A Lot of Alcohol and Some More Candi

Hello Friends and Family!

I feel grateful that Elder Sieverts and I were able (again) to have another week full of miracles and blessings from our Loving Heavenly Father. Not only did we have a week that strengthened our testimonies, but also assured us of how near our Father in Heaven is, if we just ask Him for His help. I do know that this work is real, true, and of God. Nothing has ever brought me more joy in my life.

This past week we had an appointment with Cecilia, and we came to talk about her Alcohol addiction and how the Savior could help her overcome it. We asked a member to come with us, Brother Sokoloff. We met in her home, and when we sat down, she just started crying. We asked what was wrong, and she said, “I just need help overcoming alcohol. I feel like there is two paths for me right now, there is God or Alcohol. I need help picking God.” The Spirit grew to become very strong in that room, and I realized how the Spirit had prompted us to come prepared to talk about this with her. Elder Sieverts and I both bore our testimonies of how she could overcome anything with the Lord’s help, and then Brother Sokoloff spoke up. He said, “Cecilia, I don’t know you. But I do know that you have kids.  Just think of your kids every time you go to take a drink, and ask yourself if it’s the right thing to do for THEM?” There was a long silence. I was so nervous! I hadn’t expected Brother Sokoloff to be so straightforward so fast with her. Then, Cecilia, with tears in her eyes, looked at him and said, “Thanks for saying that. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”  We all felt the Spirit so strongly. Leaving the lesson, I asked Brother Sokoloff why he felt to say what he did. He responded, “While, I felt the Spirit tell me to be blunt and honest and not ‘fluffy’ about it.” I was so impressed how even a member, in a lesson with us, can receive revelation through the Spirit of what to say or do for our investigator. I truly do know that our Heavenly Father works through others to accomplish all of His purposes, and to ensure that His Will is fulfilled.

One morning Elder Sieverts and I were getting ready for the day, when I got a strong impression that we should go visit a woman named LeAndra that afternoon.  LeAndra was a nice UPS driver we had met while contacting one day, but we were never able to get a hold of her again because of her busy work schedule. We followed through on that prompting, and when we knocked on LeAndra’s door, she wasn’t there. I was really perplexed for a moment about WHY God had lead us to this door, when she wasn’t even home?  We got back in the car, and left the neighborhood to go to an appointment.  As we left the neighborhood, and headed where we were going, we needed to take a very specific road in LaGrange that I had only ever traveled on a few times. As we were driving down this road, there was a gas station on our left. Just as we were passing by, I looked at the gas station, and saw two ladies holding bright neon signs up in front of it. I got the strongest and strangest prompting to stop, turn around, and pull into the gas station. When we did, and when we got out of the car, one of the women looked at me and just said, “ELDER ROBB?” I couldn’t tell who it was for a second, and then I just started laughing...it was Candi! If you remember, Candi was an individual that Elder Sorensen and I had been teaching, and then we sadly lost contact with her. She came and gave me a big hug and said, “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” I couldn’t help but keep laughing, and then I explained that she wasn’t responding to any of our calls or texts, and anytime we tried to visit she wasn’t home. She looked, and said, “I don’t know what happened, but I think about y’all everyday, and pray that I can meet y’all again. When are you going to stop by and visit?!” It was SO AWESOME. Come to find out, she was at the gas station trying to raise money so that her daughter to be able to go on a trip to DC!  It was such an awesome moment, and as we drove away, we both couldn’t help but feel how Heavenly Father had put her, and us, on the path to meet again. I realized that if we hadn’t gotten that prompting to visit LeAndra, we would have never taken that road back, and never would have passed that gas station where Candi was at. There were just so many things that came into play for that miracle to have happened. I have gained such a strong testimony in following every spiritual prompting, because it will always lead you to where the Lord needs you, and when He needs you there.

