Simple Things

Anna and I went to visit a recent convert the other night. He has been a member 42 weeks, according to his count. His living room walls are decked out with framed pictures of him and his two little boys in front of the temple. He had just finished family home evening when we knocked on the door. After a brief visit I walked away telling Anna that those two little boys were sharp, knowing all the answers to "Who was Noah?" "What is the Word of Wisdom?" and "Who brought Jesus back to life?" I asked the boys' father how he teaches them so well and he pulled out the Primary and FHE manuals and said he reviews them and uses them for each lesson. The simple. The tried. The true. The effective.

We the Missionaries

In Church today we met in the missionary committee with the Elders. The Elders stood in front of the room and told us about investigators, less-actives, and new members they were teaching. They asked for our help. We asked them about the people they were teaching and what they needed. And then it hit me, right then and there, that our ideal to work for as a committee is to be standing in the place the Elders were today. Ideally, and more effectively, they would ask us about our investigators, less-actives, and new members. Instead of them asking us for help teaching, we would ask them. Only then would those receiving lessons be best nourished. The missionaries come and go, we stay. So I say, let's work more so the Elders can spend more time doing what they were called to do, preaching the Gospel.

Let Your Light So Shine

A powerful missionary moment out of tragedy in Provo this week as BYU suspends Davies for the remainder of the basketball season:

“I probably couldn't make a day following BYU's code. I need my coffee. Also, I curse sometimes,” writes sports columnist John Canzano at The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Ore. “But at a moment like this, watching BYU wave off a guy who started 26 games, it's evident that their success is not accidental.... Just maybe … the notion that good values and a willingness to think long term has some worth. Because the alternative has left the rest of college athletics feeling like a slimy and dark underworld.”

From CS Monitor online. BYU basketball player suspended: sports world shocked – and impressed. 3/3/11

Infectious Missionary Work

The two Elders in our ward are so excited about their job. And that makes me want to do more. Thanks Elders...

Learning from Investigators

I think as a member of The Church I feel the Spirit like I do hot water in the shower. Over time I get used to the temperature and I don't feel as warm. Unless I turn up the dial, I'm not going to feel greater heat. The same goes, I suppose, with the Spirit. Unless I keep trying to improve and "turn up the dial," I lose that feeling of heat until I can't perceive it anymore. At a baptism on Saturday in the Casas Adobes Ward, an investigator family present said they felt the peace and joy of the Spirit so strongly. I didn't feel it. I had played basketball in the morning and was looking forward to some things in the evening. I didn't give as much attention to the baptism as the investigator family had. And the result was they were blessed with a portion of the Spirit. They taught me to be still a little more and listen to my feelings instead of focusing on things, that while good, were a distraction to the moment.

A faithful response

On Sunday I told drove an investigator home after church. She is getting baptized this week. When she stepped out of the car I told her, "Now comes your test of faith this week." Hoping to provide a helpful warning for possible resistance to her decision of being baptized she replied, "Oh, why do I need to watch out, I have finally found peace."

I loved her answer. It reminded me that the Gospel is nothing to be defensive about, or ashamed about, as Paul taught in Romans. It is a position of proactive faith, not reactive faith.

THE family

Last night I acocmpanied the Elders to a family's house to discuss, "the fun things we do in the church." It was fun to talk about the fun because Mormon fun is always tailored around service and family. The missionaries gave the family an FHE booklet, which they grabbed zealously. They had just had FHE the night before and it extended late into the evening. After getting ready for bed the daughter realized they didn't have a closing prayer so she rallied the gang for the final step of a succesful FHE. This family represents the one you will hear about in a missionary's homecoming talk. Eager to learn and literally thirsting to know more. The father actually took his vacation time so he could attend church to prepare for baptism. They read, at least on the last occasion, eight chapters at a time from the Book of Mormon. They loved Mosiah, especially the conversion of Alma the Younger and the Sons and their subsequent missionary labors. They got me excited to read more! They will be baptized this Saturday! Tonight reminded me once more why missionary work is the lifeblood of the church: it's like an infusion of fresh motivation into your veins, making you want to be better so you can be as happy as a new convert. Plus it gets you motivated to share the gospel with others. I love that double-effect!