This last week felt really long but was definitely worth the
wait for the weekend, even though weekends don't feel like a break anymore. I
was able to see a lot of miracles occur in the last few days of the week. On
Friday we got to meet with our investigator Kurtis who is super solid. As we
have taught him about the Restoration of the gospel, The Book of Mormon, and
the Plan of Salvation he has absorbed it all and really wants to follow the
gospel and follow our Savior. Currently he lives with his girlfriend and he has
asked us about things we can't do so we mentioned the word of wisdom and the
law of chastity so he understands that abstinence until marriage is a part of
our belief but now quite why yet. He wants to be able to do what is right so he
wants to know what he should do before he goes whole heartedly into the church
while still doing what’s wrong so the next time we meet with him (Thursday) we
will talk about the law of chastity and help him know the why of it and help
him understand the blessings that come from it and allow him to pray to know
what he should do.
The rest of Friday and Saturday were filled with a lot of
service to the stake for the San Clemente Readiness Festival. After we helped
set up on Friday, Elder Davies and I were worn out and feeling pretty down not
only because we were tired and a little mad that the stake only sent a couple
members to help us out and expected the whole zone to be the work force for
their event. So after we set up and were tired we decided we needed food so we
stopped at a Jersey Mike's subs because I felt like we needed something healthy
to eat and that that was the best option. When we arrived there was a lady from
the Newport Stake named Sister Jackson who generously offered to pay for our
dinner and when we told her she didn't have to she pressed the issue even more.
It was such a blessing to see a member who appreciated and loved us and
definitely helped boost mine and Elder Davies' spirits.
Following dinner we had a window of Heaven planned and
almost immediately a man from Compass Bible Church, one of the churches in the
area that always bashes with missionaries, began trying to bash with us and
argue about doctrine. It was really tiring and draining because the Spirit was
absolutely not there and any time we tried to bear testimony he would cut us
off and ruin the Spirit we tried to bring in. I hate when people try to bash,
it just ruins whatever we are doing and tends to make me mad but one good thing
that comes of it every time is that my testimony of the truthfulness of the
gospel comes out stronger no matter what because I know that I must be doing
something right in the work I'm doing for Satan to put people in my path to try
to sway me off my path. This lasted for the first half hour of the window and
we felt like nothing else could go right until a young man walking with some
friends gave me a chick fil a sandwhich that he didn't want to eat. When he
handed it to me I felt prompted to wait to eat it until we had finished the
window and were back at our car. On the way back to our car we walked past a
guy playing his guitar trying to get a little bit of money and I knew he was
the one who needed the sandwhich. When I gave it to him the joy in his eyes was
amazing. He was so pleased to be offered a shred of human kindness that he opened
up to us and told us of his past experiences of learning about the gospel with
some past missionaries in the area so we encouraged him to try to read and pray
about the Book of Mormon again and to seek to know its truth.
The best part of the week was Sunday night when we had the
opportunity to witness our investigator Ross' baptism. It was so amazing. The
hours leading up to it were stressful as we filled the font, waited for Ross to
arrive, and got everything ready to begin but as soon as we sang the opening
song, "Joseph Smith's First Prayer", all the worry disappeared and I
felt the Spirit enter the room. It was an amazing service and it was so cool to
see Ross and how happy he was after being baptized and confirmed as he bore his
testimony. An issue that I have been struggling with lately is feeling like I
am doing enough for the Lord because there are many days in the YSA area where
we try our best to get out and find people to teach whether they be
less-actives or to find new investigators where nothing happens and I just feel
useless; during the baptism as people spoke on the ordinance of baptism and on
the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit touched my heart and mind in almost a
small voice that said to me "Mads, you have done what I want you to".
It witnessed to me that as I have helped Ross come closer to our Heavenly
Father I have been doing the work that He wants me to do and that he is proud
of me and that he is thankful for the help that I have been in bringing His
children to Him. I began to feel a little more how he feels as each person gets
baptized and confirmed when I had the opportunity to meet the mother of a
less-active member of our ward. When she came up to us she thanked us for the
help we have been and with tears in her eyes said that she never thought that
he would come back to church.
I see now that this is how Heavenly Father feels about each
person we help, He knows them as His children who He loves dearly and He will
do guide them as much as He can without taking their agency so when they choose
to return to the fold and accept the gospel I think that He, with tears in His
eyes accepts them lovingly into His home and I can't wait to continue serving
him and bringing people home.
I love this place and the people here and can't wait to find
more people to bring home to my Father in Heaven. I love the gospel and I love
the opportunity to be here serving God. I love these people, they are good and
I need to be with them.
Love
Elder Cheever
[Madsen also mentioned that Cam will most likely be baptized on either the 29th of October or the 5th of November.]
Family Home Evening carving pumpkins with the San Clemente YSA ward.
On the pier at San Clemente
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