November 30, 2015

 "The Devil is all up in everyone's grill"

  -Elder Davis

The quote of the week goes to Elder Davis. He said that to me while I was writing in my journal this week and I couldn't help but to laugh. In all reality though, he's right.We see that so much here with the people we teach. When they are so close to turning their life around and are doing the best they've ever done and their testimonies are being strengthened so much, the devil (I hate that guy) is right there trying harder than ever to pull them back down with doubt and fear and the temptations of the world.

 

This isn't a new concept: Since the beginning of the world when man is doing his very  best to be closer to God, Satan is right there trying to mislead them from the path of righteousness. We see this happen starting with Adam, then Moses, when Satan attempts to make Moses worship him--EVEN Jesus! After he fasted for 40 days! Right down to Joseph Smith when he prayed in the sacred grove. Nevertheless when the devil is "up in your grill," you do not have to give into doubts or temptations. Press forward in faith, great things happen, as evidenced by the accounts of all the people listed in the previous sentence.

 

Our investigator Emmett has so much adversity pushing against him at home, people drinking, smoking, telling him he's crazy and that he's being fooled by us, and his brother actively rejecting the word of God, not to mention--he can not read and has diabetes and many other injuries from work and life. Nevertheless when the devil is "all up in his grill," Emmett has not backed down, nor has he been mislead. He is enduring it all, in faith that God will help him. In the five weeks I've been here I've personally seen his testimony and his overall well-being be strengthened exponentially. Yesterday at church in the third hour the discussion got off topic and scattered, so the Bishop stood up and authoritatively brought it all back, and then Emmett leans over to me and says, "Now there's a man who has got keys!" Mind you, we really haven't specifically taught him about Priesthood Keys yet, he learned that in his own study (by listening) and in lessons at church and he totally understands it. We asked him about the Prophet and he said, "The prophet got all the keys of the Priesthood to direct God's church for the whole world. He got that authority to do so." The first time I met Emmett he didn't understand what the Priesthood really even was.

 

One other of this week's many experiences that I rather enjoyed was this: Three weeks ago, in the gas station here in Franklin, I started talking to this woman and you could tell just from talking to her that she was different, you could just feel Christ-like love just emanating from her, but she said she was from out of town so I never got her contact information to see if we could teach her--which was very foolish..... However, as proof that God gives us second chances, this week we were down in Murfreesboro, North Carolina and we were in line at the gas station there, and I hear from behind me, "Oh, hey! I talked to Y'all way up back in Franklin!" Lo, and behold, that very same woman I randomly started talking to at the gas station was there! In a completely different gas station! In a completely different state! She then said, "This is no coincidence that I met you guys again." She gave us her contact information and agreed to let us teach her at her home! So that's our favorite miracle from this week.

 

That’s all the time I have to write this week, so I'll write y'all next week! Have a blessed day!                                        

-Elder White
 

 P.S. Mom don’t be shocked, but a sister in our ward fed us KALE SOUP!!.............and it was really good and I liked it.............