Email from Elder Lofthouse 9/22/14 So Much to Do!

Hello!

Time is just flying by. There is so much to do!! Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed. But I know what God wants me to do and I know that as I focus on that and just seek to spend every minute the way He wants me to spend it, everything will fall into place. 

Monday night we met with C. She didn't make it to church because she didn't have gas and when we stopped by to make sure she didn't need a ride she had just gotten in the shower. Her daughter said that she would be driving herself. Woops! Anyway, in our lesson, we asked if she had had the chance to ask God what He wanted her to do. She said yes and that she had been thinking about September 20th because that was the date we had asked her to pray about several weeks ago. She said she didn't think she'd have everything taken care of by the 20th but that next month would be the month. She committed to be baptized by October 25th (earlier if at all possible). She's just waiting to get a new job so she can live on her own income and kick out the man she's living with. Pray that she'll get a new job soon!

We actually didn't have any investigators at church on Sunday, the first time in awhile. A lot of things fell through. We're going to be really making that a focus this week. Coming to church is one of the hardest things for investigators to do. I also believe it's something that the adversary tries extra hard to interfere with because it's only once a week. So he just has to try really hard one morning and the rest of the week he's won. Our job is to do everything in our power to prevent every possible obstacle.

Well, here comes another week. Again, there is just so much to do. I love never feeling like I don't know what to do next. There's always something. This is such a great area. I have a great companion. These last two months will be great!

In our letter this week, President gave some insightful comments from the Book of Mormon.  I'd like to share:

"Well as I began the Book of Mormon again, inspired to do so, it popped out at me again. "And my father dwelt in a tent." Did you ever wonder why Mormon, the Prophet editor, was inspired to put that in there? Of what significance could that possibly have for us other than telling us their living accommodations which we really already knew based on their description of what they took? I think the answer has significance for us. Go back to the very first verse - "I Nephi, having been born of 'goodly' parents...". Goodly is so much more than "nice people". In this sense it means or points to the rest of the verse - "therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father...". Clearly, Lehi was a man of substantial means and high education. Much of this is supported by the account of Nephi and his brothers returning for the Brass Plates and using the "gold and silver, and all manner of riches" in an attempt to obtain the plates. What really is being made clear here is that Lehi was a man of substantial wealth and the fact that he "dwelt in a tent" indicates what he was willing to do and give up to follow the Lord. I think it teaches us something powerful about discipleship."

I think we've all made fun of that verse before, saying that it's our favorite.  I really do believe though that every verse in the Book of Mormon is inspired and their for a reason.  Sometimes you really have to search and ponder to know why, but when you find out how powerful it is!

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Lofthouse