16.2.28

"It Works For Me"

Greeting
As we take the sacrament, there's a kind of... spiritual pressure. The Spirit of the Lord is here as we partake of that holy ordinance, and I pray it will be present as I present my remarks. When I first came to this ward, I commented that my youngest brother -- the one I haven't seen yet -- was so cute one could put them into their eyes and not be hurt (a unique Korean expression). Now, I'll go home and find out if I was right. If I get hurt, I'll let you know. 

The Path I've Learned
Today I'd like to share just one of the precious truths I've learned from doing missionary work. This valuable truth is that when we look to Jesus Christ, gospel living works the best for us. In the gloomy world we're currently living in, this fact isn't always clear. Have we, like doubting Thomas, ever cried out, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5)? And yet, the Light of the World replies: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) Remember what Christ said, shortly before His death: "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:18) This promise was repeated in the Doctrine and Covenants: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold, there will I be in the midst of them—even so am I in the midst of you." (D&C 6:32) Jesus is in our midst: the way of life is before us! Shall we not walk therein and rejoice? Well, then how can we know if we are on the right path -- Christ's path?
"One way is by asking the right questions—the kind that help us ponder our progress and evaluate how things are working for us.
"'Is my experience in the Church working for me? Is it bringing me closer to Christ? Is it blessing me and my family with peace and joy as promised in the gospel?'" ("It Works Wonderfully!")
From my point of view, my experience in the church -- my experience on my mission -- is really working for me! Every day I feel like I'm growing closer to Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. You can enjoy those same blessings if you focus on Jesus Christ and His gospel! 

The Gospel Road -- Joy
"This beautiful gospel is so simple a child can grasp it, yet so profound and complex that it will take a lifetime—even an eternity—of study and discovery to fully understand it."
As a matter of fact, "living the gospel doesn’t need to be complicated.
"It is really straightforward. It could be described like this:
"Hearing the word of God with earnest intent leads us to believe in God and to trust His promises.
"The more we trust God, the more our hearts are filled with love for Him and for each other.
"Because of our love for God, we desire to follow Him and bring our actions in alignment with His word.
"Because we love God, we want to serve Him; we want to bless the lives of others and help the poor and the needy.
"The more we walk in this path of discipleship,the more we desire to learn the word of God."

Blessings that Work
"And so it goes, each step leading to the next and filling us with ever-increasing faith, hope, and charity.
"It is beautifully simple, and it works beautifully.
"Brothers and sisters, if you ever think that the gospel isn’t working so well for you, I invite you to step back, look at your life from a higher plane,and simplify your approach to discipleship. Focus on the basic doctrines, principles, and applications of the gospel. I promise that God will guide and bless you on your path to a fulfilling life, and the gospel will definitely work better for you." (It Works Wonderfully!)

Focus!
Just as Jesus Christ commanded through Joseph Smith, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D&C 6:36) Wouldn't a life without fears and doubts be truly joyous? When we follow the path Jesus Christ shows us, our life can be like that. It can be like that right now! Don't wait! "God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord." (It Works Wonderfully) 

Testimony
This church is the church that Jesus Christ established, again restored. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and the scriptures revealed to us through him are a great strength to me. In closing, I'd like to quote a few of those scriptures. From the Doctrine and Covenants 6th Section, we read: 

13 If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God,which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.

14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me,and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou ma yest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth;

32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold, there will I be in the midst of them—even so am I in the midst of you.

33 Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.

34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

That was my last talk in Incheon 2nd Ward. The Spirit was really powerful as I delivered it, and it touched a lot of members. As I sat on the stand, I experienced a feeling I've only had a few times on my mission: a full heart. I had a thought related to what makes us feel that way. When we feel like our heart's about to burst because it's so full, I think it's because of bacon, or it's because of our heart strings being pulled. Bear with me for a moment as I walk you through this imagery. Our heart strings being pulled is what makes our heart yearn and ache, and the reason it's that way is because it's our bonds with other people that make up our heart strings, and when those bonds undergo a big change -- such as a farewell or a reunion -- those bonds are pulled. Sometimes bonds break, and sometimes they're forged, but it's those relationships that affect our heart deeply.
This week was filled with lots of last appointments and goodbyes, and I think most of my pictures didn't turn out very well because my companion doesn't know how to work my camera too well, and it's a piece of work, but I know that regardless I'll carry these memories with me forever. Nothing could have changed my life like my mission has, and I have gained so many valuable bonds and learned so many irreplaceable lessons that I am forever changed. Missionary work works. Or, in the Korean word used in that talk, it is beneficial. It is advantageous. Don't pass it up; the gospel is everything, because love is everything, and God is love. I love all of you and can't wait to see you in person. Sorry for the short letter; but I'll make it up 10 fold when I see you. 

