August 3, 2015

Tough week

Well guys, this week was tough. It was extreme in its ups and downs. It started off slow and unsuccessful. It seemed like we hardly did anything at all. I don't know what it was but it seemed as though we were just failing as missionaries. So it was like this all week. But today is Sunday, so it's the end of the week. And today was the exact opposite. It started off good. We had a solid hour to study so I was like, ok, I'm not cool with being confused anymore. So I said a quick prayer and got myself ready to read from the Book of Mormon. This time I decided not to just read it and mark the stuff that stood out to me, but I was going to break it down line by line and understand it. So I did that. And it worked! I finally understood what the heck was going on and what was being taught! So I was like Yes! Some progress! So then we went to church and had an investigator come so I was like even more Yes! She enjoyed it and learned a lot so that was good progress; I'm feeling pretty good about the day right? We then get home from church and did more study, and I did the same thing as in the morning and it was great again. I'm on a spiritual high by now. So we go to dinner, a member family fed us and we gave a great lesson, and I said lots of good stuff and they just enjoyed it and we did everything right so it was awesome. So by then I'm thinking I'm doing pretty good.

So, we go tracting. And you can already see where this is gonna go. So the first lady we talk to was cool but she said we could come back and teach her another time, so that's better than nothing. Then we just keep going and we knock on this guys door. I can't remember his name, but he was a Baptist. So we just asked him what he believes in and stuff and we told him similar stuff we believe in and then he just was like no, we don't believe the same things at all. He then goes on basically telling us what we believe. And there is nothing we can do to make this guy believe different, we tried telling him that's not true and how that person must have been from a different church and yada yada yada. And he was like, no, this man goes to your temple. And I was like, that's impossible, only worthy people enter the temple, you must be confused. Or maybe this guy is a member but obviously is fallen away or something like that. So we testify to him what we know, and we just stand up to what we know to be true. It was so hard I wanted to cry. So I'm just getting cooled off and then we come to this other person’s house. We start teaching them and then, you guessed it, another one. He tells us there was no apostasy and that the bible is the only word of God and that Joseph Smith is false. So we just bear our testimony. Which is about all we can do, is bear testimony and invite them to pray about it haha. But that was the hardest part. They literally bore testimony with tears in their eyes of our falseness. And then all we can do is give our testimony back. Wow, like that is hard. You have to step back and think when that happens. Everything about us seems false ya know? Two young guys teaching about a man who saw God and handing out another book that adds to the Bible. So I can see why they think that way. It really shook me up. So we came home and me and my comp went immediately to prayer and just read from the book of Mormon. And immediately I knew it was true. I just felt so at peace after my prayer. So I know that God answers prayers. I now know that we are blessed when we stand strong to our faith. 

I'm sure each of you will have an experience like this or have already had one, so remember that we are tested in this life but we will always be rewarded for standing up in what we believe in, haha, wow I'm turning into a missionary, I'm preaching to you guys now haha. But seriously, it’s true! I know that for sure now. And I'm twice as strong now as I was just two hours ago out on the street. All of this stuff makes me miss you guys like crazy! I'm learning to be strong and just be a man when I have a hard day. This gospel we teach is designed exactly for that. To be strenghtened through it. We teach truth and we stick to it forever. Ok that's all. Thank you all for being a good example to me, I love and miss you all! Stay in touch and let me know how you are all doing! You guys are the best!

     -Elder Schneider