yesterday after our lunch break we received a call from a
man who got our number from a member that he is staying with. He asked us if he
can get a priesthood blessing because he wasn't very good and was about to give
up on his faith. He told us that he was baptized as a Mormon and hasn't come to
church in a rally long time. He said Ill try o be here when you get here. So we
rushed and picked up the elders and went over to his house. he wasn't there and
so we waited for like 40 minutes we were talking to the member and she told us
that he might be drinking with her husband and when she went out we were came
to a conclusion that we cant give a drunk man
a priesthood blessing. He walked in the door and introduced himself and I thought for a second
to tell him to sit down and talk with us, but I dint take action. The elders told
him that we would like to comeback a different day when he was sober. He said
that "well if that is the way it works alright then." and walked out
the door. we all left the house and walked by him while he was siting outside
and said bye and took off, all five of us without offering to help him or
listen. We all felt bad about it but it
didn't even cross our minds to just listen to him before we judged him and
turned him away. Well he called us as soon as we parked out side of our
apartments. He expressed his feelings on how sad and how much it hurt him to
see that we didn't even show that we
cared. As missionaries we are not going
to turn away from people just because they have family problems, addictions, or
broken hearts . You will listen to them and show compassion and try to help
them. I don't even care about me, but I just wanted to tell you that you just
cant do that to people, they need your help. As he was telling us all this it
cut us all to the very core. he went on to say that I never ask anyone for
anything ever and this was a huge step for me to want to ask
for help from the church and I feel that God hasn't answered my prayers and
when I saw that you left it confirmed to me that God isn't there. So we
repented and apologized to him and told him that we are imperfect humans and
missionaries and we shouldn't have judged you without getting to know you first
and if Christ himself would've visited you, he wouldn't have turned you away
but would've listened to you and loved you regardless. We, as his
representatives, didn't live up to that name we wear on our badge.
Nevertheless, we thanked him for showing his faith and humbling himself enough
that he asked for help and for loving us enough to want to teach us this great
life lesson about compassion. We asked if he can give us another opportunity to
come back and show to him that we care about him. He was so happy to hear that
and gladly accepted. We went back and opened up to us and we all shared
personal experiences with him about faith and how God is always there and how
he has helped us in our difficulties. He
really appreciated the tears we shed to express how God has helped us and to do
it in front of others because that showed him that we cared. He talked about
how ever since he left the church no one even cared and it would be nice if
when I died someone will remember me and wanted to cry. No one in this world he
said wants to be alone, no one to talk to and to not feel loved, all I can ask
for is to have someone care about me. Then an elder offered him a hug and he
said of coarse and they hugged, he was overcome by so much love and started to
cry, even said that his heart skipped a beat. I was right next to them as this
happened, so I tried to avoid the situation and walked away quickly, with my
head tilted to the side, to the other side of the living room and my companion
acted as a magnet right behind me and asked: "where are you going"
"we can't hug him I'm just trying to get away."
so she sat down and he came towards her with his arms
extended and she extended her hand to shake his and said "sorry I can't
hug you." and one of his arms came down to his side as he gracefully kept
his other arm up to shake her hand and said "I know". Then we all
shook his hand, but the love in that room was so strong and all I wanted to do
was hug him and cry with him. Which would've been appropriate, but I wimped
out.
we taught my mommy this week about the importance of setting
goals in life and ponder about the things that you do now and how it effects your
future. also shared 2 nefi 4 and related nefi's experience with hers. WE are
going to teach her again in a month or so just to let her ponder on what we've
been teaching her, and let her make the choice on her own.
we have learned so much this week about love and I had the
best companionship inventory in the history of my mission on Friday it was so
edifying and we recognize how far we have come, and how she was an answer to my
prayers of wanting to be more converted unto Christ, and how together we've
been able to learn effective communication and unity. Its was a very sacred
moment we shared together and I love her.
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