I was studying Alma 32 this week during personal study
and it is ALL about faith. I had an impression that I would be using it
later, so I needed to really study it. And by golly! I did use this
chapter later. I was doing tours in the John Taylor home yesterday and 3
youth from Colorado came in. They are with a big group of 250 youth,
but they broke off and decided to come on their own.
After reading a quote by John Taylor, a boy from the group of 3
named Joseph Clark, 18yrs old, in a very sincere way, brought up
something like, "I don't understand how people can say 'I know the
church is true' and still have faith. If you know something, you don't
have faith, because you know it. And we can't KNOW the church is true
because it is imperfect. The gospel is perfect, but because the church
is run by imperfect people, so we can't know it's true." That impression
to study faith told me to commit those three people to read Alma 32
while on this trip and learn more about faith. I exlained to him, "That
we can KNOW that things are true because the Holy Spirit KNOWETH all
things and can if we have the spirit, we can know truth also. And
although men might not be perfect, their tutor is. God's works come to
pass through man." After the tour, he and I talked about faith and many,
many other things for about 45min to an hour. I read verse 17, 18, and
21: "Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign
fom heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe. Now I
ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a
thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it. And now as I said
concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things;
therefor if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which
are true." I also mentioned Moroni 10:3-5. And by the power of the Holy
Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
Anyway, it was just a great experience and I had a pure
love for this sincere boy and I felt God's love for him. It was obvious
that God had a great love for him and was very mindful of
him because it became my job to find him here in Nauvoo and teach,
testify, invite and promise. It seems that as a missionary, people open
up to you way more easily than they would if not. They just feel the
trust from us I guess.
Interpreting for that Deaf Family was great. Yes, that family of Deaf people were
glad to have an interpreter; the father especially. He told us that the
trip would have been a LOT less interesting if we hadn't been there to
teach them in their language. It was truly an incredible experience. One
of the daughters was more independent and very good at reading lips and
was fine without an interpreter, but enjoyed having us there.
Just be mindful that speaking louder to those who are Deaf, doesn't
mean they will hear you. haha! One of the missionaries here tried to
talk louder while doing the rope demonstration, as if they would
suddenly hear him. oh boy." They loved the brickyard. There it just
explains all about how and why bricks were made in Nauvoo. And the key
gospel message is that we want to become a good, strong,
beautiful, useful brick.
We went with the Deaf family to: the Bakery, Family Living Center, and Lucy Mack Smith home.
Last night we 20 sisters went down The Trail of Hope. That was
where the saints waited to board barges to head West. (The saints didn't
have to stay on barges for long however, because the Mississippi froze
over and they were able to cross safely). They YPM's (young performing
missionaries) were putting on a vignette.(I thought you might like that
French word:)) They were dressed up in 1840s clothing and recited/acted
out certain person's from the trail. Inspired by journals and histories
of the saints. We were lead by lantern light to about 12 stations. It
was powerful.
At its close, the YPM's invited us YSM's (young sister
missionaries) to sing a song called "Invocation" and pray with them. I
actually sung it in high school, so I knew it pretty well. And the YPM's
sing it every day in the VC before they start their show. It was just
what I had been wanting to do. SING! With good singers and powerful
testimony. I feel so blessed to be here, and so unworthy of the
blessing.
I best be off. Love you!
Sister Zibetti
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