STAND: Stand Tall And Never Doubt

Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.

So guess who is getting baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elliott.

We tried to invite him two times this week.

The first time, he said he wants to. Everything he learns about God, and about our religion is pointing him in the right direction. BUT he said he isn't willing to commit to something he can keep, and he still wants to KNOW for 100% that it is true. 

I say it's possible.

To all who sincerely seek the truth, I testify in the name of JESUS CHRIST that it is true, and that I KNOW IT, God knows it, and I CANNOT DENY IT.

and that you can know it for yourself.

This is one of the most powerful messages in the world. 

Elliott's story is amazing, and is a perfect example of someone who truly seeks the TRUTH with a SINCERE HEART and with REAL INTENT, which means that you are willing to FOLLOW the answer that you get.

Elliott started off agnostic. Our first lessons with us, he would not let us talk. He poured forth information about science and philosophy and everything he knew about religion. Then something along the way changed, little by little. He stopped listening to everything in the world. He stopped listening to the skeptics, the close-minded, the proud, the vain and foolish. He said that he realized that man in nothing. We think we know science, but we only know our little solar system, and not even that well either. He outright admitted that he was proud. This allowed him to be open to find the truth. I think that was another good thing. He realized that there is truth. (DUH.) Something is either true or it's not. It's either made up or it's not. Theory is only another kind of belief. 

I'm not bashing any of this. I love reason. I love philosophy, and theories. My friends can vouch. :)

But when it comes down to the honest seeker of truth, that's what they are looking for: THE TRUTH.

So how can we know? Can we ever know....?

Most missionaries immediately offer... no... not ever 100%, but I can say that I know that this gospel is true, just as much as I know that God lives. All truth is circumscribed into one great whole....and all of it testifies of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ. We just get in the way sometimes. 

In school I never liked to be objective. I felt it was cold and hard, but now that I am out here on the mission, I think that I'm learning that a good dose of it is healthy. Putting yourself in a position to question the truth. Question the very existence of God. 

And if He is there, He will answer. But He will answer in His own words and in His own time and in His own way.

So that's where the sincere heart and real intent come into play. He's not going to condemn us by giving us further light that we won't live by. We have to gain His trust before He will reveal truth to us. We do this by trusting Him, and trying the word of God.

Whenever I meet someone who has "tried the Mormon thing" and didn't have it work out, it is usually because 1) they didn't read the Book of Mormon and pray with the willingness to follow the answer they received. 2) "The Mormon thing" stopped working for them when they stopped living true to the mormon thing.

 

So no. I won't take that answer. The Mormon thing didn't stop working for you. You didn't give it a true and honest chance. And thus, you can't say that you know it's not true, because you didn't ever really do it the way Heavenly Father set it up. 

 

Look at Elliott. Started out with no faith in God the week that I arrived in Santa Rosa. I haven't done anything for him. It's all been between Elliott and Heavenly Father. Elliott was willing to try it out the right way. He's not perfect, but he is trying to live to the light that he is receiving. 

The second time we invited him to be baptized was a good lesson.

He said that he wants to be baptized. He believes in God and in Jesus Christ. He says all these things are working, and he knows that BY EXPERIENCE.

Coffee..... that's is the only thing he's not sure about. He says he doesn't understand. 

I told him that he could only understand by willingly living the law the way that Heavenly Father set it up. I told him the only way he could ever know if it was true was to give it up, and also to know if Joseph Smith really was a prophet and really received that law from Heavenly Father. 

He asked us how to know.

We giggled, and all held up our Books of Mormon. 

He shook his head, laughing. He gets it. 

He set a date for May 10th, as an act of faith, to let God know that Elliott has put himself on a timeframe to know if these things are true. I know that God will help Elliott know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true because Elliott has REAL INTENT. I love those words. It means that he trust God, and is willing to follow the answer that Heavenly Father gives him.

Elliott then came to church yesterday. He made bread for the sacrament, and they passed it. Wow. Jessica loves church, and is starting to again live the gospel of Jesus Christ after many years of being away. She says that she is reading the Book of Mormon every day, that she is feeling it. 

She knows it by experience.

 

well I love you all. Many Miracles this week.

 

I hope to write about Daisy next week :) found her this week. Pray for her. :) She's pretty awesome.

 

The pranks continue. everynight, there is something... the best one this week was on exchanges... I led the new sisters into our room, apologizing for the mess,..... then realized how funny that was. ALL our furniture and study supplies were on my top bunk bed... neatly organized..... grrrrrr. :) I got pics. You'll see them eventually.  I NEED IDEAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! EMAIL THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

miracle..... emotional support for me.

also...a little girl asked her dad if we were angels. I felt so full of light. wow. They know. Little children know.

 

also......

I know that the Church is true. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. The Book of Mormon is true. Thomas S. Monson and Joseph Smith are prophets. Repentance makes me real. Love you all!!!!!!!

Happy St. Patty's day!

 

SINCERELY,

Sister Darby Eleyce Miller