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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