So, All-Africa Service Project this week! We weeded and fixed up the Teshie Police Station. It was great, although I somehow ended up with the job of - yup! - digging ditches full of poop. There were people from Zoomlion (trash company) who were suppose to be doing that, but they didn't want to, so I jumped in and cleaned out a drainage ditch so that water could flow. It wasn't very pleasant, but it made things better, so it was worth it. I even got to see Papa! Remember him? He was baptized on Nov. 14, back in McCarthy Hill! His mom is now the cook for the MTC, so they moved to Tema, and for some reason he and his older brother came to Teshie for the service project.
We also had Zone Interviews on Tuesday. Pres. Judd talked with me about Mercy vs. Justice, and how that applies to leading. We need to have people follow us, not just because it's their duty or anything like that (Justice), but because they love us, and we love them, and they want to make us happy (Mercy). We need to have a proper balance of both, as Christ had perfect Mercy and Justice. It was a great discussion, and I really learned a lot from it.
The big thing is what happened on Wednesday. We went on splits, Elder Madamombe coming with me to Teshie, and we were preparing to have District Meeting. I got a call from one of our recent converts saying that his roommate, an investigator we were teaching, was throwing him out, and he wanted us to beg him to let our convert stay. We told him we'd call him back; we had no idea what to do. We can't get involved in it, as we're missionaries, and we were worried to turn it over to the Bishop (long story), but we couldn't just do nothing. After a while, we called Pres. and asked him for advice on what we should do. He agreed that we can't get involved and told us that we may just have to give it to the Bishop, but then had the idea that we could first teach them both the principle of Mercy vs. Justice found in Mosiah 4. He said we'd have to be very clear not to take a side, but to simply teach the principle and then have them prayerfully apply it. So we set out, studied Mosiah 4 together, and went to teach him.
When studying, we felt a strong impression to look at vs 13, where it says "live peaceable;" we felt that the problem probably arose because they were arguing, and it led to one throwing the other out. We then kept reading, and felt that vs 17 - 21 talked about Mercy, and vs. 27 showed us Justice. So we went in and talked with him about it.
When we entered, we excused the convert from the room, and then started discussing. We could tell that the Lord had prepared him for this lesson; I don't know why, but that was the thought that kept coming into my mind as he answered the questions and we discussed. He understood everything well, and we taught about living peaceable and "render[ing] to every man according to that which is his due" (vs 13).
The discussion about mercy went about very well, and the Spirit testified of the truth therein. We discussed why we need to give to the beggar, and he understood very well. But the amazing part came when talking about Justice. We read in vs 21 how God gives us whatever we ask that is right. That was where Justice came in. Reading vs 27, we see that all things must be "done in wisdom and order;" all wisdom comes from God, so we know what is due a man by praying and asking God. We then talked about when Justice would demand that we say "no" and deny the beggar. We read in vs 27 that "it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength." Elder Madamombe explained how we shouldn't give more than we have for ourselves by comparing it to a weak man trying to lift 200 kg's - it's not good for him. At that moment, however, I was impressed with a different understanding of that scripture, one that I've never heard of or thought of before. I asked our investigator if his brother, a weak man, begged him for his 200 kg weights; would he give them to his brother? He answered no, and I asked why. His answer was wonderful: "It will destroy him."
I then explained that sometimes Justice demands us to say no to the beggar because if we give them what they are begging for, it may cause them to run faster than they have strength, and it will destroy them. The drunkard who begs for money may not have strength enough to not use it to buy alcohol. The jobless man who begs for money may not have strength enough to use his money for wise purposes, but will instead get caught up in "free money" and lose the desire to search for work. We sometimes have to say no, because they do not have strength to take what they begged for. Instead, we must "be diligent" and offer them what God wants them to have - training for a job, help in stopping to drink (Word of Wisdom pamphlet?) - and let them experience what God knows they need to experience. We cannot let our Mercy rob them of the experiences that will bring about their exaltation. We must do all things in wisdom and order.
I've never thought of it that way. Even now, the way I'm explaining it isn't as profound and insightful as it was when we talked about it then. It was like pure revelation from heaven; it was an incredible experience.
I know these things are true. I know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, and that if we prayerfully study it, we truly will learn "all things what [we] should do" (2 Nephi 32:3).
Time is up; I love you all! Take care, and God bless!
--Elder Collings
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