A Familiar Ring

Hello Friends and Family!

This week was one of the most incredible weeks of my life. Not only have Elder Sorensen and I been blessed to see countless miracles, but we’ve also been blessed with the constant and consistent guidance of the Holy Ghost.  I know that not only is Jesus Christ our Savior, but I can also testify that as we seek to obtain, have, and hold the Holy Ghost constantly in our lives, that we will be able to feel of our Savior’s Love for us more fully. I don’t even know where to begin?  This week has honestly been probably the best week on the mission so far (but each new week feels that way). However, it’s just safe to say that I absolutely love being a missionary for Christ’s Restored Church, and I love being able to proclaim the truth of the Book of Mormon every day.  There is no greater thrill, I have realized, than to be able to explain to someone how the Book of Mormon has touched my life. It is the evidence of our religion, and it is the evidence of all we speak. The Book of Mormon is truly what makes us stand out as a people, as a faith, and as a culture. The Book of Mormon, when used as our guide, allows us to become the individual our Heavenly Father wants us to be.

To begin, I’ll start by mentioning one of the greatest miracles we’ve been blessed to see this week. One evening, Elder Sorensen and I had a lesson with Allen. As a reminder, Allen is the individual we’ve been teaching since the first week I got here in LaGrange, and has been making steady progress towards fully receiving this Restored Gospel. As we sat down and met with Allen, he explained that he had a cool experience with the Book of Mormon he wanted to share with us. We happily listened as he explained his experience. He said that the last time we were able to meet with him, for some reason he had been thinking about the Tower of Babel, and the early historical Christian stories (he loves the Bible!). He said that as we left, and as he was watching us leave his home, he felt the desire to pray about the Book of Mormon, and to open up to a random page and start reading. Allen explained that he prayed, opened up the Book of Mormon, and where would you guess it turned to? Ether 1. If you aren’t familiar with that chapter, that is the beginning of the Story of the Jaredites and their beginnings by the Tower of Babel itself, and how this specific group of people were not confounded because of their Faith and belief in God. As he explained this story to us, he said that he couldn’t stop reading the Book of Ether, and within that SAME NIGHT finished up the entire Book of Ether! You can imagine, sitting with Allen listening to this, that we were just amazed at the mercy of the Lord to allow this to happen for Allen. He continued by saying that he felt the Spirit so strong, and then he said, “After reading, and praying about it, there is no way that I can deny that this may just be another testament of Jesus Christ [referring to the Book of Mormon].” As he said these words, silence filled the room, and the Spirit was so strong.  Allen continued by saying simply, “I’m getting the chills just thinking about that Book. It was my first time reading it, and I loved it.” WOW!  Instead of giving our planned lesson, we obviously just sat with him and talked about our experiences with the Book of Mormon, and how this Book, and the Bible, have truly blessed both of our lives. Walking away from this lesson, Allen said that he actually ‘wanted’ to keep reading the Book of Mormon, and said he ‘can’t wait’ to read the whole thing.  This was such a miracle, and it is always incredible to see an individual’s first experience in reading the Book of Mormon. To see someone’s face light up, and to hear that their prayers were answered regarding it, not only builds my testimony, but I know that it builds on the faith of the particular individual we have the opportunity to meet with.  A few days later, we were able to stop by his house again, just to check up on him and see how the reading was coming, and we ended up talking with him (more like listening to him haha!) for over an hour about his feelings on the Book of Mormon. He said that the Book of Mormon was ‘filling a gap in his heart’. Also, that by reading the Book of Mormon, he explained that it was literally filling a hole he never knew existed (which is crazy he said that, because that’s literally what Preach My Gospel, the missionary guide, says an individual will experience as they begin to read and gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon).  Literally, the Spirit was so strong. He said how excited he was to attend Church with us on Sunday, and how he was ready to hear what we talk about there, and to see the Sacrament (which we had talked about with him earlier).  Truly, having Allen reading, praying, and studying the Book of Mormon is such an amazing miracle. To be able to hear his amazing experiences with it (in just under a week's time) has strengthened my testimony of the true power that the Book of Mormon has in conversion. I know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, and when we build our foundation on Jesus Christ, and ALL His words (in the Bible and the Book of Mormon), then there is no way we can ever fall away.  Allen’s slow conversion has allowed me to see how critical it is that we all accept and study the Book of Mormon in our own personal conversion process as well.

