January 13, 2014

Hey everyone,

   This week went well. It was slow. But good. Elder Cupp has been sick so I've been cooped up in the apartment over the weekend. Other than that the week has been good. We picked up some new investigators and we were able to confirm a man a member of the church yesterday.

   I probably met the most drunk man I've ever met in my life today. He said his name was Eric Rip Von Winkle...he thinks. We found him washing his eyes out with coke. He was crazy. He invited us over to teach him though. He said next time to meet him at his house and then pointed out to the middle of the desert. I don't know when or if we will be stopping by.

   Last Sunday we went with a man from our ward to go home teaching. He just got a new assignment and he wanted us to come with him to meet them. Our first stop made me kind of sad. We walked in the house to find a man and woman, both in their 60's, completely immobile, sitting watching television. I had never seen them before but apparently they were members. I asked if there was anything holding them back from coming to church. She said that she has lupus and her husband said that he has a condition where there are mass amounts of fluid building up in his legs and he will probably have to lose them soon. He said he doesn't want to go to the hospital to get his legs drained. He said it will just make it worse.

   I asked if they would like a blessing. They said, "We've already tried. It doesn't work". The only thing I could say was, "You're right. If you say it's not going to work, it's not going to work". We wrapped things up and left the house. I felt bad for them. They had become so complacent and ignorant that their faith wasn't strong enough to continue living the way God intended. In the Book of Mormon, faith is compared to a seed. It will not grow unless it is nourished. It is our job to make sure that seed gets as much sunlight as it possibly can have so that when the clouds roll in, the wind picks up, and the rain begins to pour that seed will be able to endure and grow further because of it.

   This couple had not allowed the light to shine on their seeds. Because of this they went on to tell me that God just wanted them to be miserable. They had no reason as to why. Just a vague, disturbing comment. I've been thinking about that off and on ever since. Why would God want someone to be miserable? He wouldn't. Your Father in Heaven would never desire misery upon you. That's against His divine nature. However, that does not discount the need for trials. Trials are the wind, lack of sun, and rain that cause our seeds of faith to wain. It's then, and only then, that we see how strong our faith really is. If we endure it well, we grow. Faith cannot grow in the noonday sun. It can only be fortified.

   It's also important to remember that Jesus Christ felt every discomfort you will ever encounter. He atoned for all of that. Why would God feel the need to afflict any more pain on Christ just because He wants you to be miserable? When it comes down to it, He doesn't. You do. When we make mistakes, lose our faith, and stray further from the course God intends for us to be on we experience more difficulties and hardships then were ever necessary. Now remember that Christ had to feel all of that. Are we afflicting any more pain on Christ than is necessary? If so, I would invite you to stop. Complacency and ignorance simply prolong the pain. Both your's and Christ's. Sitting still isn't worth it.

   Elder Earl