August 11, 2014

Elder Low's report:

This week I've been reading in Alma 32, as it talks about faith. In the missionary training center one of my companions always expressed his love for this chapter. He loved how Alma showed so simply how it was that we could obtain and grow our faith, which he knew would be a principle of great power in his future missionary work. He loved the doctrine demonstrated there that shows that as we act first then the Lord would little by little show his nature and power unto us and through us, growing our faith even as a seed grows. He would often refer back to this principle as we saw our investigators there progress and as we discussed what it was they needed. This time around reading this chapter, a new part stuck out to me though, which is Alma’s demonstration of this very principle, recorded in verses 6 and 7 by taking a leap of faith:

6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word.

 7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly penitent.

At this point in the chapter Alma demonstrates the very principle that he later teaches. He demonstrates faith without first seeing the blessings that will come. Instead of continuing to teach those he had been teaching, when he found who it was that he felt he was sent to find and help, it specifically says that he said "no more" to the rest. Immediately he stopped teaching them. He didn't know if this new people would stay and listen. For all he knew he might have lost everyone he'd been trying so hard to help. But he acted upon an impression and as a result converted those who were ready to be converted.

This week we were very busy. Everyone seemed to want to hear from us. We would run and bike to appointment after appointment. This was great at first. Then we started getting behind. Lots of new investigators were coming into our teaching pool, as hard as we tried; we seemed to simply not be able to make all of these appointments. We came to a point in the week when we were just swamped. We thought about what we were going to do. Finally after some discussion we decided that we would drop a lot of our investigators even though many of them were new. It was hard but we felt it was for the best of the area as the investigators weren't progressing very well. As a result many of our other investigators began to progress including a family who we are helping prepare for baptism.

 I know as we put our faith in God and truly help those who are repentant the Lord will bless us.

 Elder Low