Serving an LDS Mission in Vina del Mar, Chile.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Lesson on Faith

Okay so yesterday we had a lesson about faith.
 
On Saturday we found a new investigator and committed him to baptism the 10th of April. He told us that he would go to church the next day. Well, the next morning we left Ward Council early to go by his house and walk to church together. We arrived at 9:25 and yelled at the house (yes, we do that because not everyone has a doorbell and the gates impede us from knocking on the door) a few times and he didn't come out. We called the house phone and no one answered. We called again with the same result. At this point the majority of people would give up and leave, sad that the investigator wouldn't be going to church and wouldn't be able to be baptized on the set date. We did not give up. That morning in our prayer we told God that we would show our faith and go pick him up so that he could progress and keep his baptismal date. The scriptures tell us that if we ask in faith, if our desire is righteous, God will give it to us. We put that promise to the test. We yelled again and again, called a few more times and even threw little rocks on his roof (yes, another weird way to replace knocking on the door). At 9:50 we finally heard him inside and at 9:55 he came out and we started off to church. We arrived during the first hymn. Our faith was put to the test and we weren't going to leave his front porch until he either opened the door or church started. God fulfilled his promise. Our prayer of faith was answered, but only because we ACTED. Many times we pray faithlessly which does nothing. For example, phrases such as "please help the people not here so that they may attend next week" or "please bless those that are sick so that they get better" are faithless (Those are Elder Bednar´s words, not mine). A prayer of faith implies that we are going to ACT and not just sit back and watch. It isn't God´s job to bring people to church or to help the sick and needy. It's our job. Next time you pray please analyze your prayers to see if you really are willing to ACT instead of just ASK.
 
Love you all. Happy *late* Easter!
Elder Groneman

Zone Conference

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