Monday, July 16, 2012 "In Wisdom and Order"

This week was mostly trying to get everything back into order. We spent time with the District Leaders to help the Zone get into order, and we then had a meeting with the Stake Presidency to unify our efforts with theirs. We were happy to hear that the Stake Presidency here is very active and already working on how to improve Missionary Efforts, as well as other areas, in the Stake. We offered our help and we counseled with them. In the end, we were all able to come to an agreement on how we should approach things, and they thanked us for our efforts. Hopefully by the end of this transfer things will be straightened out.

Honestly, that's about it for this week. One investigator we're teaching, McGill (from Liberia) was very much prepared for the Restored Gospel. He himself has admitted to seeing the Lord's hand bringing him to the Gospel, and he feels it's all true. He came to Church on Sunday, and he's working towards his baptism on Aug. 4. It has to be then, though, cause after that he leaves for University again the next week. So, we're really working and praying for him. His wife had already met the missionaries and attended Church, and likes it (she stopped when the missionaries got transferred), so she should follow easily. We pray; haha.

Welp, time is short. Here's Pres.'s letter. I've got letters to send out, but I dont know when I'll be able to do that.

"Dear Elders and Sisters:

Two of the keys to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ is to learn to follow His every command and to put aside our own desires. The Savior Himself taught these principles in the Garden of Gethsemane as he submitted His own will to the will of the Father when He said: "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done" (Luke 22:42).  Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once taught:

"The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give,' . . . are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!" (Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 22)

I had an experience yesterday where the Lord asked me not to do something I really wanted to do.  I wanted to be in Ho to participate in the sustaining of a new branch presidency. I have worked with and observed the members of this remarkable branch for the better part of a year and it would have been a joy to be in attendance, but "the Spirit of the Lord . . .called [me] another way" (Alma 22:4). I went to another area instead, "not knowing beforehand the things which I should do" (1 Nephi 4:6).  Even though I had to travel through several hours of potholes to arrive at my new destination, and Sister Judd was not able to travel with me, I was blessed to eventually discover the Lord had a specific purpose for me being there. 

As I was speaking in Sacrament Meeting (in this other location) I felt impressed to share with the members of the branch the story of Amulek from the Book of Mormon. As a part of my talk I quoted the following description Amulek gave of himself: "And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry" (Alma 10:4). I then went on to tell the story that even though Amulek had resisted the Lord's call for many years, he went on to become a great missionary and leader. I them promised the saints present that there were people in the community who were much like Amulek and who were waiting to be reactivated and others who were prepared to be introduced to the gospel and to the Church. I didn't think too much more about what I had said as I went with the District President and his clerk to take a drive around the city and to consider the possible boundaries for a new branch in the area. 

As we were traveling, we soon came upon several businesses that were owned by a less-active member of the Church. We then saw the less-active member talking to one of his employees. We stopped and talked with him for a few minutes and I took the chance to speak with him privately and invite him to return to activity. We then returned to the church for the Sacrament Meeting of the other branch the meets in the same building as the first. It wasn't until I was standing to speak in this second Sacrament Meeting that the words of Amulek I had quoted in the earlier Sacrament Meeting (and also above) came clearly to my mind: "And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry" (Alma 10:4). As I was speaking, I suddenly realized why I had not attended the Ho Branch, and had been led to attend the one in which I was speaking. I had been sent to reclaim a modern-day Amulek. This less-member was the reason I was there. He was the man "of no small reputation" and who had "acquired much riches". Amulek's description of himself fit this man perfectly.   

I won't take any more time with this story, but it is enough to say that the story is yet to be completed. I've quoted Alma 10:4 above, and verse 5 and parts of verse 6 have already been fulfilled. The story of Amulek meeting Alma is in so many ways a pattern for what is happening between myself and this good man. I realize that I am not the man Alma was, but I do have the same priesthood and and the very same priesthood keys he held. I don't know what will happen, but I do know that the Lord loves this good man and sent me to help reclaim him and his family. He could very well be an important part of a third branch of the Church that will soon be a part of this city. 

The more I read the Book of Mormon the more I realize that we are doing the very things today the ancient Book of Mormon missionaries did thousands of years ago. Their stories are also our stories. I would hope none of us will ever be called on to do what Ammon did at the waters of Sebus (see Alma 17), but so much of what the missionaries did in ancient times, we are called upon to do in the present. 

I am very pleased that most of our missionaries have caught the vision and are working hard, working smart, and are striving to be pure. These are the missionaries who are and who will yet have miraculous experiences. Others are still living their mission their way and have not yet submitted their will to the will of God. These missionaries will not fulfill the purposes for which they have been called and their missions will not be what they could be. 

One concern I have for the mission is that some of us may be spending too much time with some of our investigators and failing to contact others who are in need of our message. Just as I wanted to spend the day in Ho and not travel to another part of the mission, some of us are allowing our own will to get in the way of doing what God would have us do. This is one of the reasons the number of people we baptize changes so dramatically from week to week. Some weeks we baptize many (usually at the end of the month) and the next week only a few. It is such a joy to spend time with individuals and families who are learning of the restored gospel and who are in the process of being re-born, but we must be careful not to spend too much time with them. We must discipline ourselves to continually be looking for new people.  It is very important you do not misunderstand my message.  Each of your investigators need your constant care (see Alma 21:23), but as President Boyd K. Packer once taught, "A virtue when pressed to the extreme may turn into a vice" (Ensign, Nov. 1990, p. 84).  Think about it. Teaching, loving, and nourishing your investigators is a wonderful thing, but spending too much time with them can become a distraction.  Neither should we spend too much time with them (or any other members) following their baptisms. Please don't allow yourself to become distracted from following the Lord's direction. If the adversary can't get you to do evil things, he may very well try to get you to do too much of a good thing to distract you from fulfilling your purpose.

The Book of Mormon teaches this very principle. Even though Ammon had a miraculous encounter with King Lamoni's father and may very well have wanted to spend more time with him, he had the discipline to leave and to teach others. King Lamoni's father even asked Aaron (Ammon's missionary companion) why Ammon didn't spend more time with him: "I desire to know the cause why he [Ammon] has not come up out of Middoni with thee" (Alma 22:3). Aaron answered by saying: "The Spirit of the Lord has called him another way" (Alma 22:4). Please remember that as you work with those you are teaching, take the time they need and enjoy working with them, but realize there are others who need you and the message you have to teach them. 

Alex Boye Concert

Many of you have heard that there will be a special concert this Thursday at the Christiansborg Stake Center. Alex Boye of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will be the featured guest. This concert is being held to reach those not of our faith. If you are serving in one of the six Accra stakes, have an investigator who would benefit from the experience, and can arrange your own transportation (including the cost), you may attend. Please remember, do not allow this to become a distraction from your other missionary duties. Many of you will better serve the Lord by staying in your areas and working with your investigators or even finding new people to teach. 

Brother Boye is of Nigerian decent and was reared in England. He is a returned missionary who is an up and coming star and has a wonderful testimony of the gospel. The fireside will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. This event is especially designed for "the rich, and the learned, the wise and the noble" (D&C 58:10) and many of Ghana's "opinion leaders" will be in attendance. Make it a prayerful decision whether you should attend or not. Contact Sister Barney if you have "opinion leader" investigators who may benefit from a special invitation. 

Elders and Sisters, thanks for all you do and for all you are. I am blessed to work and to serve with you.

Much Love,

President Judd" ("The Spirit of the Lord has called him another way." (Alma 22:4), 16 July, 2012).

I love you all! Take care, and God bless!

--Elder Collings