Found a
wonderful Burger Joint here, had a great time with Elder Smith, and now
there were some flashes (emergency transfers) so I will receive Elder
Blas (another wonderful elder from my same Mexico group). :)
Among
other things, I found myself stuck in a thick and heavy cloud of doubt
and fear this week. Satan really was working on me and had convinced me I
was not and am not progressing or improving, and he also was striving
to make me doubt my own faith in the Restoration of the gospel. One
night Elder Smith and I found ourselves at a Butcher shop to buy some
meat for the next day. We were greeted very strangely and solemnly by a
middle-aged butcher, who muttered to his coworkers about our arrival. We
entered and I soon admired the wonderful little Christian pictures and
quotes strung through out the shop, but was interrupted as I turned to
my companion who was disappearing in to some back room and waving for me
to come over. I did, curious why they had bacon back there and not out
front, but soon saw the group of christian butchers huddled around a
metal cutting table with a little worn bible in the center... It soon
became clear to me that they had brought us back to their special
cutting room because they symbolically were looking for a butchering
session, one of which I did not want to be a part. My companion and I
shared the message of the Restoration with them, which was followed by
silence. The first thing I heard was some random bible reference, and my
heart sank, knowing perfectly the hard heartendness and confrontation
that was to follow, for I had done this same thing many times before
with truly wonderful christian friends, and I knew that nothing
productive woud come with these attitudes nor in this setting. I voiced
my opinion of the futilness of the discussion, but the men were
determined to rock me and my companion in our beliefs. Eventually, after
about twenty minutes of time wasted and spiritual attacks, we were able
to slip out and head to the Pench. I was deeply troubled by the
situation, and hated having my pure testimony directly rejected and
thrown on th ground. The worst part for me was searching through doubts
that began slowly to surface from the encounter. I remained troubled for
some days, but I continued searching the scriptures and asking God for
help. I waited the best i could for conference, and the day arrived at
last.
Brothers and Sisters, friends and family,
DO NOT LET YOURSELVES DOUBT WHAT YOU KNOW IS TRUE! The words of God
will always obliterate the snares of the cunning one, and the light of
this true and marvelous Restoration will FOREVER trump the blaring
chants of the faithless and the mislead. When storms are highest, remember
where you may go for solid ground, and hold out hope that The
Christ will come out to you in your own troubles, as it were walking on
the sea. He lives. The Church of Jesus Christ is restored upon the earth
with His authority. A true Prophet and true apostles speak His words.
The
Book of Mormon is another powerful testament of HIM! Look to the Lord,
and LIVE! Invite others to join in. These things are true, doubt not
fear not, look to him in every thought.
With great love and appreciation,
Elder Davis