Hello to all!
What a special weekend it always is to hear from Prophets, Seers, and Revelators of the Lord! It always hits me with a little "homesickness" when I remember all the great moments as a family watching General Conference (with Dad strategically placing the "Picture-In-Picture" in the corner with sporting events) ha ha love ya Dad! But when the homesickness comes, in comes Elder Holland to get me back and ready to work, what a talk! I loved them all, and when the Internet rule isn't 1 hour per week, I will expound more on my conference notes ha ha.
We had a special training meeting with the mission president this week. He came and talked about the big struggles we are having as a mission, and basically opened it up to all of us to express our ideas. I shared some thoughts, it was a productive meeting. He then shared a story of a man who was challenged to do a "40 day fast" in his mission of all the things that impeded him from having the Spirit with us. So as a mission, for the next 40 days, we made personal lists of those things holding us back from having the Spirit, and covenanted with the Lord to refrain from them. I know that I, and us as a mission, will see the many miracles from dedicating myself more to the work, and being a more spiritual disciple of the Lord.
Fun note, I plucked out a gray hair from my head...so you could call me old now, eh?
I did a division this week with a great missionary named Elder Pearson. We went to my old area from about 9 months ago, and had an incredible day. The Spirit was so strongly with us all day, and we saw many miracles in our teaching and finding. We were out with a member doing visits, and we were going to take a shortcut to the next visit, but I just said "lets go the long way". We were walking, and the member said, "hey, my sister lives down here" so we changed plans and went to visit her and her husband. We got there, not knowing before hand what to do, but the husband was there so we went in and started sharing. They were a couple that was preparing to enter in the temple when I was there, and for unknown reasons, they had slowed their preparation and had fallen less-active. After singing and saying a prayer, I felt the distinct impression to share about the temple, specifically Temple Marriage. We read in Doctrine and Covenants 131, and it was very effective. After I concluded with the prayer, I looked up to see the husband with tears in his eyes. The Spirit came into the room almost tangibly. He, through tears and sobs, shared that this morning his alarm hadn't gone off for him to go to work, so he slept in and was too late to go, so he stayed home. He said that it was their anniversary, and had prayed that the Lord would send them some sort of "gift", something to help them out. And then, that afternoon, when we came, (and by the way, missionaries had not been there for at least 2 months) he knew that the Lord had sent us. They recommitted to prepare for the temple, and to talk to the Stake President at Stake Conference. We left that visit feeling better than ever. There really is a joy in missionary work that you only can feel by experimenting it!
This story doesn't end. Yesterday at conference, between sessions, I saw 2 smiling young faces as the couple walked in to have their interview with the Stake President. They thanked us for all we had done to help. I know that families can be together forever, and it is a privilege to help the Lord achieve His work and His glory :"To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man".
Its a great blessing to serve a mission. Keep me, and my companion, and the people here in your prayers, we could really use it!
Love you all!
Until next week,
Elder Babcock
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