Windy City

March 25

Wow, and I thought Spring was coming. Grand Junction broke a record a couple days ago with a frigid 14 degree morning. It’s just cold. On top of that, it’s just windy. Biking one direction is quite easy, but biking the other feels like a wind tunnel. But its pretty fun.

I had a pretty cool experience. We are teaching this lady which knows the church is true and wants to be baptized, but has at least 10 million things holding her back. Every time we go over there I feel like a psychologist. She goes on and on and on and on about her horrible life story and how her family hates her etc. At first I was really sympathetic, but this recurrence went on every time we go over there. She refuses to see hope and happiness in her life. 

This week we went over there and she and her husband had gotten into an argument so there was quite a big dark cloud in the room. I knew tensions were high and I had to choose my words carefully, so I prayed in my heart. "Heavenly Father, I don't know what to do, please give me the words that I need to say." I hadn't the faintest idea what to do, so I simply opened my mouth and the first words that came out were "we need to have the proper spirit in here, may we all kneel down while I offer a prayer?" I knew I was on the right track, because I knew at this point my words were not my own. So I offered the prayer and waited for her to "vent.” After that, I said very simply "Sister, you cannot change the past, there is nothing you can do about it. Take the lessons you have learned from the past and start looking to the future. I have never heard you laugh or even smile, and the message that we bring is not one of sadness and hopelessness, it is the gospel, it is the "good news." God can only heal your heart if you let him. This life is not a life of just enduring to the end through endless trials. It is meant to be enjoyed." I felt really good about this. But she simply wasn’t in the mood to listen and she continued to fret and dwell on the hopeless. I left feeling sad that she hadn't listened. But on the way out her husband pulled me aside and thanked me sincerely for being there at that time.

But yesterday, which was Stake conference, her and her husband showed up for the services. After the meeting she told me she had a "new birth" and was ready and willing to go. I told her, "It sounds like something wonderful has happened." She said, "yes, something did, I have decided to let go of the past and look toward the future." I was so happy to hear that. So hopefully we will start seeing great things happen! That’s all I have for this week!

Elder Bringhurst