Elder Sieverts and I had another super awesome moment with Sister Jackson this week. As a reminder, Sister Jackson is a less active member that missionaries have been working with for over a year.  I LOVE Sister Jackson! Our personalities (and our humor) get along really well, so we just have a BLAST every time we are together. Anyways, Sister Jackson has suffered a lot with her alcohol problem, and was such a heavy drinker (and a hard drinker) when I met her, she would drink SEVERAL massive vodka bottles every single night. We had been working with her to overcome this, and since her health has been declining recently (because of all the alcohol), she has been more open to overcoming this problem with the Lord’s help. One night, all of our appointments fell through (it happens quite frequently haha!), and so we prayed about where we should be. Elder Sieverts and I almost immediately thought of Sister Jackson, and we called her, and she said that we could come over. When we went into her home, she was smiling, and said, “It has been since October that I’ve had a single drink of alcohol!” We congratulated her, and testified to her of how the Spirit and God had been enabling her to overcome this addiction. We kept talking for a little while about it, and then I laughed and said, “Now, Sister Jackson, would you pour ALL of the alcohol you have in your home down the drain, for the Lord?” She stood up, and said, “OF COURSE I WOULD. Follow me!” We stood up, and followed her into her kitchen. She started opening up cabinets, and grabbing bottles of vodka and wine and beer, and opening them, and pouring them down the drain! I couldn’t believe it! For real, if you would have seen Sister Jackson before October, I would have NEVER guessed that this moment would have been happening! As she was opening, and pouring all of the alcohol down the drain, her family heard the commotion in the kitchen (by the way, her family are NOT members of the Church) and when they all came into the kitchen to see what was happening, they all started yelling, “DON’T DO THAT. YOU ARE WASTING ALL OF YOUR ALCOHOL. GIVE IT TO US AT LEAST!” Sister Jackson didn’t say a single work, but just kept opening, and pouring it ALL down the drain. After she was done, she looked at her family, and one of her daughters (whose in her 20’s) said, “Ma, why did you do that?!” Then Sister Jackson smiled and said, “Because I’m sick and I’m ready to change!” I couldn’t help but just smile and love Sister Jackson even more. Since then, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the words of Sister Jackson of ‘I’m ready to change’. I think this is such a perfect phrase when it comes to turning to the Savior, and casting temptations and sin out of our lives. I would hope that if there is something in our lives we wish would change, so we could become more like that Savior, that we do what Sister Jackson did, and get rid of it!  This was such a spiritual moment for me. Before we left, I felt prompted to share with her Alma 7:11, which reads, “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.” The Spirit was just so strong there, and Sister Jackson then said, “I love that Christ has been here for me ever since I got sick. He has helped me.” I know that the Spirit is the only teacher. I know that if we want to help others, as Jesus Christ would have us help them, that we require the Spirit to lead us. This strengthened my testimony in the power of the Atonement, and its ability to truly change and bless the lives of all those who come unto Christ.

Elder Sieverts and I were out knocking doors this past week, and a really awesome experience happened. We knocked on one door, no one came, and then we tried knocking again, and this elderly woman came to the door. We explained who we were, and she welcomed us into her home. As we began to talk with her about the Book of Mormon and the Gospel, she opened up about her life and her religious background. It was really spiritual, and then, as we were about to leave, she said, “You know, the Georgia State game was on, so I wasn’t going to answer. But something inside of me just told me too, and now I’m super happy I listened to that feeling.”  As I’ve been reflecting on this experience, and many others like it, I’ve come to the conclusion of how this is only the Lord’s work. I’ve seen how obedience brings blessings and the Spirit, and how a casual relationship with God brings confusion and sadness.  I do know that every single event, and moment, that happens in our lives, is for a reason. That every moment God is somehow trying to strengthen us, and draw us closer to Him and His Son’s teachings.

To close for the week, I thought I would share a simple spiritual thought. On Sunday, Elder Sieverts and I were able to watch the YSA Face to Face Event with Elder Ballard and Elder Oaks. It was amazing! Elder Oaks said something that has been sticking with me throughout this whole week. He said, “Repentance is possible; Forgiveness is certain.” I would hope that as we go into Thanksgiving this week, that we are especially grateful for everything that we have.  Most importantly, however, we are grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ, and His Infinite Atonement in our lives. It is through His Atonement that we CAN repent, and then we WILL be forgiven. I know this to be true, and I have been blessed to see this truth affect countless individuals here in LaGrange.

I am grateful for all of you. I am so grateful for the Savior. I am also beyond grateful for my mother, who raised me to love, appreciate, and honor the Gospel at a young age. I know that without her, I wouldn’t be serving a mission, and having the life - changing experiences that I am so blessed to witness everyday. I hope everyone has an awesome Thanksgiving, and stays safe!

Until Next Week-

Elder Robb