Well, how'd'you'do y'all,
*I've always wondered how that's spelled*
I heard this story yesterday and thought it would be the most appropriate way to begin a Louisiana spiritual weekly:
A preacher had died and was waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. A bus driver was in front of him. St. Peter called the bus driver to come forward. He looked for a minute in the Big Book. Then he handed the bus driver a silk robe and a golden staff and told him to please come in.
Then St. Peter called the preacher to step up. He looked in the Big Book. Then he handed the preacher a burlap robe and a wood staff.
The preacher said, "Now wait a minute. I'm a man of the cloth. I've preached the word to hundreds over the years. How come I get a rough robe and a stick, and that driver got nice things?".
St. Peter replied, "When you were at your pulpit, reciting your sermon, most people fell asleep. When that man drove his bus, EVERYONE on it prayed!"
I guess we really DON'T understand what eternal consequences our actions have until we get up to heaven. And on that note, we were just slaying and praying this week, so buckle up your seatbelts, cause this scroll will HAVE YA praying- in, SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER ELEVEN.
This week could be summarized in one word- growth. And no, not the granuloma kind- rather the process of increasing in spiritual size. You know how Nephi begins his sermons by announcing to the general population how absolutely massive he is? Yeah, I grew one step closer to being able to do that this week. I'm a firm believer that the physical gains come when the spiritual gains are established, and when I wasn't gaining a larger appreciation for the bible and the scriptures in general, I had quite the good minute to think about that process as Elder Cox was under the weather this week. As a representative of Jesus Christ, some of my best friends are a bunch of really wise old guys that I've never met before. One of my favorites though, that I've actually MET (and if you remember from a previous tale, permanently has my bodacious Southern woman's impersonation forever ingrained into his mind) is the man, the myth, the legend, Lynn G. Robbins. These few paragraphs really resonated with me this week.
Real intent implies with real effort and real change. “Change” is the principal word the Guide to the Scriptures uses to define repentance: “A change of mind and heart that brings a fresh attitude toward God, oneself, and life in general.” That kind of change results in spiritual growth. Our success, then, isn’t going from failure to failure, but growing from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm.
Concerning change, consider this simple insight: “Things that don’t change remain the same.” This obvious truth isn’t meant to insult your intelligence but is the profound wisdom of President Boyd K. Packer, who then added, “And when we are through changing—we’re through.”
Because we don’t want to be through until we become as our Savior is, we need to continue getting up each time we fall, with a desire to keep growing and progressing despite our weaknesses. In our weakness, He reassures us, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Only with time-lapse photography or growth charts can we discern our physical growth. Likewise, our spiritual growth is usually imperceptible except through the rearview lens of time. It would be wise to regularly take an introspective look through that lens to recognize our progress and inspire us to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.
I grew in sympathy for both my heavenly and my earthly parents. One day, I was on my knees asking God to provide the revelations necessary to be the best trainer for Elder Cox. As I sat in contemplation, an immediate thought came to mind, "study parenting." I guess this really is the Lord's University, because in the past four weeks or so, I have found uncanny similarities between my mission and my future. Elder Cox, being my son, has taught me more about what kind of parent I want to be, than any other companion. Shout out to my awesome parents, who raised me in all the right ways, and have been the greatest contributors to my service as a missionary! I never thought I'd understand WHY I had to clean the toilet every Saturday... Missions truly are the greatest. I am positive that every good decision and ounce of success that I encounter in my mortal ministry, will in some way be attributed to my service in these two short years. I love training. There is no better DAD 101, then being a Father in Israel.
Miracles of the week:
Due to Elder Cox's lack of commission this week, we had a bit of a proselyting drought. We had set our weekly goals LAST week, planning on thrashing nations with the spirit, ya know, the usual, but weren't planning on the viral adversary intervening in on our plans. Come Thursday, we had zero progress on our weekly goals. Luckily, this is HIS work. He may not have caused the sickness, but he certainly provided a cure. We were on bikes all this week, and as a result, Elder Cox was easily lightheaded and dehydrated... we had to decrease our proselyting time to give him room for recovery. BUT, the champion mustered enough motivation to get out and explore the great unknown for a few hours. In that short bit of time... without knocking a single door- solely from talking with wandering strangers- we achieved three new people to teach. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. While we were frolicking in the ghetto, we showed up, unannounced to a person who had graciously appeared in our area book that day. While one of the brothers was getting his weave in order, and the other sister was teaching us how to roll a joint with Wendy's napkins, we managed to squeeze the spirit into our conversation and caught their interest. Whether it was the hallucinogen or the spirit, the world may never know, but they received the Book of Mormon well enough and committed to coming to church and be baptized! I believe as we left they referred to us as, "the soul brothas with the silky pants." AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, as if we hadn't had enough, God literally handed us an elect on a silver plate of jambalaya. Seriously, at the ward potluck this weekend we had a young man come up with us, face STUFFED (looking like Alvin and his chipmunk boys), and through the grains of rice in his teeth utters, "I want to take classes." We meet him at church the following morning, and my man had stayed up late coloring superhero pictures for us. He spends all day with us, following us to classes and such, and then says, "I was baptized in Metairie, but I'd like to get baptized in the true church, please and thank you." September is finna be a wild ride.
A recap:
After three days of no progression, God rewarded our faith. We didn't knock a single door, and we found twelve new people to teach. We invited seven people to be baptized. And met all of our goals. Name a more miraculous God... I'll wait.
Also- IN CLOSING, I thought I'd say that the closer I've gotten to God, the closer I have felt to his children. I have made some REAL true friends out here on my mission who have taught me what friendship should feel like. It's a good thing when goodbye is hard because that means it was a good thing you had to say goodbye to. We had to say goodbye to some real friends this week- I am so appreciative of the people I have met, and those that God has put into my life. Y'all are the real MVP's.
Well y'all, I hope you prayed at some point in this weekly or felt some portion of the spirit in which it was intended in. The church is truer than true. and the day of miracles has not ceased. I love Slidell. I love Elder Cox. I love being a missionary... and most of all... I love all of you! HAVE A GREAT WEEK Y'ALL. ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU!
From a slightly larger in spiritual stature Elder,
Elder Boyd
This Week's Photos
This Week's Facebook Post:
"He sent his son to die for us... and rise with living breath."I have a personal testimony of the risen Lord. The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes salvation possible. It is by him and through him that we have our being, and through his sacrifice, we too can live again.The scriptures teach us that nothing shall separate from the love OF God, but will anything separate us from our love FOR God?Through tribulation and trial and disaster and peril, God loves us still. But can we say the same about our love for him?The crowning characteristic of love, is always loyalty. Are we loyal to the savior and his sacrifice for us?God shows his love for us in an infinity of ways- and most of all, through his only Begotten Son. But, how do we show our love to him? If God is so willing to give up so much for us- are we willing to give up just as much for him? And what do you give to the man who has everything? Well, the answer lies in this song..."What does he ask? Live like his son."
