Satan owns the fence

This week has been crazy! Been a pretty good one. Went by pretty quick. I have never experienced anything like it though. Not that it was totally insane or anything, just something new. Three appointments we had, and I have never been asked so many questions in my whole life. It has been great. The Lord has blessed us. He has filled our mouths. The Spirit, as promised, has brought many things to our remembrance. We haven't answered all their questions, but we have helped them. We have been able to help them see what they need to do, or how these questions can be answered. And in some cases, we have answered them. I just can't believe all the questions and concerns I have dealt with in this one single week. Things about Adam and Eve and being punished for their transgressions (and thinking about it much deeper than the 2nd Article of Faith covers), things about tattoos and piercings that I would have never come up with. About the Priesthood only being in the tribe of Levi (I get into this one a lot and use it for many concerns people have, but this one lady was wondering about if Christ came through the tribe of Levi and a bunch of other stuff). Stuff about if God is an unchangeable being then why this that and the other. Ah man, its been great! I'm learning so much! I love that some people will actually think! That they will question with boldness. Yes, it is extremely frustrating too. But I love that these few people aren't so quick to dismiss everything because of one or two things that bother them. They are willing to search! And its caused me to search much on behalf of them, and my testimony is being strengthened and my knowledge furthered. I swear the gospel is just the most amazing incomprehensible and eternal thing in the world! Its perfect! If you get down to it, it all must make sense! Its such a beautiful thing and I thank God every day that I am out here in a situation where these different things are laid before me so often. So many opportunities. I probably don't even recognize or act upon half of them!

So yea, tons of questions this week from a few different appointments. There seems to have been this theme since I've been in Waterbury of the Law of Moses. I haven't been studying it super in depth, but I seem to be learning a lot about it. I feel like I'm so often bringing up the children of Israel and things pertaining to them and why different things happened to them, and applying it to people here and situations they are in. Its very interesting. There's so much to it all, having to be given a lower law because they couldn't handle the higher law. Hard hearted people. So the law was changed, but surely the principles remained the same. I was looking over it more this morning and it all just fits! God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His principles remain constant. Truth is truth. The spirit of the law remains. The letter of the law may have to be adapted in different dispensations I suppose, but the underlying purpose for the law is the same. Christ said, he has never given us a temporal law! Only spiritual (DC 29?). And maybe we do some things "for a wise purpose" that we don't always "get". But we do it. And we see blessing for it. I love it!

The depth of all this is just incredible. Everything I just said are just thoughts I've been having. All that letter/spirit of the law stuff certinaly isn't doctrine (maybe it is, I don't know), but the spirit has helped me to understand it at this point. I hope our investigators can have the same experiences. God does answer prayers. Ah man! God! That was something else! This lady who knows there is a god for sure, but questions all of Gods ways. Why this and why that etc. As I searched for answers in this appointment, it all made perfect sense to me. I explained it, but her heart was not open and she kept coming back to these little concerns. But I had my own realization of how things like opposition and happiness and misery and all these things like that we see everyday point directly toward the sure existence of God. 2 Nephi 2 supports it scripturally. I loved it. I love when you learn as you teach! And I love that the Book of Mormon, something that people try to shoot down constantly, provides all these amazing truths about life and the gospel and everything! I just can't understand how people can work against all this. By their fruits ye shall know them! A lady told us this week that by their fruits, if there was a true church on the earth, it would be the Mormon faith. Yes! And this lady is amazing. She knows the Bible. She pulls all these amazing parallels from it as we teach her the restored gospel. She related the idea of having the Priesthood today, and there being only one true path, back to the story of Jacob and Esau and the birthright and all. The lady knows her gospel principles from the Bible, and she is able to recognize that the Bible supports what we say. If there is a God, He has a plan, and if the Bible has any truth in it, those truths are here today in this Church! I'm glad somebody in Connecticut seems to recognize that. I love it! Ah, I could go on forever. We've truly seen a lot of progression this week in others and ourselves (at least myself). Elder Mansfield too, but in a much different way. All good. Yes!

So much more, but I'll never get to it all. Rob has had a little bit of a set back. He was the source of many of these questions and concerns. I respect these people who actually think. They aren't quick to dismiss. They have questions, they want answers, and they are patient in finding them. These are the elect, and we are privilaged to be teaching 2 of them. I hope they use their agency well! Agency can be a killer! Anyway, Rob will be okay, I'm sure of it. Maybe I spoke to soon last week saying that he would surely get baptized, but he will, and I am not going to be one to think that my vocalizing something is actually going to have any impact on it happening. Jinx it. Ha. Yea right.

Alright fam, all is well. The work is hard. Its really hard! It brings me down sometimes, but its all good. I love you all terribly! Let me tell you we are way too lucky. So blessed. So blessed.

Love David