A Dream and a Soldier

Hello Friends and Family!

This week has been incredible. Elder Glenn and I have been able to see many countless miracles here in Augusta during our short week, so far. We whitewashed in, so it has been a fun and great learning experience of wholly relying on the Savior Jesus Christ to lead us to the individuals who need to be lead home.  I love Elder Glenn, he is from Idaho and we are getting along great together! The Ward here is fantastic, and has been overly welcoming as well. It is humbling to me to see how anywhere you go in the world, there will always be a happy church family to greet you. I have such a strong testimony that this is the Lord's Work, and that He is constantly guiding His Church in truth and righteousness. I don't believe I've ever seen so many miracles in one week, but there are a few that stand out in my mind that I thought I would share.

On our second day here in Augusta, Elder Glenn and I had an appointment with a individual named William, who the previous Elders had found.  We went to the appointment, and William welcomed us in, and we sat down with him. He opened by saying, "That very morning (referring to the time the other Elders had found him), I had prayed to God to find more. I had asked him to send me people, or something, that would give me more knowledge of Him. I love my current Church, I love my pastor, but I just don't feel like I'm progressing there." The Spirit immediately swept the room, we explained how we know that Heavenly Father had led the Elders to him, and that it was not merely a coincidence. We felt so prompted that we extended the baptismal invitation right then and there, during the first two minutes of our visit. We said, "William, will you follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the proper Priesthood authority of God on the Earth?" There was silence as William sat there, smiled, and said, "Yes. I would love that." As we taught him the Restoration, he said, "This is what I've been missing. The Book of Mormon completes the picture." I was amazed how I was able to see someone so prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. At the very end of our lesson, William spoke up and said, "May I ask you both a question? I know it is probably really strange, but I feel like I should." We told him that he could share with us anything he feels like. He continued, "Last night, I had a dream. I had a dream that I was standing at some sort of pulpit, and I was talking about Christ. Everyone in the audience had on shirts and ties; which is strange because at my church no one dresses up. Do y'all happen to dress up in your church?" It was such a spiritual moment. Elder Glenn looked at me, and I looked at him, then back at William. I said, "William, this is exactly where you need to be." 

Elder Glenn and I were able to have another very spiritual, and touching, lesson. As part of our area, we cover Fort Gordon (which is a very large Army Base). We get to go there and attend Church for two hours (along with attending our normal Ward) each Sunday. It is an extremely small Branch held in a military non-denominational building. We had heard that the previous missionaries had been teaching a soldier there, and that he had been coming every Sunday. Right as the service began, a solider walked in, came up to us, shook our hands and said, "Hello, I'm Stewart.  Are y'all still good to have a meeting after Sacrament?" We smiled and said yes.  As we sat down, there were literally only five people there. It was the smallest Sacrament Meeting I had ever been too. Deep down I began to feel fear for Stewart, wondering, "Is he going to like our Church, even if only five people show up?" However, that wrong fear I had was quickly put to shame as the Sacrament Meeting started. The Spirit that was there was among one of the strongest I had ever felt at Church before, it was so silent, the Spirit was there in abundance, and Stewart was just sitting there the whole time listening intently to the speakers. After the meeting, we went into another room to teach him. Stewart's background story is that he is from Wisconsin, and after he arrived at Fort Gordon, one of his 'battle buddies' invited him to Church a few Sundays ago. Since then, he has been coming every week, has been reading the Book of Mormon, and receiving many spiritual promptings that it is true.  As we taught him, it was one of the most spiritual lessons as well. We read a chapter of the Book of Mormon with him, and then Stewart said, "Growing up, I always loved Church. I went almost every Sunday. But deep down I just kind of felt like something was off. They would talk about Jesus Christ, and then two minutes later they would pass around a plate to throw money in. And sometimes if the sermon was really good, they would pass around the plate three times.  It bothered me. Christ never accepted any money, right?" We explained how this is Christ's Church, and, as such, we have no paid ministry. He said, "Ever since I've been coming here, I just feel like this could be my destined path. I feel home. I feel like y'all are here because you actually believe it, not because of any other reason. I've never felt that in a Church before. I love it. I cannot wait to become a member." We found out that Stewart will be leaving to go back to Wisconsin in 10 days, but he says that within three weeks of him coming home, he will be baptized. We already gave him the information for the missionaries up in his hometown, and he has already talked with them about it. It was just humbling to me to see how Heavenly Father really does prepare people, throughout their life, to accept the message of the Restoration.

These are just two miracles, among literally countless that I could share, that Elder Glenn and I have been blessed to see this past week. I love Augusta, and I love the other missionaries that are here. The people here are incredible, and there are so many that have been prepared to receive the Restored Gospel into their lives. I was reading, and I found a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith that I love. He says, "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. But in connection with these, we believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of faith, the enjoyment of the spiritual gifts according to the will of God, the restoration of the house of Israel, and the final triumph of truth.” I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He loves. I know that He truly is a God

that weeps, and He is a God of miracles. I know that miracles have not ceased to exist, but abound more than ever. I love being here, on my mission, to spread the message that Jesus Christ's one true Church has been Restored to the Earth again, founded upon the Atoning Sacrifice of Heavenly Father's Only Begotten. How amazing is this Gospel?

Until Next Week-

Elder Robb