Love,
Elder Austin Lynn

16.2.21

Not sure what to even write anymore...
Another week of less-actives and member appointments. We had more members to visit than normal, since I'm leaving Korea soon. This coming week will bring at least six member visits, and hopefully lots of new investigators! One effective activity we did towards finding more people this week was stickerboarding as a district. We went to where there are always lots of people and brought a board asks people questions and then they respond by putting a sticker on the appropriate answer. I brought a clipboard with us with a basic information spreadsheet on it for people to fill out and we managed to get 30 phone numbers in an hour! It was for English, so they would all be investigators we do the Family English Program with, but at the very least we've strengthened our English Class for sure.
We shared messages of joy with each family we visited this week, and I think that the members are starting to get the message that membership in the church is a joyful experience! As I've been thinking a lot, the gospel isn't a to-do list, but an experience. We experience things like faith and repentance, we feel the Holy Ghost and God's love, we learn for ourselves that gospel truths are eternal, and then we act in harmony with our experiences so that we can maintain and increase joy.
One major thing anybody can do to feel more joy is simplify. That's not just my own thought, or even just the topic of leadership training for the church in Korea next week -- it's counsel from a prophet, found in our most recent General Conference. President Uchtdorf has spoken at length several times about the need to simplify, and I love the counsel he gave in his talk, "It Works Wonderfully:"

"Are we making our discipleship too complicated?

"This beautiful gospel is so simple a child can grasp it, yet so profound and complex that it will take a lifetime—even an eternity—of study and discovery to fully understand it.

"But sometimes we take the beautiful lily of God’s truth and gild it with layer upon layer of man-made good ideas, programs, and expectations. Each one, by itself, might be helpful and appropriate for a certain time and circumstance, but when they are laid on top of each other, they can create a mountain of sediment that becomes so thick and heavy that we risk losing sight of that precious flower we once loved so dearly.
. . .
"And all of us, as members of the Church, we need to make a conscientious effort to devote our energy and time to the things that truly matter, while uplifting our fellowmen and building the kingdom of God.
. . .
"Brothers and sisters, living the gospel doesn’t need to be complicated.

"It is really straightforward. It could be described like this:

• Hearing the word of God with earnest intent leads us to believe in God and to trust His promises.

• The more we trust God, the more our hearts are filled with love for Him and for each other.

• Because of our love for God, we desire to follow Him and bring our actions in alignment with His word.

• Because we love God, we want to serve Him; we want to bless the lives of others and help the poor and the needy.

• The more we walk in this path of discipleship, the more we desire to learn the word of God.

"And so it goes, each step leading to the next and filling us with ever-increasing faith, hope, and charity.

"It is beautifully simple, and it works beautifully.

Brothers and sisters, if you ever think that the gospel isn’t working so well for you, I invite you to step back, look at your life from a higher plane, and simplify your approach to discipleship. Focus on the basic doctrines, principles, and applications of the gospel. I promise that God will guide and bless you on your path to a fulfilling life, and the gospel will definitely work better for you."
(https://www.lds.org/general-confere…/…/it-works-wonderfully…)

Much like President Uchtdorf I can say with certainty that my membership in the church works! It works wonderfully! My mission works; it works miracles. My life works, it lifts me higher.
As my mission ends I find myself in more and more "last time" meetings. One was with a less-active and a member who I've known for close to five months. At this "last" appointment we had a great discussion about the church and what really matters in life. I think that our member and I were able to work together well in explaining how he can take advantage of the church in his life. I still hope that we will see him at church before I leave, but I know that I have done my best to love the people God puts around me.
Last Sunday we talked about how family relationships can be eternal during class, and I really liked what somebody said about the lessons we learn in family life: from family, we learn not just how to live with people, but we learn how to live for people. And it's when we learn how to experience life outside of ourselves that we see how beautiful this world is. I know that I've learned more from living with my family than anything else. Family is of the divine; and so are we!

