October 5, 2014 - "The Time Is Far Spent"

The Catholic Church in our neighborhood.

This week was an interesting one. We had exchanges with the Zone Leaders, and since their area is closed because it's too close to Mount Mayon, they both came to Malilipot to work. Let me tell you, you can do all kinds of things when you double the number of missionaries working in the area. We found several new investigators via tracting, some of which seemed to have genuine interest in our message. We'll see what happens with that.

The most interesting thing that happened this week was on sunday. Later in the evening, we were teaching a lesson with a less-active family, and a drunk neighbor walks into their home and sits down. At first I thought that was slightly amusing, until he started babbling unintelligibly, loud enough to disrupt the lesson. I turned to him and kindly asked him to either listen or leave. He glared at me, and I got the impression he wanted to punch me. I kind of hoped he would try so I'd have a reason to manhandle him out of the house. He didn't, and we quickly ended the lesson. While we were closing with prayer, he stumbled out.

A line of the song "The Time Is Far Spent" comes to mind. "Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you; The weight of your calling he perfectly knows." I know that Satan spends a lot of effort trying to slow/stop the Work of Salvation. I know there's a lot hanging, both in this life and in eternity, on the missionary work. I love the scripture from Doctrine & Covenants "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor" (D&C 88:84) It so simply impresses the fact that missionary work isn't just the work of missionaries, but everyone who has come to know the truth of His love and His plan. So next time you feel restrained from sharing the gospel, ask yourself, is that you or the adversary discouraging you? I testify that this is a divine work, and we all have a part in it. I have seen first hand how impossible missionary work is when the missionaries are the only ones involved. God loves us, and has promised us great joy in the work of salvation (D&C 18:15-16). Now let's get it done!

Love,

Elder English