January 27, 2014

Hey Everyone,

   This week was another good one. We found a family of seven who we are now helping prepare for baptism. That was an awesome addition to the week. They have 5 adopted children and are progressing extremely well. The weather is getting warmer still. I still have mixed feelings about whether or not I want it to though. It's pretty nice where it's at right now. It doesn't feel like January at all.

   We had exchanges this week. I guess my district leader, Elder Romney, is second cousins with Mitt Romney. It was a pretty good day with him. We had a lot of successful visits and not much else. Elder Cupp, on the other hand, went to Elder Romney's area. I guess he didn't have as good of a day as I had...

   We have started setting up Tuesday soccer nights at Jefferson park. We have about 12 kids now that come every week to play soccer and then we teach them. It is working out extremely well. We also get the occasional basketball game followed by a lesson. Unfortunately we haven't had a game of horseshoes in a while.

   The favorite part of my week was the baptism on Saturday. That woman from my last area who taught herself to speak by watching television was baptized. I remember her saying over and over again how it will never happen or it's just not possible. She would talk about how she's too heavy or about her physical limitations. On Saturday I watched as four members of the Hampton ward helped her into the baptismal font and baptized her together.

   I was then able to stand in the circle to give her the gift of the Holy Ghost at church the following morning. It definitely was an experience I won't forget. It was great reminder to me of how much God cares for us. No matter how far we fall, no matter how low our weaknesses bring us, we are never too far for God to catch us. We simply need to do our part to come closer to Him.

   I was reading about Moses and his mouthpiece Aaron this week. In Exodus 4: 10-12, Moses is speaking with The Lord and explaining why he had Aaron speak in his stead. Moses says, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." The Lord replies by saying, "Who hath made man's mouth? Or Who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I The Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say."

   In other words, The Lord gives us our imperfections. He gives us our weaknesses. But why? In Ether 12:27 in the Book of Mormon it says, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

   That woman who was baptized on Saturday really helped me to better understand this. She has had 7 strokes and 4 heart attacks. Her husband died years ago due to cancer. Her granddaughter has cerebral palsy and her daughter who lives right down the street wants nothing to do with her. She has tons of health problems but she completely understands the promise that God gives us. She humbled herself before The Lord, overcame her weaknesses, and was baptized into His church. Now weak things are becoming strong unto her.

   That same promise goes for every single one of us. If we humble ourselves before The Lord and have faith in Him, he will make weak things become strong unto us. Your weakness is never too weak, your imperfection is never too imperfect. His grace sufficient for you.

   Sincerely, Elder Earl