Hello Family!!!
 |
| Kota Kinabalu Zone Conference 9.19.11 |
Another crazy week in the mission field :D Wow. In preparation for having all of the missionaries from all over Sabah stay in our home, we have our air conditioning serviced to make sure they were up to maximum capacity. When they workers came back from lunch, we got on a subject of religion (a topic we love to talk about) and the next thing you know it, I am bearing testimony and teaching right there in the middle of our living room! They walked right into it :D One of them expressed desires in learning more, and we met him last night, but didn't get a whole lot accomplished because even though he said he read and understood the The Restoration pamphlet, he could not wrap his mind around the idea that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ together. We bore testimony and taught him but he just kept saying he didn't understand. It was incredible to feel and know that he was not open at all to what we were teaching, but that he was just trying to take what we taught and add to what he already knows, but only the things that agree. He finally asked for a scripture that proves that Jesus and God the Father are different, and thinking we didn't have any, he was shocked and dumbfounded when we told him about the story of Stephan having a similar vision in Acts 7:55-56. He sat there staring at the scripture reading it over and over again. Sadly, he still didn't do anything, but agreed to pray some more about it. I hope his true desire to find truth is not squashed by the Pentecostal Church he is currently following. But its all in his hands. Interesting story though about how some people are just not open to the truth, so the truth does not make sense to them. We hear about a lot of weird "visions" and happenings around here, like Jesus Christ appearing in a coconut tree and things like that, but in the end one should ask themselves, "What is the purpose of this?" God only works for bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. He doesn't just show off for kicks. :D
The Conference itself was way cool. It was amazing to see my old branch (Sandakan) and some of my Recent Converts come to KK and gather together. It was such a joy, especially to see the Sandakan youth and leaders who had gone to the temple. There was a visible difference in them. You could just see in their eyes and by their countenances that they had be wrought upon by the Spirit, and forever changed by the House of the Lord. No words needed to describe what they felt. A smile and a mutual spiritual understanding was all that was needed. They now know that this is not just some club to go to on Sunday afternoon in a little rented house, but the Lord's Kingdom on the earth :D
I would also like to share with you something I experienced last week. We had made a goal to have 8 investigators come to district conference, and we felt that it was something that was doable. However as the week wore on, this goal seemed more and more impossible. That Sunday morning as I sat in the back, I could not help but feel a bit disappointed in myself, and felt that I had failed in my duty and in my goal, and I began to wonder "why am I here?. At that moment, in walked our recent converts, and then in some formerly less active recent convert. At that moment in time I realized that I had done my best, and that I should be happy for the work which I have done here. The worth of Every Soul is great in the eyes of God. I may not be the crowd baptizing missionary that I want to be, but I know that I made a difference in those whom I have helped grown closer to Christ. I was overcome by such a peaceful feeling that I had a good job. :D
I know that as we continue to look to the good things in life, on the important things, and strive to go from Good to Great, we will find a newer peace and happiness. It is so easy to get caught in the captivating thoughts of failure, defeat, and worthlessness. However, upon seeing the good that is wrought from every situation, and adopting that forward thinking mindset, we will find a spark in our spirits that was not present before. As my companion Elder Hawkins says: "I didn't lose the game, I was only behind when the clock ran out." :) If you are feeling that you are behind in life, remember that by returning to the basics, by Daily Prayer, Scripture Study, Church and temple attendance, adopting the attributes of Christ into yourself, you will will find that you are actually ahead :D
I love you all and know that as we all make a greater effort in feasting upon the word of God daily, we will be endowed with power.
Your Loving Friend, Brother, and Son,
Elder Kampenhout
No comments:
Post a Comment