Just Another Trial...No Big Deal

So you know how last week I was telling you about ALL the people and
families we found....well, forget about them. HA! This past week was
B-R-U-T-A-L! We had 9 investigators dropped, many of which called us
after our first meeting and told us they did not want to meet with us
again, or that they were just too busy with life. Everyday the phone
rang with the bad news. What brought a smile to my face was the song
by Queen, "Another One Bites the Dust", it's been in my head all week.

Our baptism Saturday went great. I have pictures, but I didn't bring
the right memory card from my camera :(
The whole thing was in Spanish, it was pretty cool to feel the spirit,
even though I had no idea what was being said.

I'll share a personal experience I had this weekend. We spent it down
in the Coalville Stake. We had received a list of new move in's and
part member families. One was of a man who was inactive living with a
woman, who also is an in-active member. Upon arriving at their home,
the man came out to greet us. He was very friendly, and happy to see
us. He himslef had served a mission to West Virginia twenty years ago.
He was married in the temple and graduated from BYU and went on to
medical school. After twenty years of marriage, he and his wife were
divorced, and he now has tattoos and piercings. Instead of being a
family doctor, he has left that and is now running a marijuana farm
down in Arizona and selling it for medical purposes. He said he still
has a firm testimony of the church and the Gospel, but took the
divorce hard and is happy where he is at right now. It blew my mind.
As we left I began to think, "How can I make sure that's not me in
twenty years?" The question really began to bother me, because this
man had said he never thought he would be where he is at now.

The next day we visited a name we had received at church to stop by.
We got the the address wrong, and ended up at a relative's house, an
older couple. There was a portrait of a man in their living room that
I had seen at the church building before. It was of the same picture.
This man, Elder Olsen, was murdered while serving his mission in
Columbia back in 1989. Turns out this was his home we were now in, and
these were his parents. We talked about it with them, and what that
experience was like. We asked them, "How did you keep your faith going
through a trial like that?" They replied, "It never wavered, our faith
in the true church of Jesus Christ is what supported us through that,
and is what continues to support us. Our faith never wavered." I know
Heavenly Father answered my question through this good couple, and
that it was meant to be for us to go to that house. I know tough times
will come in my life, like these people I've mentioned. This couple
helped me to realize that no matter what happens, the Savior is there,
and with Him I can handle anything and become a better person.

The week was tough, one of the hardest. Nothing went our way. I'm
still not sure what we are going to do to find new people to teach,
we've tried everything. But miracles will happen, as long as I
exercise faith in Christ.

Love,

Elder Scotty