So trying to think of what to say about this week. Nothing super amazing happened. but we found a lot of new people... 33 to be exact and we'll see this week if they amount to anything after a follow up lesson. One cool thing though was the Nkuna family. we've been trying to teach them literally for 3 months but the appointments are always too short or get cancelled for one reason or another. So finally... we taught them. And sister Nkuna was like eating up the restoration she was asking for books, videos, info, everything and she just told us how right it felt. we'll see them tomorrow :D
Wednesday we had a cool experience. We went to go see our investigator Katlego and lo and behold. not one... but 2 pastors. One is the head of Church of Christ Hammanskraal and the other one is the head over all of Soshanguve. So... it was on... haha they tried to bash so at first I picked them apart saying contention is of the devil. then they tried to disprove the book of Mormon and say we need no new scripture... so I picked that apart with good old John and with like 5 references made by prophets about books not contained in the Bible and good ol' Ezekiel 37. So I invited them to be baptized and pray about the Book of Mormon which they said no to. So they tried to contend our doctrine but in every point we were clear. So I invited them again to be baptized and they said "So what you're saying is this... If we follow the Bible word for word, and don't read the Book of Mormon, we are lost." Elder Robinson:"Yep... you got it". So then silence. Elder Robinson: "If you followed the Bible word for word you'd be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints." Silence. Can we close with a prayer? Man it felt good haha. If you wanna gain a testimony... defend the church in front of pastors.
So looking back on the last year I've had a lot of legendary experiences. Too many to count or mention but looking back and looking ahead to 2012 maybe I can share one. Nelspruit was the refiners fire at first and a few weeks after arriving, I loved my companion, I loved the members, but man I was discouraged. I'll never forget one night just asking what am I supposed to learn here. Then this prompting came. "keep a smile on your face, go to work." I believe still that was one of if not the most profound promptings of my mission. It changed everything and has made it the best 18 months. Gordon B. Hinckley had a similar experience and advice from his father "forget yourself and go to work." The Savior said it best "He that loseth his life shall find it, he that keepeth his life shall lose it" Going in to this new year and my final 6 months I'd just like to say. Enjoy it... if 2011 sucked guess what its gone. Live what you've got now. I've got 6 months left of the opportunity of a lifetime and in the words of Elder Holland "the opportunity must be taken in the lifetime of the opportunity." Don't look back, just go for it... That's my plan.
Happy New Year and have a legendary week
Elder Robinson
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