It Works Wonderfully! - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

President Uchtdorf encourages us to simplify our approach to discipleship if we find the gospel is not working in our lives.

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LDS.ORG|BY BY PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF

16.2.14

This week was jam-packed!
While we weren't able to meet any investigators, we did lots of work with our members, and we are continuing to meet less-actives all the time!
The beginning of our week was the Korean holiday we know as Chinese New Year. On Chinese New Year, people travel to their home towns for three days, and a lot of businesses are closed down. Picture a three-day Christmas, and you'll have a similar feeling. So, on Monday we weren't able to meet with anybody.
On Tuesday I went on my last exchange with a district member, with Elder Fleming. I spent the day working with him, letting him take the lead and working together. We met one of his investigators and discussed some of his questions about the church. He asked why we don't have a cross on our church, and after we explained that we focus on the resurrected, living Christ in our church, he responded, "I see! Christ conquered the cross, so we don't need it! He came down, and now we can move beyond death, and the cross that symbolizes it." That's a new way to word it that I've never heard before.
We also met a less-active member, who brought all of the Elders out to dinner! We proved how Korean/hard-core we were by each eating one of Korea's legendary spicy peppers. After one Elder ate 3, I had to prove myself as well... by eating 3 at once, twice! They were pretty hot, but we all lived. We discussed how a testimony of the Book of Mormon can be a foundation for strengthening faith, and how we have responsibility for finding truth for ourselves. We can't expect to be given everything we want or need.
On Wednesday we had a combined mission training conference for the last day of the Chinese New Year. We talked a lot about planning and using time effectively, and I gave my last testimony to the mission! It was a powerful experience to stand in front of half the mission and bear one final testimony to them in Korean. I focused on a really simple idea, stolen from President Uchtdorf's recent remarks in General Conference: Is it working for you?
Is it working for you? Are you happy? I can say that I really am happy; it works wonderfully! This mission has brought so much growth, and so many blessings. I cannot honestly say I have ever been happier, than on times during my mission. I am so grateful that I've learned to turn more outward than inward.
Thursday was a really busy day -- we met a less-active and recent convert member. We discussed difficulties with translating, and looked over the talk "Remember Lot's Wife" with our recent convert. That's a wonderful talk that focuses on how we need to look to the future, and never let past mistakes drag us down.
When we met our less-active member that night, he talked a lot about how he wants to find work so that he can eventually start a family. He really wants to leave his past behind, despite all of his attachment to it. We encouraged him to go for it! and do whatever he can to improve his circumstances.
On Friday we met a member family, and shared a brief message about joy with them. They also helped us find the address of a less-active member we were looking for! The husband of the couple is actually an American who served as a missionary then returned to Korea after several years. I look up to him in several ways; but I admire him the most for his rock solid commitment to the gospel, in a down to earth fashion.
On Saturday we taught English Class and had a family home evening with the ward for one of our young recent converts. We had a lot of fun, and a member shared a message by President Thomas S. Monson:
https://www.lds.org/…/video/2012-05-005-dare-to-stand-alone…
Since our friend's going to the military soon, it was pretty fitting!
Sunday was filled with bringing the sacrament to an old lady who can't leave her retirement home, teaching gospel principles class, and meeting a less-active and sharing our thoughts on hope and moving forward while never looking back. All in all, it was a great week, and I'm excited for my last two weeks. Enjoy to the end!

