw that it was like a boys’ dormitory for a high school.
Feeling a bit apprehensive, we went forward and tried to share the gospel. They didn’t seem very interested at the time and even one seemed to be making fun of us. That ‘one’ is named Solomon.
We saw Solomon again last Thursday. He called us back to him because we were walking a bit in front of him. He asked a few basic questions he had about baptism and the origins of the church. We gave him a pamphlet and invited him to come to church. He came that Sunday, after we had called him in the morning twice as a reminder.
He enjoyed the service and participated in the Gospel Principles class. Afterwards he confessed that many people at the dormitory told him not to go because they believed that it was an occult group. He said that he would correct those ideas and invite his friends to come with him to midweek and church next week. It’s incredible to see the Lord’s hands in this work.
You Can Know for Yourself
I also wanted to mention that this past week I was reading from the Book of Mormon and I saw a talk by Elder Jeffery R Holland where he talks about the Book of Mormon and what Hyrum and Joseph Smith went through. He really puts things into full perspective and it’s a really powerful talk. I took time to write down my own personal testimony of the Book of Mormon.
Seriously, The Book of Mormon is true. I take my religion seriously in part because of how the Book of Mormon has touched me. When I read, I feel something more in my life. My eyes are touched with understanding and it affects me.
After reading it, I have a greater desire to do more good for those around me. I have a more sorrow for my sins and wish to apologize to my fellow man for the wrongs that I have done. I feel a deeper sense of Christ’s atonement and love him more deeply. Gospel doctrines are clearer and more deeply rooted inside me. So if anyone feels that The Book of Mormon is devilish, I must ask, can a book that comes from hell itself make someone to feel like this? Flipping it, shouldn’t everything that comes from God make someone feel this way? And I plead with anyone who is curious to know more about this feeling to seek for it themselves by reading the Book of Mormon. At first it feels tedious, but as you keep going, it will be transforming and Celestial.
I absolutely promise this. Your life will be changed by reading the Book of Mormon.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Gilbert
Just Gilbert 