Stories from Ruth #18

Monday we went to the ward mission leaders house and had some of the best salmon I have ever eaten. Also they had a fat orange kitty who loved me. Apparently he never lets strangers pet him. Haha!

Last Tuesday we went to visit this lady we gave a Book of Mormon to. When we got to the door she immediately tried to hand it back. We asked her if she had read any of it. She hadn't. We read some with her and referenced parts of the bible. We taught her that we needed not to just search for a church we feel like we fit in, but the church of God. She kept the Book of Mormon and agreed to read and pray. Then on our way home I was feeling very sick. One hour after we got back to the flat. I threw up. Thankfully I had bought a lot of rice cakes the day before. Turns out one of the Elders was sick as well. Sister Nunes was sick last week and she helped take care of me which was sweet. Sister Carol, who is like out mother away from home, bought me some medicine and made sure I was well. The Lord blessed me thankfully and the very next day I had even more energy than I had the entire week and ate like normal.

We went and painted the house of a members friend. Thursday was exchanges and we went with the STLs to Hatfield! Sister Adams had served in Watford and gave me several less actives and investigators to visit. 

Later we went and played football with a recent convert. It was probably the most fun I have had on my mission so far. It had rained that morning so the ground was mud. All of us got covered from head to toe in mud whether by slipping or getting splattered. Afterwards we got changed really quick and went finding! We found this really cool guy who was interested in reading the Book of Mormon! 

That night Sister Adams made us the best smoothie. There is no place to get smoothies out here, and I really miss it! The elders in our area had to leave the week for Wembley, because their flat was being painted. Saturday morning we got a call from a random number and Sister Nunes answered. It was the Elders. They had locked themselves out of the flat in Wembley and had left their phones in the flat. We called Elder Reese (the Reeses are a senior couple who are in charge of this kind of thing) for them who said he was aware of their situation and was taking care of everything. A couple hours later we got a call from them saying asking where Elder Reese was. We called Elder Reese and Sister Reese answered and said they were on the way to Canterbury which is on the opposite side of England! Well they gave us the landlord's number and we gave it to the Elders who called off of their neighbor's phone. It was funny but we felt really bad because the Elders slept outside in cold in the panda which is a really tiny car they have to use while their car is getting fixed.

This week I have been thinking a lot about scripture study. Many people are always saying that they don't have enough time to read the scriptures. The scriptures aren't something you have time for. You make time for them. It is a commandment from God to read them which are his words. So, read them! Pondering for five minutes in a day is not good enough. Sitting down and actually reading them is what we need to do! No excuses! If we are always asking God to bless us and help us and are getting at him when something doesn't go the way we expect it to, but do not even follow the simple commandments of praying and reading our scriptures. Why do we expect him to bless us? Why should we? The least we can do for the life changing miracles we ask for is to sit down and read for an hour! 

 In 2 Nephi 32:7 it says: "...for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." We do not understand great

knowledge even when given to them plainly. The gospel is great knowledge and those who are unprepared will never understand or receive. Part of this is because they will not search and seek to learn. They do not "feast upon the words of Christ." Why do we not? 

President Spencer W. Kimball warned us, “The cares of the world are so many and so entangling, even very good people are diverted from following the truth because they care too much for the things of the world.” If you spend any time on the computer, a phone, tablet, etc. You could be reading the scriptures. If you watch tv you could be reading the scriptures. 

Joseph Smith said: "Let the saints remember that great things depend on their individual exertion and that they are called to be co-workers with us an the Holy Spirit in accomplishing the great work of the last days; and in consideration of the extent, the blessings and glories of the same, let every selfish feeling be not only buried, but annihilated; and let love to God and man predominate, and reign triumphant in every mind, that their hearts may become like unto Enoch's of old, and comprehend all things present, past and future, and come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." TPJS 178-9

May we all strive to give God more time. The first commandment is to love the Lord. Do we really love and know him if we do not serve him and keep his commandments? One question I always ask those I teach is what will they do to prove to God that they love him?