The wife allowed us to share our message after pulling into her driveway right as we knocked on their door. She had heard of us before, but because she is has a long of respect for the many churches and their cultures that exist, she invited us inside to share our message as her husband also arrived home with one of their two sons and the son's friend. She let us inside their comfortable and sat us down at a table, asking as is customary if we would like something to drink. We settled on water, which she brought and her husband soon joined us at the table as we began to get to know each other. This was all very pleasant considering how recently we have not been let in more than a couple times a week. This couple, however, made an impression in me through their friendliness and kindness in allowing us to share our message. They were able to take us in and make our day by considerately valuing our efforts and accepting what we would like to offer. It is very impressive to me how averted the average person here is to talking about God with strangers. Most people tell us that they value what we do, but unfortunately do not see any personal value in listening to what we have to say. This is understandable, but it is making an impression on me because I know that what I am trying to offer to people is the most valuble source of truth on earth, the church of Jesus Christ, with her genuine prophets, ordinances and priesthood power. How are the gifts of God so simply and unawares discarded by the world? This moves me deeply because I know that I am more similar to these people I see every day than I typically would think. I am coming to see that the only significant difference between the people I meet every day and myself is that I was born and raised in by parents who apply the teachings of the Church in everything they do. Whenever they shut the door and won't listen, I have to think on myself, "where am I doing the same thing but with the knowledge which I have?". Whenever investigators don't make any progress, reject the message, or don't see the value in it, I have to think, "where am I procrastinating keeping the commandments, disbelieving extraordinary promises found in the scriptures, and simply going on doing things the easy way?". I know that most of these choices I make without even being aware of it. That is what shows me my commitment, my actual amount of focus on making progress on reaching my heavenly potential as a Son of God by keeping the commandments and applying what I've been taught and shown by example for my whole life. There was a talk given in sacrament meeting yesterday about the first and greatest commandment, to love the Lord thy God with all of thy might, mind, and strength, and the coordinating commandment, to love thy neighbor as thyself. It's simple and understandable.
Anyways, this man and his wife were both brought up religious, but have both decided that they do not want to be members of any church and to basically make their way according to the dictates of their own consciences. They are wonderful people, the woman teaches economics at a middle school, and the husband works and is also a gifted singer in a rock band (Side note, most bands here sing play mostly american music). They love and are very committed to their 7 and 10 year old sons. They listened to our messages and asked a lot of questions and shared their views. The woman would like to study the book of mormon out of interest. She said she was very pleased to learn for herself what we believe, she explained how only about half of the bits of information she had gathered about our church were anywhere near the truth. The man was very friendly and gave me his number so that I can come play guitar with him sometime. They are such great people. They are definitely far away from wanting joining any church, which in their case at least was a respectably made decision, but I am excited to see what the book of mormon will do for them. Here is a scripture that explains the power of the book of mormon prophesied by Joseph of Egypt
2 Nephi 3:11-12
11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledgeof their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.
So, sorry but that's all I have time to write for this week.
Love, Elder Knaupp
No comments:
Post a Comment