Chapter 11: Another Testament

I feel a bit like Bilbo sitting in front of his blank pages, saying "Now, where to begin?"

Ah, yes. *dips quill in ink*

Concerning Service.

A sister in our ward contacted us last week about her nonmember neighbor who needed help putting Christmas lights up. We were initially a little tentative about the opportunity, cause missionaries are programmed with a mandatory phobia of ladders (guess the mission department got tired of all the related injuries). But, it turned out we only really needed a step stool to reach right above the garage and porch, so it worked out. We set that time up for Wednesday, which made for a nice start to the week. It's good to let go of the typical worries associated with proselyting and instead just help people check things off their to-do list. The neighbor was very appreciative and had a goody plate to spring on us. It felt a bit like our cookie trick from last week had been turned back on us (there was a Snape in my mind going, "You dare use my own spells against me?"). As we wrapped up over there, we saw a text that some other members in the ward needed help moving. We were already in service attire right then, so this worked out perfectly. We headed over to their house and helped clear out a closet, close up and load boxes, move furniture, and do a bunch of cleaning. There were these blinds in the kitchen that needed dusting, and I was appalled and horrified to discover that they have a supernatural capacity to hold onto dirt. I probably spent over a half hour just scrubbing them. By the end I had to just shake my head and say I did my best. Yikes though. There was enough to do that we continued to help all the way from afternoon to evening, and several other ward members arrived to help all throughout. We went to a member lesson afterward, and had an engaged discussion about the Restoration, since the sister in that family was a convert to the church and had a similar experience to young Joseph Smith as he was overwhelmed by the tumult of opinion around him. At the end of the lesson, we asked the trademark question, "Is there anything we can do for you?" And they said yes! They needed some furniture moved! This was essentially the equivalent of telling us as missionaries "Guess what? Today's actually your birthday!" We had 3 service opportunities in one day!

We returned to Shawn and Grace's to invite them to our stake's Sunday evening devotional. However, Shawn texted us the following morning and told us not only that they couldn't make it, but that they had decided they weren't interested in having lessons with us. The reasons he gave were centered around doubts about the great apostasy and the Book of Mormon, and he said he'd be happy to meet one last time to discuss these topics. So, at least there's that...*unenthusiastic party horn*. We set that meeting up for this Thursday. It's a tricky situation, cause we know we're going to have to strike a balance between bringing up evidences, and acknowledging that the truth of these things can only be known through the Holy Ghost, and that nothing we say can "prove" to him that the church is true. Since they've already made up their minds, it really is in the hands of the spirit at this point. Although...maybe they'll find themselves interested in meeting with us again to "continue telling us why they're not interested in meeting with us"...who knows?

We had Zone Conference on Thursday, and it was so nice not having to drive all the way from Imperial Valley to the mission office. On that topic though, I got to see a bunch of the Valley missionaries I met last transfer, which was rejuvenating. I caught up with Elder McLean and met his new trainee, Elder Harmer. Sounds like they're having a great time. 

Elder McLean and Elder Harmer

I also learned that Mark started reading the Book of Mormon! That is a huge miracle that I didn't expect this soon, since he was very caught up in reading other books when last I talked with him. Zone Conference, as usual, was a firehose of scriptural insights, introspection, and invitations to improve as missionaries. This one had a special focus on adjustments we're making as a mission for the upcoming year. President Merritt revealed to us that there's actually a 14th Article of Faith. We had no idea! It goes like this:

• "We believe in meetings, all that have been scheduled, all that are now scheduled, and we believe that there will yet be scheduled many great and important meetings. 
• We have endured many meetings and hope to be able to endure all meetings.
• Indeed we may say that if there is a meeting, or anything that resembles a meeting, or anything that we might possibly turn into a meeting, we seek after these things."

This led into a presentation on just how many hours are spent on meetings per transfer, and on the new meeting schedule which significantly cuts back on them so we can spend more time proselyting. We then spent a while talking about how we can make district councils more effective. That turned out to be very conveniently timed for me, cause we had district council the next day, and I was assigned to give the training portion. Kind of funny leading that when I'm technically still in training myself, but it ended up going super well! The main topic was on finding families. I shared my experience of gradually finding Noe's family back in Calexico and invited the others to share their own family-finding stories and what they learned from them. Then the discussion branched out to finding in general, and having joy in the work. We had some great participation, and one of the elders said it was the most mature and spirit-filled district council we've had yet. We ended up in Preach My Gospel, and I gave them a roleplay prompt to help us practice involving our individual friends' families more. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to rein in my fellow elders, so afterward, I had this feeling of "Wait, that worked?" I'm grateful for their efforts and for the tender mercies the spirit provides.

On Saturday evening, we helped another ward set up and run their Christmas party, and it was ELABORATE. Outdoor with catering from Phil's Barbecue, a live quartet playing in the background, horses for the youth to ride around the outside of the church building, and a nativity scene at the end. I didn't know anyone from that ward, but it was good to see that the Rancho Bernardo elders had a couple friends they were teaching there. The ward had us elders take a full container of leftover ribs afterward. Quite the steal.

