Hello Everybody!
Well it seems like only five days ago that I email y'all! Oh wait... it was...
Anyway, our preparation day was changed to today because we will be inside all day next Monday due to Hurricane Irma! That fun little storm! So you get to hear from me even earlier!
It's been crazy - it's felt pretty apocalyptic. Cars backed up like a parking lot in traffic. People yelling and swarming the gas pumps to fill up on gas. (It's completely out in Gainesville). There hasn't been water on the shelves in Gainesville for a few days. People are boarding up their windows with plywood. It's just crazy! None of it has made me nervous, but it's just crazy! It's honestly like something from the Hunger Games, where there's a tiny little bit of food and everybody from a starving, poor district. Like holy cow! I'm trying to describe it in words. There's an atmosphere here outside, on the roads, talking to people. If I wasn't a missionary, and I didn't have the gospel, I'd be SUPER scared. We've been super optimistic, though. We listen to the Spirit, not negativity! We've done everything we can to uplift the district and keep them focused on our purpose instead of being scared or becoming ineffective.
The hurricane has made me really focus on others, though. It's been really interesting to monitor how I feel now compared to Hurricane Matthew last year. I'm always thinking about companionships in our district - if they have enough food, water, gas, where they're at, are they doing ok? Are they staying focused? Do they feel like we're here for them? Etc.
Anyway, the storm has been quite a fuss around here. Honestly it's pretty pesky for us. As of right now, it's not exactly working with us to help people build their faith. Everybody is pretty focused on "ooh, the route of the hurricane changed" or "there was just a new shipment of gas at this gas station!" or "water is back in stock at Walmart, let's go!" We've had some great opportunities to do service and have been blessed in that way. We're incredibly excited for the many service opportunities in the coming weeks! We know that people will be humble and teachable, and that there will be a lot of people who needed this little change in their life to recognize that they are missing something.
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| Visited Wal-mart pre-storm with my district today. |
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| Here is a picture of what the shelves in all the stores here look like |
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| Here is a picture of what all of the stores and homes here look like... |
This week has reminded me of two beautiful scriptures that apply well to storms and hurricanes. This is from the prophet Helaman. "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless woe, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Then, these words from Jesus Christ. "if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
I know that these words are true, and that exciting times like this come our way for a reason. So Elder Butterfield and I can stand here in Gainesville, with the eye of Hurricane Irma coming right our way in t-minus two days, and say, with Caleb of the Old Testament, "Give me this mountain." Maybe that's a little dramatic, but it really is the upbeat attitude we have. We're excited for all of the opportunities that our loving God gives us, and here's one of them, right at our front door!
This week's poem is called "Give me this mountain." Background to the story of Caleb - he was with Moses and the children of Israel after they crossed the sea and we're going to the promised land. When they came to the land the Lord promised hey would have, they found it inhabited by people. Caleb was excited and welcomed the challenge of defeating them and living there, but the other people lacked faith. So after them all wandering around for many years, the Lord allowed them to return and gave gem another chance at showing faith by taking over this land. It was inhabited by the sons of Anak, who are described as "giants." At this point, Caleb is now 85 years old. This is where, at the prospect of risking everything to take the land, Caleb says to God "give me this mountain." There's some backstory for ya. It's a pretty epic story, honestly, so you should go and read it. (Find the story in the Old Testament, or just click on these chapters: Numbers 13 , Numbers 14 and Joshua 14.)
A hurricane's coming,
Many are running,
God's truths they are shunning,
Give us this mountain.
We go boldly forward,
The storm's coming shoreward,
We're still preaching God's word,
Give us this mountain.
A smile on our face,
Upheld by God's grace,
To man's aid we race,
Give us this mountain.
-Elder McMullin
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