A Long Dirt Road

Hello Friends and Family!

This week has been fantastic. I feel blessed to be able to serve in LaGrange, and feel impressed that there has been a reason for Heavenly Father keeping me here for almost 6 months. Although I haven’t been able to bring anyone to the fullness of the Gospel during this time, I have learned many things about who our Heavenly Father is, and how He interacts with all of His children. Thank you for all your support, and prayers, on my behalf.

There was one miracle in particular, this past week that I thought I would talk about. On Sunday, Elder Sieverts and I were praying in our apartment about where we should go contacting, and where we should be that day. Right after we prayed, Elder Sieverts said, “I think we should try contacting some of our referrals.” We looked at a list of several individuals we haven’t been able to get in contact with recently (who had requested a Book of Mormon or Bible), and one name in particular stood out to both of us: Hattie. However, Hattie lives in Hogansville, which is over thirty minutes away! We prayed again if this is where we should really be going, and the Spirit confirmed to both of us that it was. We had to take a step of faith, and we headed to Hattie’s home in Hogansville. Once we got about two miles away from her home, the road turned into a total dirt road, and we traveled deep into the Georgia wilderness (if you can call it that?). I looked at Elder Sieverts and said, “Why are we supposed to be out here right now?” When we got to her home, it was surrounded by several other tiny houses, all clustered together literally in the middle of nowhere! We knocked on her door, and found out that Hattie wasn’t available to talk at the moment. We were bummed out, but decided that we needed to do the several other homes that were next to each other, on this tiny dirt road. The very next door we knocked (which was across the road from Hattie’s), a woman by the name of Roblyn answered. We explained who we were, and she said, “What the heck (language change) are y’all doing out here?” We laughed, and explained that we were just spreading the message of the Restored Gospel, and the Book of Mormon with people. She took the book in her hands, and felt the cover, and said, “Do you mind if I have one of these? I’ve never heard of this Book before. I feel like I really want to read it.” The Spirit touched us both deeply. We bore testimony, and explained what the Book of Mormon is, and she happily agreed to read, and pray about it, and agreed to have us come back for a return visit in the coming week. The next house we went to, they also accepted a Book of Mormon! We kept going down this road, and one after one, every single home (except three) accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon, and agreed to learn more! It was such an amazing miracle. Elder Sieverts and I have been having the hardest time finding people to teach recently, and we both felt the Spirit testify to us that that is exactly where we needed to be, when we needed to be there. It was such a moving moment, and humbled us both to the realization of the importance of following the Spirit at all costs, even when it disagrees with you logically. 

Also this week, Elder Sieverts and I were able to attend a multi-stake broadcast in Columbus

(about an hour away) with Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He gave a wonderful talk about the importance of Repentance, with the Savior always in mind. He said several things which really stuck out to me. He said, “We must exercise faith in Christ UNTO Repentance…true faith ALWAYS leads to righteous actions.” He stressed the importance of two factors when it comes to repenting fully: it requires a Redeemer, and we must be honest and pure in our intentions. He raised a warning voice against planning to sin in the future, and attempting to repent without real intent to change (which, would be in vain). I felt the Spirit prompt me of the need to repent, and become much better, and I hope that we can each find one thing we can do to more fully turn ourselves to the Savior Jesus Christ. 

I do know that the Savior lives. I do know that Jesus Christ is the great Mediator for all men, and I do know that He is full of grace and truthfulness. This week I’ve been reflecting much on the Lord ’s Prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6. My favorite verse is Matthew 6:10, which reads, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” From this we can learn how the only way that Earth can become more like Heaven, is by doing the doctrine and the will of the Father which is in Heaven. We can then see that as we strive to fulfill more of the Father’s Will, through obedience and repentance, we will be able to feel greater peace in our lives, as we invite part of Heaven, through the Spirit, to dwell in us. 

I am so grateful for this Gospel. I am beyond grateful (truly) for the Book of Mormon. I love reading it, and I love the power and spirit it invites into my life. I have seen the Book of Mormon literally confound every worldly doctrine, and every corrupt belief. I have seen how no foe, nor can any individual possibly deny the truthfulness of this Church based on the evidence of the Book of Mormon. Surely, the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and is our connection to the proper priesthood ordinances again restored on the Earth in these the last days.

May we ever press, and remember the words from the Hymn, I Believe in Christ, “I’ll raise my voice in praise and joy, in grand amends my tongue employ. I believe in Christ; he is God’s Son. On earth to dwell his soul did come. He healed the sick; the dead he raise. Good works were his; his name be praised.”

 Until Next Week-

 Elder Robb