Hey Mom and Dad,
Thanks so much for the money; it really
helped.
This week has been super hectic and
crazy, but we have some good news. Next Saturday we are having a baptism
for a nine-year-old boy named K, who is the grandson of a member. He has been
going to church forever and we didn’t realize he wasn’t a member. Then about a
month ago, the stake primary president told us that she wanted to teach him
with us, so she came with us and now he’s about to get baptized.
We also went over to this member named
A’s house and we thought that he was a less active returned missionary. We were visiting with him and he told us that
he wanted to have this one member visit him named J. So we went over to J’s
house a few days later and he told us that A isn’t actually less active, but
that during his mission he fell with the law of chastity and was excommunicated.
After he was excommunicated, he started drinking and living in his sins. Well, J
agreed to come with us to talk to A and when we got there we had a super
amazing lesson. J talked to him about being humble and talking responsibility
for his actions and was teaching very, very directly. I was sitting there
thinking, wow, this is just what A needs and then I was trying to think of a
scripture that would bring it all in and as I was flipping through the book of Mormon
a verse popped out. Alma 42:30:
O
my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not
endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying
the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his
long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the
dust in humility.
And this verse wasn’t even marked
in my Book of Mormon. I had never used it in a lesson before and I don’t even
remember reading it. It just jumped out and, wow, was that a powerful spiritual
moment! I still get goose bumps just thinking about it!
We also had a bit of a bad experience. We
had this less active member that was coming back to church. He had come every Sunday
and we were just working with him on avoiding temptations and stuff like that.
Well, just yesterday he didn’t go to church and when we stopped by and he ended
up yelling at us in the door, saying stuff like he couldn’t pay tithing, and
that he’s Catholic, and that he hates our church, and he’s never returning,
even saying that we tricked him. Anyway, it was a very sad moment and we had no
idea what happened because we were at his house the day before and he was
perfectly fine. It was so very surprising and very hurtful. I get pretty down
sometimes when people reject this gospel that I love so much, but life goes on.
We also were able to put a baptismal
date with F for the 28th and a marriage date for the 19th. We
had to go to Elias Piña again to take out marriage documents and that’s where I
am now.
But I love you all and will talk to you
next week.
Love,
Elder Stark
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