August 6, 2018

This is such a random scripture but every time i read it i think it’s the perfect recipe to revelation.

1 Nephi 11;1

"For it came to pass after i had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as i sat pondering in mine heart i was caught away in the Spirit of the lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which i never had before seen, and upon which i never had before set my foot."

Nephi desired to know, he had faith, and he sat ponding (or acting and pondering.) The Lord was able to reveal the Mysteries of Himself! I’ve learned that pondering is pretty important (you know me just make up my mind and do something without really thinking it through) haha But it’s how the knowledge you have in your brain is carried to the feelings of your heart.

This week was alright. It was kinda frustrating cause we meet a lot of awesome people but they never hold through. You just want to give up on them, but they seems to have just enough light in them to motivate you to keep going. It’s kinda like a teaser hahaha My comp and i definitely saw some tender mercies this week. We are teaching quite a few children and we’re really not allowed to baptize them without the president’s permission so when he comes this week we will have to ask him if we can. If they don’t have enough of a support system he won’t say yes. They pretty much have to have an active parent in order to be baptized cause 95% of the members who go to university go less active. It’s kinda sad but that is just the way it is. The church really isn’t established in the hearts of the people here but that is part of the area plan here in South East Africa. We are teaching one child who has an uncle who is a strong member but her mother isn’t. Her mother, Michelle has been taught by missionaries for 8 years but can’t give up smoking drugs to be baptized but she wants her daughter to be baptized. We broke the news to her that we can’t baptized her daughter without her being baptized also. Demishe was devastated. She’s 12 years old and started to cry. It was so sweet. The mother then realized that her decisions are starting to affect her children so now she said she will try extra hard to quit. We gave her a blessing and now were going though ARP with her and her sister who is also less active going through the same problems. I’ve got some pretty good feelings about them but it’s going to take a while! Pray for them!!!!

Love you all 

Elder Shaw