Lots of new experiences this week: I tried fresh milk for the first time (milked that day, homogenized and pasteurized on site, then on the dinner table that night at a member's home), we volunteered at a blood drive helping people sign in and whatnot, we were waiters for the lunch and babysitters for the rest of the time during the stake's women's conference that took place all day Saturday, and we had dinner a different night with a member family where the husband is Jewish (literally, FROM Israel, and is a member of the Church) and the wife is Thai. Very interesting combination - they both speak Hebrew fluently since they lived together in Israel for 10 years, and Thai is the wife's first language. It was cool to compare notes with her about differences between the languages of Cambodian and Thai. Some very similar words, and I caught some of the things she said as she prayed. The husband has translated a few hymns into Hebrew, and he taught us a couple of them. It was way cool!
Church yesterday was really great - we had an awesome testimony meeting, and a few people we've been working with (less-actives and part-member families) came! The Primary kids and leaders are still thrilled with how cool my "cameo appearance" was last week. One little girl came up to me and said, "HELLO, Joseph Smith!" and another little girl came up and randomly started telling me about her family's recent trip to the Sacred Grove.
As a ward, we fasted yesterday for the Church to be strengthened in this area, and as a ward, we broke our fast together! We had a massive, Cinco de Mayo potluck, which was tons of fun with lots of great food!
Last night, I had a wonderful experience as I was guided by the Spirit. I felt prompted to go and see one of the less-active young single adults we have been trying to meet with. His mother is the Brazilian member who invited us in for dinner on a whim last weekend when we went by there to try and see him. The young man wasn't there, but his mother, Maria, was, and she invited us in and gave us some dessert. We asked if we could share a message with her and her husband, but he was busy working on something. She agreed though, and as I flipped through my copy of the Book of Mormon that I was holding (we hadn't planned for this lesson since there was no way to have known we would be sitting down with her!), I felt prompted to stop on a certain page, then flip the back back one, and read what I found. It was Moroni 7:27-29, which tells us that miracles have not ceased. I read it for her, and then felt prompted to read a related verse that I know, Mormon 9:15 - God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. We ended up having a fantastic discussion on miracles, and she disclosed some of her personal struggles with us. She told us of her health problems and of her desire to quit smoking. The Spirit was present, and I felt guided to offer her two things: first, a blessing, and second, a stop-smoking workshop that I have taught several times on my mission. She agreed to both, and we gave her the blessing at that time and set up another appointment to do the workshop. We would have never been able to give her the help she needed if we had never known her needs, and we wouldn't have known her needs if we hadn't had the conversations we did. We wouldn't have had those conversations if I hadn't read those verses, and I wouldn't have read those verses if I wasn't inspired to turn to that page. None of this would even have happened if I hadn't heeded the prompting to visit their home last night. I know for certain that the Spirit guided us in every aspect of that visit, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been used as an instrument in the hands of God to help one of His daughters who is suffering. It's a great comfort to me that He finds me worthy to send me on His errand to accomplish His work here on the earth.
I have also come to gain a testimony of the power of our thoughts, for good and for bad. I noticed on one occasion this week that as I focused on a negative or self-loathing thought, my mood worsened and I felt a loss of Light and the Spirit. As I contemplated what had happened to me throughout the day, I realized that I was the only one preventing me from being happy or from moving on. I decided right then to pray and from that point on to be happy, and the entire course of my day changed. It was powerful! And so, "Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power," as we read in Doctrine and Covenants 123:17, as we serve the Master and take whatever part He has for us in His great work. May the Lord bless each of you as you strive to repent daily, to heed the promptings of His Spirit, and to endure to the end through faith, hope, and happiness.
With love,
Elder DeLong
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