Another one bites the dust! This week has been a battle! I've learned a lot about the power of opposition that investigators experience when learning more about the church. It's been frustrating to see investigators fall away after having been so positive and making such good strides! Just got to keep fighting and loving them! Despite all the sadness you experience as a missionary the hope of Christ allows for light to prevail over darkness. Been really relating to my boy Alma this week: "and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life."
After a tough start to the week we decided to try out something we called "consecrated finding." We fasted lunch and went out for an hour to find "the one." We got near the train station and my eyes just focused in on this super tall guy in the distance. We acted on the prompting and went to talk to him. Turned out to be a Unicef worker. He told me was a big basketball fan which got me pumped and started an awesome conversation! He was familiar with our church enough to know that almost all of our building have basketball hoops! On Saturday we played some ball with him and a few members and are going to make it a weekly thing! It was interesting, because when we shared a Book of Mormon with him afterwards he told us about how he has a friend from Bergen who is a member of our church! This friend had left such a positive impression on him that it gave him a desire to talk to us. It was a testimony to me of the light we can be to those around us by simply living the Gospel!
I've been studying a lot this week about giving invitations. I was reading in 1st Nephi 8 about the Tree of Life and noticed these verses:
14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
I love the description of Lehi's family not knowing where to go UNTIL they were invited. It's really helped me to better understand my purpose as a missionary! Alma was in darkness until Abinadi gave him an invitation. Alma's son was in the darkness until he remembered the invitation of his father. there is so much power in boldly extending commitment invitation to help people repent and become better people.
I am eternally grateful for the atonement of my savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the opportunity to partake of the sacrament every week and use that atonement in my life. Sometimes, this work can be hard, but I know it is by sacrificing that we can come to truly know Jesus Christ. It is by giving of ourselves that we can feel of Christ's love which enables us to have lasting and meaningful happiness.
Be the light, Fam!
Love always,
Eldste Parkinson
PS Here are some pictures of the snake from last week's story. We are teaching the woman we met again on Tuesday!