Love,
Elder Austin Lynn

16.2.7

It's strange to relate, but lately we've been spending tons of time
with less-active and recent convert members! We taught six times as
many lessons with less-actives and recent converts than investigators.
Wow!
On Monday we met with Brother Hyun (방승현), who recently
returned to Korea after a few semesters at BYU-Idaho. He's a little
younger than we are, so it's impressive to know how much he's grown
and matured during his time in America. He's yet another living
testament to how much foreign cultures and people can enrich our world
view. He's so cool! Of course he's good at English, but he's also
fun-loving and young. He's brought home a lot of interest in the
church, which he admits he didn't have when he was younger. He asks
lots of good questions and wants to be involved in missionary work
with his friends. I love that kid!
Tuesday was a packed today. We saw so many people! The saddest
meeting was with our friend Kim Chan Oo (김찬우). He's leaving for his
mission next Thursday! He's pretty nervous, but we testified of the
blessings of missionary work and shared how we felt when we left. I
remember the night before leaving for Utah, I was pretty overwhelmed.
I'm young, and about to start a brand new chapter in my life. Even
more, in a sense I would be starting it alone. Looking back, I realize
that I was never alone. Though physically absent, my friends and
family still supported and support me, and more than that, the God of
Israel was on my side. I think the popular hymn, "How Firm A
Foundation" explains this concept quite eloquently:
"Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
. . .
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand."
That day we also met a new investigator, who's been attending
another church for the past 30 years, but met missionaries even
further back than that, and has since been interested in the Book of
Mormon. We tuaght him about the Plan of Salvation, and he understood
and agreed with every single part! He's a nice old man, and we'll be
seeing him again this week.
We also saw Y J (윤여준), a recent convert who wants to
become a Navy SEAL for Korea. He's working hard to reach that goal,
and we're working hard to help him be spiritually independent and
spiritually buff before he leaves. He's such a great kid. He finds joy
in so many things, and is such a nice kid. We talked about his answers
to a few questions we gave him, to help him practice finding answers
to gospel questions on his own.
That night we also drove out (that is, rode a bus) quite a ways
to meet a less-active member. He's been grieving the death of his
mother for quite some time, and has been estranged from his family. He
has no work, no friends, nowhere to turn.
And that's where we come in the picture.
He's in a low place right now, but there's somebody who "descended
below all things." Our mission is to help him come unto Christ, who
can help and strengthen him during trying times and guide him during
the good ones.
We would meet this brother again during the week and exhort him
to read the scriptures and pray. One question he said he had been
repeatedly asking was "Why." I explained that as humans, we can't
always fully understand God, and sometimes He withholds answers for
our benefit. I suggested instead asking questions that God can answer,
answers that he can use in his life, such as: "What do I do next? How
can I continue? What can I learn from my circumstances?"
Other events in this week included meeting with Joon Suk, the boy
I baptized. His family situation isn't the best, so we ended up
reading Ether 12 with him, and discussing hope and good works with
him. I have a personal conviction that if we maintain hope and work
hard to do good, our lives will work out, regardless of where they are
now.
This was a consistent theme throughout the week: have hope. Hope
in yourself, and hope in good things to come. I was talking with my
district this week, and this thought came into my head: "There's no
reason to believe something negative."
Now, obviously there are some senses in which this thought fails, but
I think by and far we don't need to focus on negative things. There is
so much in this world and life that is good and inspiring,
praiseworthy and virtuous that we don't need to intentionally drag
ourselves down and leave ourselves in the dumps. “Pessimists do not
contribute, unbelievers do not create, doubters do not achieve.”

