Monday, August 15, 2016

JT - Missionary life: a roller coaster ride.

Dear Everyone,

Time is ticking down. This week, I went to Kobe for the last time
until I'm actually done with my mission, and it felt weird saying
goodbye (for now) to all of my mission buddies. Had a really tender
District Leader Conference where we talked about the issues going down
in the mission and about a bunch of other things. I am very grateful
to be where I am right now. One of my biggest desires for the rest of
my mission is to be a good example for the members of my district. I
love them all and they have become awesome friends of mine. I hope I
can make these last two weeks something that could change their
missions.

Anyways, we had a really eventful week this week, which ended pretty
hard. So, this is a story about the sisters' investigator.

One Sunday last month, a member brought a friend to church for the
first time (yay for member missionary work!). She stayed the whole
time and the member gave her a Book of Mormon. She came again a couple
weeks later and from then, the sisters took over and started teaching
her. Last Sunday morning, she texted the sisters saying, "I've read
about 150 pages of the Book of Mormon and it's really good! I learned
that I really want to follow God in my life and I feel like the church
can tell me how to do that!" Any missionary's dream text. So, that day
after church, the sisters committed her to get baptized for the next
Sunday and she accepted! The plan was to meet with her everyday this
week, get her interviewed, baptism and confirmation on Sunday morning,
and then she can go to the Sapporo Temple Dedication next week. It's
such a miracle story. So, because I am their district leader, I was
privileged to do the baptismal interview. In the interview, she passed
with flying colors. She is golden. I had to do a little bit of
teaching, but her desire is there, her testimony is there and she
knows much more than I did when I was 8 years old. The sisters and
their investigator even wanted me to baptize her! But, the thing is,
she is 20 years old. She is above legal age, so she doesn't need
permission from her guardians. However, talking with our ward about
it, and they said it might be a good idea to at least talk to the
family about her being baptized. Long story short, they talked to her
family on Saturday and they were against her being baptized.
Therefore, the baptism on Sunday was cancelled. There are quite a few
frustrations about all hat happened, but, in the end, its in God's
will and timing.

The funny (not really funny,) thing is, that Saturday morning in my
personal study, I read a talk by Elder David A. Bednar entitled
"Accepting the Lord's will and timing." He told a story about a newly
wed couple who three weeks after their marriage, the husband was
diagnosed with a life threatening cancer. This couple had great faith
and they knew that he would be healed because they have so much to
live for. One day, Elder Bednar came to visit and they asked him for a
blessing. Elder Bednar felt inspired to ask them one question. "Do you
have the faith not to be healed?" As I read that story, I couldn't
help but apply that to our situation. During the interview, I was
positive that this person would get baptized on Sunday. But, after
reading that talk, I got nervous and felt that, maybe she won't get
baptized. Do I have the faith that she won't be baptized? A lot of
times in life, we don't get what we want. The point of that talk was
to accept what god's will is, even if it's not our desired result.

I feel like I have had to learn that lesson again and again,
especially in this area. We have had so much potential. We had a goal
two transfers ago to baptize 5 in one day. Now it's gotten to the
point where they all will take a long time to get baptized. As a
missionary it's hard to keep an eternal perspective, because we are
only here for 2 years. It's a short time compared to a lifetime. But,
that is why we need to trust God and accept his timing. He knows
everything and all we need to do is align our will with his.

So, that's the lesson I learned this week. Pretty painful lesson.
She's not even my investigator haha. But, things happen that are
sometimes out of our control. We just need to keep pressing forward
and do so while feeling the joy that comes from missionary work! Love
you all! Have a great week, and stay tuned next week for the
dedication of the Sapporo Japan Temple and my last Preparation Day
email of my mission!

Love,
Elder Lamoreaux ラムロー長老
Japan Kobe Mission 日本神戸伝道部


   
DLC. District Leader Council in Kobe. So many of my mission friends
here. So blessed to have been able to go to this meeting-my last big
meeting on my mission. These people are the best.


My only son, Elder McArthur!

Elder Bateman and my adopted son, Elder Brailsford!

The best 4 in the mission.  Go Okayama!

The district and their grandma glasses.

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