Hey guys,
Well, not much to report on this week. Literally there was no fruit of the labor, in fact, just the opposite. It seems like everything that could go wrong this week did. For example, this past Wednesday we had our entire day planned. As we go through-out the day things happen and we have to change a few things, no big deal. By the time 6 o'clock comes around our appointments start to cancel on us left and right. We drive to an appointment we have set and they aren't home. So we drive to another set appointment and they are heading out the door. We decide to try our backups that we had planned and none of them answered the door either. As a last ditch effort, we started knocking doors. Once again no one answered. We get back to our car and I'm trying to figure out what to do for the next 30 minutes before we go home, so I start calling people to make appointments. At this point, our lesson we had set for the rest of the week decides to cancel on us as well! So not only did none of our plans work for that day, we lost everyone we were going to visit for the rest of the week. This is about how Thursday, Friday, and Saturday went as well. Except on Saturday, we had originally planned to go to the temple visitor center with one of our investigators that was progressing really well. Not only does she cancel the trip, she decides she doesn't want to take the lessons anymore either. We got dropped by our investigator who had the most potential to be baptized. Literally, we are left with nothing now. Every investigator we had has either moved, dropped us, or we haven't been able to contact.
But not to worry, I'm in good spirits. I'm just taking this as a sign that we have other things to do. Something that our ward mission leader has been pushing is for us to visit the members and get them started on member missionary work. We have plenty of time this week to do that. Something else is that the youth leaders have come to us to ask us for help. The youth are struggling with their testimonies right now. Well we are already working with the young men, why not the young women as well. Plus we have this entire week free to go and visit them. Maybe all this happened because we are needed on a different front. Our focus needs to be shifted a bit and apparently the best way to do that was get rid of everything else. I don't know, but what I do know is that something good has to come out of this. One day after me and Elder Castillo got home, I was beyond frustrated with the area and the luck we were having. Then Elder Castillo pulls out a scripture. It is Alma 26:27, and it says,
"27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
This one hit home for me. I can literally relate to this scripture because not only was I pretty depressed, but it occurred to me that I am actually working among the Lamanites. Pretty weird relation but it's really true, and that helped me relate all the more to the scripture because I am in the exact same shoes as Ammon was. Ready to turn back and give up on it, but then the Lord comes just in the right time to say "Don't worry so much, go back and keep working. I know it’s hard but if you keep strong I will show you results." So overall, through the afflictions, if I try my best to try and make something work, I'll see success. If I can bear with patience the hardship, I am promised success. And that's all I really want, is to see that I'm actually doing something to make a difference. That scripture helped me to change my outlook on the situation and actually have a sense of hope of something better will come after this.
So not to worry! I may have had a bad week but I'm still in good spirits and looking for ways to improve now.
Love you guys so much and thanks for all your support!
Love
Elder Biehn