Elder Austin Lynn

16.2.1

For my last trip to the temple, I got to attend everything in Korean!
This was less of a planned opportunity, and more of a special
blessing that came because we volunteered for some work. I was really
grateful to be able to go through in Korean. The language of this
country has come to root itself pretty deeply in my heart. More and
more often I find myself thinking about returning one day in the
future. It was a great experience at the temple, and I made a goal not
to lose the sense of peace and stability it brings into your life
after I return home.
On Monday we met with one of the young men in our ward and he
asked us a bunch of questions he's received from friends. It was a
really neat experience because we got to experience the Lord's promise
to His servants that we "shall not be confounded before men." For
every single one of his questions we were inspired to answer with a
testimony, and a scripture. It's incredible how the scriptures come
together to answer every question a person may have. They truly are
wells of living water, for those who are willing to draw from them.
Our district meeting this week was out of the ordinary: for the
training, I had my district members teach me! We did an extended
roleplay focusing on promising blessings and teaching simply, and it
was a great learning opportunity for everybody involved. I'm really
happy to be serving with my wonderful district, and especially to be
placed in a position where I can easily serve them.
On Friday we met one of our recent converts and discussed asking
and answering gospel questions. He's going to leave for mandatory
military service soon, so we want him to be as spiritually independent
and ready to share the gospel as he can possibly be. So, after a
discussion on the vitality of asking questions to learn in the gospel,
we first answered a few from him, then gave him some to answer as
homework. We ate dinner together afterwards, and talked more about
Korea.
On Saturday a miracle occurred! A less-active called us, then met
with us a few hours after calling! He originally went to church in a
different area, but moved back to our area to take care of his ailing
mother, who died some time ago. His life is difficult, and he believes
that meeting with us will help him. He's right, but only in the sense
that we will invite him to draw closer to Jesus Christ, who is the
true source of peace and security, and the only lasting solution to
life's difficulties. He wants to meet often, so I hope that we can
help him reestablish the habits that bring us to Christ and His
gospel.
On Sunday we had a fascinating review of the Asia North Area
Plan's for this year (more on that next week) after which I was mighty
inspired to live the gospel! During our second hour (gospel
principles) I was fascinated by our ward mission leader's retelling of
the lost sheep. While he spoke, I realized that the lost sheep is
anybody who, for whatever reason, is not enjoying the joy that the
gospel brings, whether that's through the tempests of living on earth,
inactivity in the church, or even personal or family mistakes.
This week's invitation is to do whatever it takes to bring a
measure of joy to your life. Whether it's opening the scriptures a
little more often, or praying a little more fervently, or perhaps
visiting somebody who's been on your mind but not your to do list, do
it. Then enjoy the joy!

Love,
Elder Austin Lynn

16.1.24

This week was frigid!
On Monday we met with C, one of our young men who's
preparing to go on a mission and practiced teaching him the third
lesson, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Lowe has been focusing on
that lesson for the past two weeks, as part of his first 12 weeks in
Korea. He's doing a great job learning to teach it well, and we spend
lots of our time in studies practicing teaching.
Tuesday was a terrific day for this week. After studying, we went
out to meet a new investigator. We sat down with him in a cafe and
talked about our program for studying English and the gospel together.
He took a real liking to me; he wasn't very good at English so he and
Elder Lowe had difficulty communicating. We're going to meet him
again, and begin teaching English and the gospel. That evening we met
with our Bishopric's first counselor and his wife at their home. They
fed us beef rib soup, which is delicious. We also shared a message
joy, and talked about two of their children, who are on their missions
right now. Their children's missions are having a huge impact on their
parents. The mother said that there's never a happier time in your
life than when your child is on a mission. The father said that he's
understanding the gospel more than ever before, despite his thirty
years of membership. Meeting with them really inspired me -- there is
so much value in family, and in missionary work. The two directly
support each other.
On Wednesday the weather dropped dramatically. Actually, it was
freezing on Tuesday too, but we stayed inside most of that day, thanks
to appointments. On Wednesday though, we experienced the brunt of the
cold. To offset the part of the day spent freezing in our slacks, we
spent the evening making phone calls. Elder Lowe put in work for quite
a while, which impressed me. I was pretty afraid of making phone calls
when I was a young missionary.
On Thursday we got to participate in a worldwide missionary
broadcast. Receiving training from apostles and other church leaders
was a terrific chance, and a historic one: they haven't done a
missionary broadcast like this in ten years. As a result of the
broadcast I committed to talk more often about Jesus Christ, whom I'm
here to represent. He -- not Joseph Smith, not apostles, not the Bible
or Book of Mormon -- is the center of God's plan, and our Savior.
Friday was another highlight for this week. We met with our
recent convert Y Y J who's probably entering the military as a
SEAL in a month or so. We talked about the power of patriarchal
blessings and encouraged him to go get his own. He was pretty excited
about it; and as always was really energetic. We ate dinner with him
after our lesson, then ended our evening by visiting the less-active
who works at our apartment complex. We read the first few chapters of
the Book of Ether together and discussed how God provides us light,
but in response to our inquiry.
As usual, we taught English class on Saturday, but unlike the
usual, last Saturday our Bishop invited us to his home. We had a
wonderful lunch with him and he put in an effort to learn everybody's
name and hometown. We talked a lot about the ward's goal of focusing
on finding joy in the gospel, and shared a little with him. He talked
about how important dreams and goals to reach those dreams are in the
context of finding happiness.
Sunday was a typical day of church, with a baptismal service for
a member's daughter afterwards. It was a wonderful event for us to be
able to watch, and the food provided afterwards was definitely not
unappreciated. We got to talk to members for a while and find a few
more appointments for this week. Working with members is the best!
Will it be easier or harder in my native language back in America?