Ribs!

During sacrament meeting on Sunday, Brother Cho in our ward gave an animated talk retelling several stories about Christ. There's so much insight that can be drawn from putting yourself in the shoes of any of the people mentioned around Christ. Asking yourself "What was this person thinking? What were they feeling? What did they learn?" Brother Cho did just that with Jairus, who anxiously asked Christ to heal his daughter in Luke 8, and was told to fear not even after hearing that she had already passed away. Beyond giving Jairus more humanity and personality in his retelling, Brother Cho brought up something I never realized before. The story of the woman with the issue of blood isn't separate from Jairus's. It happens right in the middle of it, as Christ is on his way to Jairus's house, pushing through the crowd. How did Jairus react to this additional delay, when time was already so short? Did he grow more anxious, worrying that the woman's act of faith had cost his daughter's life? Or did witnessing that miracle reassure him that through Christ, his daughter could be made whole? We may face similar cases in our lives where a situation could simultaneously be a cause for fear, and a reassurance. How are we to respond to them? Christ answers that for us. "Fear not, believe only." Another story Brother Cho recounted was that of the woman taken in adultery, which happens to be the same one I used in my farewell talk. It was cool hearing his take on the story, and it reaffirmed to me that different perspectives can give various new insights on simple biblical stories.

On Sunday afternoon we visited 3 referrals we've been trying to reach for the past week, and all 3 answered the door! Only one of them was the actual person we were looking for (as opposed to family members), but we gave the others pass-along cards to *ahem* pass along, and I was glad we could confirm that the addresses were correct and that we made the people aware we're trying to reach them.

Sunday evening was our devotional with Brad Wilcox. Sadly none of our friends made it, which is normally a requirement if we want to be at events like that, but we got to attend anyway since we were a part of the stake choir. A bunch of missionaries from other zones also came to sing What Child Is This and perform other songs with various instruments. I've appreciated how much of a focus on music our devotionals have had. I was a part of 4 songs, and as we sang I realized something more fully than I ever had before: I LOVE choir! The roles the different parts play as they build on and separate from each other, the sudden depth of sound as unison breaks into harmony, the feeling of adding your voice to others, the cases where, for even just a moment, your concerns about your own performance are swallowed up in the power of what you're creating with those around you. Music is such a pure expression of beauty. 

Singing our mission song at the end of Zone Conference

I got to sit right behind Brad Wilcox at one point, and afterward I talked a bit with him and his wife. They told me one of their kids actually has the middle name Tolman! I wish I had time to convey the messages shared in that devotional, but suffice it to say, the spirit was strong, and we were guided on our journey toward God.

President and Sister Wilcox

President Wilcox also spoke for our mission at an extra mini zone conference the next day, and shared some historical background on the tribes of Israel, the meaning behind their gathering today, and the role we believe they'll play in the millennium. He really put our role as members of the church into perspective, and showed us that that role isn't just important, it's exciting! His message additionally helped answer some questions I've been grappling with for the past few months regarding the significance of being part of Christ's church right now when there are plenty of followers of Christ who don't belong to it. In short, we are in a unique time when God's work is largely focused on the responsibilities of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh: to build up the temporal and spiritual kingdom of God. As it grows, more responsibilities come into play, but for much of mortal life, we are gatherers of gatherers. The forerunners training to guide the multitudes that will flock to Christ at His second coming, and continue His work of inviting all to come unto Him.

We've continued to be super fortunate in having a whole bunch of meals with members. On one such meal, the Fosters started asking us about our families' Christmas traditions. I, of course, had to bring up that my family gathers together to watch Ben-Hur, and they mentioned they had seen it quite a while ago. I told them about how my grandpa partially gained his testimony of Christ from that movie, that we watch it in his honor, and about the pre-show speeches he would always give. "I never would have associated that movie with Christmas" was what brother Foster had to say about that, and my companion chimed in "Isn't that the chariot movie?" (heh, rookie mistake). This led me to launch into a mini presentation on how the essence of the story was the journey of a man pursuing vengeance and then learning to let it go as he witnessed Christ's forgiveness. So many people miss the subtitle of Ben-Hur. "A Tale of the Christ". In that moment I was reminded of how many people, those who don't believe we are Christian, also miss the subtitle of the Book of Mormon. "Another Testament of Jesus Christ". When Christ is taken out of the vessels that convey Him, so much is lost.

At the same time, isn't it incredible that we have another testament of Him? A strong evidence from an additional people that Christ's work is a global work, being orchestrated through all ages of time. Jacob 4:4 reads "For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us." Christianity is infinitely more than simply reading the Bible and building a religion off of it, as some are led to believe. Its Truth is living, and His presence is eternal.

God be with you,

Elder Tolman