Bashing? No no no no no no - 1/19/14

Hi everyone,

So, it's been a couple of weeks since my last email, and things have been a bit crazy. For starters, don't worry about the whole "Je Suis Charlie" thing. It has had utterly no impact on France missionaries. Hakuna Matata and God bless America.

Second, I learned a valuable lesson recently:

So get this, a little over a month ago, the sister missionaries in our ward thought it would be a funny idea to go up to an African man publicly calling people to repentance in the middle of Paris and give him our contact information saying "we're interested in what you have to say. This is our number." Surprise! Next thing we know, we have an appointment set with Jean-Marie, the African Evangelist Pastor.

Elder Nelson and I went into this appointment with the intention of sharing the message of the restoration, but it ultimately just turned into the strongest bible bash that I've ever had. I'm not gonna lie, we had him on the ropes, because his beliefs were riddled with flaws, holes, and contradictions (there's no original church, church is in the heart, etc...), and I felt pretty cool as my mind began to slip back into the art of rhetorical device and sophistry. However, by the end of this appointment we met a bitter defeat. Yes, in a sense of debate, we had won and conveyed our message, but nobody left that rendezvous edified by the Spirit. I had regrets and learned from my mistakes.

Now, two weeks ago we had the fortune to stumble across a 15-year instructor of the Bible for the Jehovah's Witnesses. Elder Nelson and I were determined not to repeat our mistakes. We went into our appointments, and Maxime, the JW, was begging to bash. Every opportunity he got, he would whip out his Bible and throw down arguments to counter the pettiest things. However, I'm very pleased to say that we always left feeling rather victorious. Yes, we let many of his arguments go unanswered and his interjections uncountered, but we were able to testify and teach, always leaving with a beautiful spirit in the midst.

Elder Bednar taught in the MTC that investigators remember what was felt, not what was said. I testify to this, and I further testify that it is this Spirit felt by the investigators that compels them to change their life. I know this Gospel is true, and I challenge each of you this week to say something that invites the Spirit into your conversations with others.

Love you all!

Photos:

- Upon leaving a rendezvous, I turned around and realized where we just had it. Sometimes you just need to stop and look at the little things.

- Obeeezy made a billboard!

- We just got Saturday Sport up and going in our ward. It's great!