Love,
Elder Austin Lynn

16.1.17

Find joy in living the gospel!
This week was focused on helping find joy in the gospel, both members
and non-members. On Tuesday evening we met with our good friend Kim
Chan Oo (김찬우), a member who's going to leave for his mission in March
(a few days after I return home!). Elder Lowe and I practiced teaching
about the Gift of the Holy Ghost, one of the most prized gifts of our
Heavenly Father. We taught simply and effectively, and we all had a
good time. At one point, my companion Elder Lowe was sharing a story
about reading the scriptures, and said that when he's unhappy he reads
the scriptures. It was silent for a moment, and then Chan Oo said,
"Most people do." He said that in English, out of the blue, while
Elder Lowe was sharing an experience, so it was hilarious.
During the afternoon that day, we went back to our mission
headquarters so that all of the trainers and new missionaries could
meet with the mission leadership once more. The meeting was terrific,
and inspired everyone to "try a little harder to be a little better."
It felt good to be able to teach immediately after that meeting.
On Wednesday we had district meeting and focused on teaching
simply, especially by using the scriptures. The district members
taught well, and then afterwards we had an evaluation with our zone
leaders to evaluate how Elder Lowe is coming along with his ability to
teach the missionary lessons in Korean. He's doing great! As to be
expected.
That evening, we went out to Shihung to visit a member and his
son. Unfortunately, we rode the bus wrong on the way there, and ended
up driving to a different city. On the bright side, we got to see the
ocean while it was snowing. It looked pretty neat! We were able to
return to Shihung pretty quickly, and made our appointment. We shared
a message about joy, and had a terrific dinner together.
On Thursday we had a great day. We met with our recent convert
friend Y (윤여준) and read Helaman 5 together. Afterwards we
visited a member and shared a brief message about joy drawn from
Romans chapter 8. They were happy to see us, however brief our visit
was. That evening we met a man called T, who's our newest
investigator. He's a professor at Seoul University, one of (if not
the) biggest universities in Korea. He's interested in joining our
church, so we're excited to go forward with the discussions.
Friday we planned and began exchanges with our zone leaders.
During the exchange, I worked with Elder Steel and had the chance to
teach the exact same investigator that I met with him a month or two
ago! Sadly, the investigator was still in the same condition:
intellectually questioning God, unwilling to pray, but wanting to
believe without hypocrisy. We talked and after some great questions
from Elder Steel I was inspired to share a two-scripture formula for
gaining faith. The first was Romans 10:17:
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
That explains our role as missionaries: to share the word of God. Then
comes the second step, from Jesus Himself:
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)
While sharing the second scripture, all of the power in the church
went off, so we were sitting in a room illuminated by streetlight
coming through the window as he read the second scripture. His only
comment was, "I'll have to think about this principle more." I then
shared my experience as a teenager, gaining a testimony of God's love
and existence, which culminated in reading D&C 18:10, which I shared
with him last of all. At the end of it all, we sat there for a few
moments in this dark room, and that man finally understood: everybody
started where he is, not knowing. But, we can know, if we desire to,
and experiment on the word.
Saturday was our transfer calls -- unsurprisingly, Elder Lowe and
I are staying together, as is the other team we live with. Next
transfer call and I go home! Sunday was a very compact day: we went to
ward council, through which I'm always reminded of how hard our
leaders work, and how wonderful our ward is. We also went home
teaching with a member, and got to set up several member appointments
for the coming week.
This last transfer's going to be the best of all!

Love,
Elder Austin M. Lynn