Here is some counsel from the President and the experiences that he shared this week.<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u00a6And no man receiveth a fulness unless he\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0keepeth [God\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122s] commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d (D&C 93:24,27-28).<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/i>President Monson, who is a wonderful example of obedience, teaches this principle all the time:<\/p>\n
“There is no need for you or me in this enlightened age, when the fullness of the gospel has been restored, to sail uncharted seas or travel unmarked roads in search of a ‘fountain of truth… For a living Heavenly Father has plotted our course and provided an unfailing map \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u201d obedience” (President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, July 1996).<\/i><\/p>\n
As we teach our members by example of being obedient, they will trust us and want to do what we do:<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153She was found on\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Monday when we were running from one appt to the next (we had an investigator waiting for us at the church)\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 and we handed a card to her and invited her to church.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Thankfully, our member who was with us stopped and talked to her. As we were hurrying off, we heard him say, \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcYou need to come to church and be baptized because God needs you in His church\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Wow…I was impressed by how bold he was; for a missionary, that would be a usual greeting, but for a member?\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 He gave us her address when he caught up to us at the chapel 20 min later and we had the chance to follow up with her on Thursday night…\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 we took the time to harvest the whole building, and found her!\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 She was so excited when she saw it was us!\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 We blessed her and she accepted baptism and is so beyond amazing! She already has at least 5 generations of family history down, read at least to 1 nephi 10 in the first night of having the Book of Mormon, and taught us some really cool stuff about the 12 tribes of Israel, and knows the Bible soooo well!\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 She asked us on Saturday night what she needed to wear for her baptism!\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 God is great and He blesses us through ways we don’t expect!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n
God blesses us as we are obedient to opening our mouths:<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153We were biking to an appointment with an investigator and we saw a man and a group of people just hanging outside their house. We had passed this house many many times in the past, but this time we went over and opened our mouths. Turns out that he is a member that was baptized 2 years ago northwest of here, moved here and the records were never sent. That \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcgroup\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 of people turned out to be his family..Mother, 19 year old son, 16 year old daughter, 14 year old daughter, 12 year old son, 11 year old daughter, and a 7 year old son…ALL NOT BAPTIZED. We asked if they had gone to church with their dad before and they said that they went EVERY Sunday. We invited them to be baptized and they all said yes and that they didn\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122t know why they weren\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122t baptized before. They are preparing to be baptized this weekend.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n
Obedience in our responsibility in rescuing our \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153returning members\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d and bringing them back home:<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153… We were trying to contact some former investigators [from the area book], which we had no success- but then as we were walking back to the car, I got the impression to knock the door across from them. The woman that opened the door looked at us skeptically and said, \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcOh that’s nice what you’re doing, but I don’t need a building to feel God- bye!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 Just before she was about to shut the door, we testified that Christ sent us to share a special prayer with her because He loves her. She opened the door again and allowed us to share the prayer with her- and right after she opened her eyes- she was beaming! She told us how much she loved the prayer- and as we were about to leave- she told us “I got to tell you something! When I was younger, I was baptized Mormon. You know, I haven’t been to church in about 40 years- but I will definitely see you on Sunday!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 We visited her again Sunday morning to see if she needed anything else. She was wiped out, not feeling very well when we saw her- but as we listened, testified, and read from the Book of Mormon with her, she jumped up, eyes glowing and said \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcAlright- I’m taking a shower and I am coming! I’ll see you there!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 When she came to church, she immediately was welcomed in by members of the relief society- she felt welcome at once! She stayed all three hours and she left the building feeling so elated! We talked with one of the women from church who’d been guiding her around- and she told us that Teresa had said that we had been an answer to her prayers- and that she was so happy to be here!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n