So, After an awesome week following a hard week, I've had another trying week. Things seem to work that way. We have a few really solid investigators right now, but we also have some that are going through difficulties in finding faith and keeping that faith that they have already found. They claim to have experiences, they're not sure what they're feeling, and they're not sure if it's coming from God. Unfortunately, no amount of testifying, no amount of smiles and warm greetings can substitute for that foundational belief of faith. The only way to gain that faith is through action, through calling upon God, keeping His commandments, reading His scripture. Without doing these fundemental things with patience and forebearance, it is impossible to gain a solid faith in God. If you are currently struggling with your faith, seek God and you will find him. I promise you will.
My journey to becoming a missionary was far from your stock-standard, trial ridden, discovering of myself experience that it seems to have been for most of the missionaries that I served with. For me, the experience was pretty much just normal life, decisions, and an increase of trust and faith. Anyone who is familiar with the culture that exists in most LDS congregations (wards) will understand; missionary service is highly respected, and highly encouraged (even expected) of young men. At an early age, in Primary (Sunday school for children) I remember being taught about the great calling of missionaries. We would sing songs about hoping to serve a mission, color pages and write letters to missionaries serving from our ward. Growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the church) I don't ever really remember being confused about what it was that missionaries did -- Even if my original idea was that they came to people's homes ate dinner and shared scriptur...