Well, here we are. I can't even believe it.
Currently,
I am sitting at a little computer in a public library in Richmond. We
spent probably the last hour or so trying to get to it, because we
weren't bold enough turning into the parking lot, which forced us
through a tunnel underneath the Fraser river and into Delta somewhere,
where we just wandered and wandered until I found a road map in the
backseat that got us back over.
Many gospel applications could no doubt be taken from the experience.
So, there we go!
The
past couple days have been so. hard. Leaving Haida Gwaii was incredibly
difficult. Saying goodbye to so many people that just become your
family up there! I am very glad it was my last area and so I can
reconnect with all the people up there when I get home. As it worked
out, the ferry that we needed to take to get to the airport left right
in the middle of Sacrament meeting in Charlotte. We just had time to
stand up and each of us bore our testimonies, and then we had to leave.
One of the things about being in a little branch like on Haida Gwaii is
that there are... formalities that are sometimes overlooked, so in the
middle of the testimony meeting, everybody stood up and was crying and
we crowded around and said goodbye. Gah. It was hard. Very hard to say
goodbye. But, I'm going to come back! I drank water from "St. Mary's
Spring", which if you drink from, you're supposed to return to the
islands again. It was brown water with a bunch of bugs circling around
it, but I haven't died.
And
then, we flew down South! We spent all day yesterday just working in
Richmond. We felt prompted to tract instead of street contact, which in
general is just less effective in the lower mainland because most
everybody that comes to the door is Asian and pretends to not speak
English, but we went to it and in literally the last door we knocked we
found this awesome Peruvian family that is totally going to get
baptized. So that was our miracle for yesterday. We stayed with the
Assistants, and learned how they manage to stay fueled for the grueling
hours of work that they do for President Tilleman (M&M milkshakes
for breakfast).
At
3:45 it's my exit interview with President Tilleman, after that we've
got the testimony meeting and dinner, then the following day we'll go to
the temple and visit some different people in Vancouver and Burnaby.
And then you guys know more about Wednesday than I do.
Serving
a mission has been the best decision of my life. I've lived and loved
and learned so much over the past 2 years. I can't even wrap my head
around all the experiences that I've had. I've learned so much about
God's love. When you're teaching someone who wants to be baptized, you
just love them. When they make a mistake or fall short or break a
commandment that they know that they shouldn't have, you're not
infuriated, you're just devastated and love them and would do anything
to help them fix what's broken. And if I, being a lowly human being in
whom the natural man is alive and well, feel that way, then how much
love must our Father in Heaven have for us? I can testify in a way that
only serving a mission could teach me that God lives and loves us. He
wants to bless us and will sometimes literally look for excuses to give
you tender mercies. He will put people in your path that will change you
forever.
I
know that Jesus Christ is our Saviour. His atonement lets us change.
When we accept Him into our lives and become disciples by being obedient
and living his doctrine, we change. Our hearts change. Things that were
once weaknesses that humbled us become strengths. Things that were
broken become stronger than they were in the first place. Relationships
that are tense and angry become full of love. Addictions become weaker
and weaker until they're forgotten. Things that are scarlet become not
just white, but as white as snow. As far as understanding the logistics
of how on the Earth the atonement was possible, I don't think I'm any
closer than when I left. I have no idea how Jesus Christ did what He
did. But this I do know: that it's real. The atonement of Jesus Christ
is real and it can change people and families. It's a process. It's not a
verbal declaration and then a flood of warm fuzzies and it's not
electric guitars in church and it's not anything less than yielding your
heart to God and becoming a disciple, but it's real. When we develop
faith in Christ, repent and change, make and keep covenants, we change
and we feel peace. It's simple and it's pure.
And on that
topic, I love the Book of Mormon! Today I was reminded again about how
the Book of Mormon in 2 verses teaches you how to become perfect and
live with God. Moroni 8:25-26. How powerful is that? I know that an
intentionally sinful person trying to write a book and found a false
church could not in a million years be able to mimick the emotions that
are captured in 2 Nephi 4. Thinking of all the random nouns and places
and geographies and how easily you can find the doctrine of Christ,
there's no way that it isn't inspired of God. There's no way. There's no
way that somebody could fake how clearly the Saviour teaches in 3rd
Nephi. Joseph Smith was a prophet! And that means that what he taught is
true! Our families really will be together forever. God really did send
His Authority to the Earth so that we can give blessings and heal and
save. He really does speak to us today. We're not blobs of organic
matter on a floating rock in outer space. We're God's children.
And
you know, the next couple weeks are going to be pretty chaotic. I
really have no idea what's going to happen. But I think of one my
favorite, if not my favorite, chapters in the New Testament, Romans 8.
In it, among lots of other beautiful teachings, there's a promise that
everything will work for good for those who love God. One of the biggest
things I learned on my mission is that good things keep on coming, and
that even though it's incredibly hard to close a chapter of your life
sometimes, good things keep on coming.
Well,
this computer is about to time out, so I've got to cut short. But love
you all, and see all y'all on Wednesday! I'll do my best to smuggle some
Timbits through customs. No promises that I won't eat them if the line
is too long... It's too bad that Jenessa is in Spain, but I'm sure she
wouldn't want any anyway because she's too full of fish and stuff!
Love you all lots!
Elder Blotter
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