August 28th, 2012

Dear Mom,

 

Southern California is a magical kingdom full of people, young and old, trying to find their way from fantasyland and adventureland to gospelland. Remember how I just ran around in Disneyland, but had a serious problem finding what I was looking for and unable to recall direction? My path was not clear and my destination was ofttimes obscured by all the people around me. If I ended up somewhere that looked good enough then I would just stay there. Here in Temecula, (Oh, by the way, Anaheim (Disneyland) is less than an hour away) lots of people are in their lives lost and desperate to find the "right" and "best" and "true" destination on this roller coaster of life. The point I am trying to make with all of these analogies, silly metaphors and idioms is that Elder Lake and I are teaching some great people with some real problems. One investigator is waiting for her "black and white" answer about which church she should join, another lacks the faith to read and pray, and yet another dear child of God is happy enough where he is.

 

We had a choice experience this week in meeting someone prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We were biking to dinner from an appointment and a man mowing his lawn asked if we were Mormons. What a great question to ask the missionaries!! His name is Matt and he is full of bright and thought provoking questions. We had to go, but he asked us to come back that night which we did. As we knocked on the door, something was not right. He answered and was very nervous, scared even. he slipped out to the porch to talk to us. In contrast with the excited and interested attitude he had previously displayed, now was shown on his face an expression that necessitated thrifty use of time. He said hi, but he also informed us that his wife did not want us in the house. His wife came to the door, looked at us three, addressed us, saying "Dude, we're busy" and told Matt "Your mom is on the phone" We knew we had to improvise. Matt said "Ok hun, ok man" and hurriedly turned back to us. The following sequence of events felt like a drug deal to me. He motioned for us to give him a Book of Mormon, Quick! We slipped him a copy and Elder Lake furiously wrote down our phone number. All the while his upset wife was yelling that his "Mom is on the phone!!" he hid the Book of Mormon in his shirt and ran inside, saying to us "no more services please"

 

I find this funny now, but it is scary to think of the adversity that the devil gives to us. He knows the converting power of the Book of Mormon. I have 10 seconds left!! I know the church is true!!

Love, Elder Chandler