"Y'all The Mormons?"

 Hello Friends and Family!                     

This week has been incredible, as always. Elder Sorensen and I have been so blessed to be able to witness so many miracles (as usual), and we always acknowledge all the unseen miracles that took place to be able to allow us to meet the individuals we did have the blessing to be able to talk to.

One of the first miracles I thought that I would share with you, is the opportunity we had to meet with Jim. After waking up one morning, Elder Sorensen and I prayerfully selected a street that neither of us had been to before. We felt strongly about a particular area, and that we should attempt to knock doors there. When we arrived, we just started knocking doors without much success. However, after about ten homes, we knocked on a door we both felt good about. An older gentleman answered, and looked at us, and said, “Y’all the Mormons?” We smiled, and said yes. He then said, “Wait here for a second while I get us some Diet Coke, and then we can talk on the porch.” After a few moments, he came back outside, sat down with us, gave us a Diet Coke, and then said, “So where in Utah are y’all from?” We had a good laugh, and told him our background, where we’re from, and what we’re doing on his porch. He laughed, and said, “Well, you know, my whole father’s side is LDS. Great people. Tell me a little about it.” We gave him the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he quickly accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon, and said that he would read and pray about it, and would like us to call him in a week or so to get his thoughts on it, and possibly a return appointment. It was just a miracle to find someone so open, and seemingly so ready for the message we have to share with the World. It reminded me of the power of the Spirit, and the power of good we have on all those we interact with every single day. Even by being a worthy and good example as a member of the Church, we have the opportunity every day to do missionary work as we show others not of our Faith, who we are and how we live in accordance to God’s Commandments.

After this, on the very same day, we were walking down another street nearby and Elder Sorensen felt strongly about one particular house. We knocked on the door, and a younger gentleman (probably in late 20’s) named Zachary answered. We did our typical door routine, told him who we were, and why we were on his porch. We explained the Book of Mormon, and then Elder Sorensen said, “This is an ancient record that was translated by a Prophet of God, regarding the people who lived in the America’s before, during, and after Jesus Christ’s Reign and Ministry in Jerusalem.” Zachary interrupted at that moment and said, “Really?” Somewhat caught off guard, Elder Sorensen said, “Yes, this is what the Book of Mormon is.” There was kind of an awkward silence, and then he said, “That’s so interesting. I’ve always been open to all religions, but I’ve never quite looked into Mormonism. I’m mostly of Native American blood, so does that book have a possible connection with the Native Americans?” Elder Sorensen was able to show him the Introduction of the Book of Mormon which reads in part, “...After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites [a group of people in the Book of Mormon], and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians.” Zachary was extremely interested, and explained to us how ‘funny it was’ that we stopped by when we did. He said, “In the next week my whole family is doing a get together at one of the sites of our Native American Ancestors. I’ll have to bring this Book with me and show them! This is AWESOME! I’ll for sure start to read it.” It was just so amazing seeing someone be drawn to the Book of Mormon not just spiritually, but also from ancestry.  It strengthened my testimony in the origins of the Book of Mormon, and how we can use that as a tool to peak the interests in others to actually read the Book that we call the ‘evidence of our Faith’.

Another tiny, but amazing miracle, happened in the most seemingly coincidental places: Walmart. My bike has been having troubles since I got it (I promise it hasn’t just been user error haha!), and Elder Sorensen went over last Preparation Day to return it and buy another one. While we were there, and while I was look at several different bikes, an employee across the back part of the store saw us, and yelled, “HEY! IT’S YOU GUYS!” He came walking towards us, and I could NOT figure out who this man was. My mind started going through the hundreds of faces we’ve met in the last week, and I just couldn’t put a finger on who this guy was. He came over, shook our hands, and said, “I’ve been reading that Book y’all gave me. I LOVE IT!  It just makes so much sense, and I love the stories I’ve read so far!” It then occurred to me who this was. It was Danny! Danny was an individual we ran into almost two weeks beforehand, and we had totally forgot to get his phone number once he accepted the Book of Mormon. Elder Sorensen and I just felt so sad after meeting him that we failed to get his phone number. And BAM there he was, an employee at Walmart, and he just happened to see us and come over to us!  We talked with him some more, and he said, “I would love to be able to meet with y’all some time and talk more about this!”  We were then able to get his phone number, and have been in contact with him since then to be able to set up a time to meet and discuss the Book of Mormon as the foundation and keystone to our Faith. It was just so amazing how Heavenly Father was able to present someone we had been praying about, and thinking about, in our path to be able to correct the mistake we had made earlier (of not getting his phone number). I do know that Heavenly Father does watch over us, especially as His missionaries, to ensure that he provides a way for everyone to have a chance to hear the Restored Gospel message. I just love being a missionary, and being able to witness all the incredible miracles we see each day.

Another really incredible miracle came in an interesting way. One night, literally all of our appointments fell through, and Elder Sorensen and I had tried almost every individual in the book without any success. We pulled off to the side of the road, and prayed about where we should be and what we should be doing for the last two hours of the night. Elder Sorensen felt strongly that we should go contacting in an apartment complex nearby, and we did so. We weren’t having much success there either, and after about another hour, we just felt somewhat discouraged about where Heavenly Father wanted us to be. We reached the very last door in this massive complex, and we knocked on it. A woman name Brittany answered, and was just so open and nice with us. When we shared with her about who we were, and what we were doing, she was so excited!  She explained how she had just barely moved in less than a week ago, and had felt so lost as to which Church to join, and, in her own words, “...which one had the truth in it.” We briefly explained the Restoration, and she loved the idea that she could pray and know for herself that this was the truth. We were able to set a return appointment up with her, and have since then had a solid appointment with her, and she has been slowly progressing well. It was just another testimony builder to me of the need to always continue, and never give up halfway through, when we are following a prompting. I never fully realized this in my life, but sometimes Heavenly Father gives us a prompting to see if we will follow it ALL the way through.

I could keep writing about miracle after miracle Elder Sorensen and I have been able to witness this week. I am always honored to be a missionary for the Lord’s Church. I have never been happier, and have never felt so surely that I am in the right place at the right time. I do know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that he lived, and that he died for all of our sins, weaknesses, and our shortcomings. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and is the keystone of our religion. I do know that we have a Heavenly Father who is very real, very physical, and very involved in each of our daily lives. I not only accept that Joseph Smith was the Prophet of the Restoration, but I have such a firm testimony that he was necessary to bring the fulness of the Gospel back to the Earth again. I believe that the Priesthood is the Power of God Restored on the Earth again, and I have witnessed countless miracles wrought by this same Power. I am honored to be here in LaGrange, serving with Elder Sorensen, and doing my best to aid in the work of building up Zion.

Thank you for all your support, and for all the constant love and prayers you send my way. You are all in my prayers, and hope you can continue to feel of the Savior’s love each and every day! I love you all!

Until next week-

Elder Robb