There was another solid, powerful, and small miracle Elder Sorensen and I witnessed this week.  As we were out knocking doors (in an apartment complex), things were going  slow, and without much success.  I just remember saying a prayer in my heart, to have Heavenly Father allow us to find one of His children to hear the message of the Restored Gospel who needs to hear it.  We then knocked on one particular door, and when no one answered we left a small pass-a-long card, and continued on our way. We had gotten about two doors down, when a man opened up the door we had knocked a few minutes ago. This is always awkward: when a person answers and we have already moved on, haha! He looked at us and said, “Did Y’all just knock?” We said yes, went over to him, and shook his hand. Then he continued, “Are Y’all Mormon?” We said yes again. He got the biggest smile on his face (which either means he loves us or hates us), and introduced himself as Brooker. He then said, “You know it’s funny you would just come by today. My brother was Mormon. He was a Bishop up by Atlanta. He died less than a week ago. He was 53.” He just stared at us and smiled. We said how sorry we were to hear that, and asked what his brother was like. He sat there and just told us about how amazing his brother was, and then said he knew that half the reason why he was ‘able to be how he was’ was because ‘he was a Mormon’. The Spirit was strong, and I felt prompted to say that we believe that we very well could have been lead there, to his door, by his brother himself. He smiled again, and said he knew that we were. We asked if he would want to learn more, and he responded that he would love too, and we were able to get his information. What a small, yet most amazing miracle. Looking back on this experience, and dwelling on it with Elder Sorensen, I know that Heavenly Father works in mysterious and wonderful ways. I know that we had been guided to that very apartment complex, to meet Brooker. I know that not only does Heavenly Father guide us by his Spirit, but he will begin to guide us more and more as we follow each piece of guidance he gives us.  

Logically, as a missionary, one of the last places you want to go on a Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock is an apartment complex (because everyone is at work). Even when we pulled into that parking lot, it was almost empty. However, we had prayed, and felt guided to be knocking there. It just reminds me that the Holy Ghost supersedes all human logic. That yes, it is necessary that we use the brains that Heavenly Father has given us to work out problems, but in situations of missionary work, especially in a timed situation like knocking on doors, it must be something we pray about. I have learned that no matter where the Spirit tells us to go, no matter if it may go against our logic, we must follow it if we want to receive those blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for us.  My testimony grew so strong knowing that Heavenly Father had allowed Elder Sorensen and I to be there, and to meet Brooker (and several other individuals). My testimony of the Spirit, and how it works, grows stronger and stronger every day.

