Weekly Letter 1/11/15

Good afternoon!" 
"No it's not!"
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing's good!"

"Can we help?"
"How can you help?!"

"Well, we don't know, that's why we asked!"
"You can't help!"
"We're disciples of Jesus Christ, serving here --"
"It's no good, it's no good!"

That was the gist of a conversation the other day. I wanted to look the man in the face and say, "I came here off of my own money, years of my own life, to learn your language -- not an easy task, mind you -- so that I could sacrifice for you, communicate with you, and help you!" 
Of course, I didn't. But I wanted to! That was the culmination of a rather frustrating day of trying to find less-active members. Here's a sample of other encounters at real estate offices, where you can stop in for directions:

Scene 1:

Enter missionaries.

Me: "Good sir, perhaps you could aid us. We are searching for an address in this part of town. Do you happen to know where it is?"
Worker: "Blast you! I don't know where it is! Flee from my presence!"

Okay, that's an exaggeration. But it was fairly annoying when the man looked at us, said, "Dunno," and turned away. Their job is to know the area; furthermore, their office is covered in maps, from wall to wall! We left without a word, after asking for help. 

At the next office, he said the same thing, so this time I got a bit sassy, and said: "Well then, is it okay if we look at these maps on the wall?" 
He said yes, so we stood there for a bit, trying to figure out where we were. He came over after a bit, and gave us directions (bad directions, as it turns out). 

The third and final time, the man waved at us to leave as soon as we walked in. Why do they react this way? Because we're missionaries. They assume we're going to try and preach to them, or that we have ulterior motives behind our actions. They mistrust us, both for being foreigners and for having the name of Jesus Christ on our chest. 

Anyways, he tells us to leave, as I stand in the doorway. I'd had it. I looked him in the face (he was looking down, not even paying attention to us) and cried out, "Is this, or is this not a real estate office?!" 

He looked up. I repeated myself, "This is a real estate office, right?! Well, we need an address." 

The man was surprised, and finally responded. We got our directions, and left.

I feel it appropriate to quote the Apostle Paul here: 

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (2 Cor. 4:8-10)

So yes, those were annoying, but not really a problem. This week was good; I have nothing to complain about. For example, we sang a musical number last Sunday, and the members were really pleased. It was just "Come, Come Ye Saints" with parts, but everybody was really happy, and asked us to do it again. Another instance is I lost my watch (a watch I'd received from my father), and thought it was long gone. Then, while visiting a less-active we hadn't been able to see in a while, he said he had something for me. I'd left my watch in his shop, and he'd recognized it as mine! That was a tender mercy of the Lord. 

A final experience before I close this letter.

We give service at a house for children with cerebral palsy. Their ability varies from being unable to move at all, to being able to walk on their own. We clean part of the facility, and then feed them. Many of them require spoon feeding. This week, I fed a boy who was both blind and deaf. He could barely move. To feed him, I had to press the spoon beneath his lip, so he would know the food was there. Then, I would have to wait for him to open his mouth, so that I could place the spoon inside of it. As I slowly fed him, I thought of the Savior and His relationship with us. We are spiritually blind and deaf. We can't make it on our own. We need His nourishment. He can't force us to accept the gospel, lest we choke; He only lets us know that He is there, then waits for us to accept Him.

Jesus Christ is here. He lives; and He loves us. I bear testimony of these things as His authorized representative. He will provide us with everything we need to grow up to be just like our Father -- that is, our Father in Heaven. He loves us with an infinite love, and is prepared to heal us with His infinite atonement. I promise that this is true. Just try it. 

Best Wishes, 

Elder Austin Lynn