I decided that I should save the best experience, and the most amazing miracle, for last. One night this week we had thirty minutes left before we were supposed to return to our apartment at 9. We prayed, and Elder Sorensen felt prompted to go try a less - active's house.  Although no one was there, we just decided that we would knock a few doors in the area before heading back at 9. We were walking down one street, and saw an adjacent street that looked promising. Then, we both felt strongly to knock on ONE particular door. We knocked, and a slightly elderly woman answered. We explained who we were, and that we were just sharing a message about how we believe that Jesus Christ’s Church has been restored to the Earth again. She came out onto the porch with us, invited us to sit down. She introduced herself as Phyllis, and then explained how she has been a Baptist almost her whole life. At this exact moment, I just felt the Spirit come to me so strongly (almost stronger than any other time on my mission so far) to tell her that we need her in this Church. That we want her as a member, and to know the joy we have experienced from this Gospel. As I said these things, Phyllis just began to cry. The Spirit was so strong as she explained that just the very night before, she had ‘prayed to Jesus to show her which church needed her, and which one to be a part of’. She continued by saying how she had felt so distant, and so attracted to every church she had been trying to attend lately, and she just felt like ‘something was missing’. She felt unloved, and that no one wanted her. She just raised her hands high in the air, and said how she KNEW that God had answered her prayers. The Spirit was so strong, and we just said that WE KNEW how much Heavenly Father loved her, was watching over her, and that for some reason we had felt inspired to come knock her door that night. As she shared her emotions with us, she then said, “Now wait, which Church did you say you are from again?” We laughed, seeing that she didn’t even understand who we were yet. We said we were from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the Mormons), and she just started laughing. She then said, “I used to live in Arizona, and a young man once visited me, gave me one of Y’alls Book of Mormons, and I still have it to this day. I love to read it!” If the prayer experience wasn’t a big enough miracle for you, then this was AMAZING. We all laughed, and just said how we had ALL witnessed such a miracle. She asked for as many pamphlets as we had, and said that she ‘had never been so excited for anything in her life’. We walked away feeling the Spirit so strongly. I looked at Elder Sorensen, and he looked back at me, and we just couldn't even begin to wrap our minds around how amazing our Loving Heavenly Father is. I know he is real. I know it. However, the miracle doesn’t stop there. IT ONLY GETS BETTER.  Two days later, we were able to call her and check in and see how she was doing. As soon she got on the phone with us, she said, “I need your help..” We said that we would do anything for her, and inquired about what we could do for her. She then asked the greatest question I’ve ever heard before, “So how many Book of Mormon’s do Y’all have?” Slightly confused at this point (remember this is only about 15 seconds into our phone call), we responded that we could get as many as she needed. She said, “I need at least 15!!” WHAT? We laughed, and then realized how serious she was. She wasn’t kidding! We asked what was happening, and she said, “Oh Elders, you won’t believe it.” She explained to us how she went to her Church’s Bible Study the night before, and after the Bible Study she and about 15 other women stayed after and were talking about how much they felt disenfranchised from the Church, and how they just felt like ‘there was more out there’. Phyllis said that she jumped into the conversation, explained to all 15 women about how we had shown up onto her porch the very night after she prayed to find the truth, and that she had been reading the Book of Mormon since then and (exact quote), “...never felt more peace and joy in my life.”  Soon enough, all 15 women at this Bible Study told Phyllis that they wanted to know about this ‘Mormon Church’, and this ‘Restored Gospel’ Phyllis had been telling them about. So, there we were, Phyllis on the phone, explaining to us about this experience she had. She told us that she had already set up a date with all of them (this coming Wednesday) to come to her house, and to listen to ‘us preach the truth’. She said how she would have refreshments, and would have all the chairs, but she just needed our help to come, bring 15 Book of Mormons, and 15 Restoration Pamphlets!!!!  It simply was the most shocking (in all the best ways) moment in my whole life. Here was a woman we had found, talked to for only twenty minutes, and was already doing missionary work and inviting 15 of her friends to ‘find the truth with her’. While she was on the phone, I asked if she would be baptized if she continued to know this was the truth. She said, “Sweetie, of course I would. But why have just one baptism when you could have 15?” Ha-ha we both couldn’t stop laughing, and it was about the best moment any missionary could ask for. So long story short, we will be having a large get together with about 15 individuals from another Church’s Bible Study Group to, in Phyllis’s words, ‘Preach to them the Truth’.  I couldn’t be more excited for anything in my whole entire life. Elder Sorensen and I have just continued to pray, in thanks, for what a wonderful and precious miracle this was. I have never felt so loved, watched over, and cared for by my Heavenly Father. There is NOTHING in missionary work that comes from the missionary. Instead, EVERYTHING comes from the Spirit, and by the promptings of the Spirit.  Thinking about this entire experience, and all the events that had to take place leading up to finding Phyllis (including her being prepared for the truth) is just truly amazing to me. There is no other word to use to describe this miracle, along with the countless others that I’ve been allowed to experience, then that of the word: blessed. I am CONVINCED that the only part I actually have in missionary work is to just wake up, follow the rules EXACTLY, and to let myself be guided by the Spirit. There is nothing more than that. Any miracle that happens is NOT because of anything that Elder Sorensen and I have done, but instead, every good thing that happens comes from our God. Everything around us, every good bit of the World, is from Him.

I am just as convinced that I am the luckiest individuals to be allowed to serve in LaGrange.  There is no greater calling I will ever have than that of being a full-time missionary.  I want nothing more than to bring the World the truth of the Restored Gospel, through and by the Spirit of our Loving and Perfect Heavenly Father. I am just overwhelmed by His Great Power, His Great Glory, and His Loving Grace that he shows me every single day. There is no better way to close, and to write my testimony, than through the lyrics of the Hymn, Father in Heaven:

Father in Heaven, in thy love abounding, hear these thy children thru the world resounding, loud in thy praises. Thanks for peace abiding, ever abiding. Filled be our hearts with peace beyond comparing, peace in thy world, and joy to hearts despairing. Firm is our trust in thee for peace enduring, ever enduring. God of our fathers, strengthen every nation in thy great pace where only is salvation. So may the world its future spread before thee, thus to adore thee.

I love you all so much, and give great thanks to Our Father in Heaven for all the support you give me. Until next week-

Elder Robb