12/22/2014 Merry Christmas This Week!!!

Here is the latest email from Elder Crye in Canada.

- Caralee

******

Missionary work in Canada is interesting.

It's a struggle just to find people that are interested in learning. Everyone's busy. Everyone has other priorities in their life. Not many people really care about where they came from, why they're here, or where they're going. Not that many know their purpose in life.

Of those that are religious, most are religious due to the traditions of their fathers. They've never really asked for themselves if it's true. This is a problem that we find in people both inside and outside of the Church.

If there's one thing I wish more people did, it's to actually ask those kind of questions and then put themselves in a place to receive their answers.

Every now and then, my companion and I stumble upon somebody that's interested in learning more about the deeper things in life. Perhaps we find them. Perhaps they find us. They actually meet with us. We teach them. We have a wonderful, spiritual experience together. We feel the Spirit. They likely do too, but they may not recognize it. Often, there are things like commandment issues that might be keeping them from having the sensitivity to recognize the Spirit. Their curiosity is piqued. 

Then, we invite them to learn more. We want them to gain their own witness of what we share, not just believe us, but believe God.

We invite them to come to church, pray, and read. Those 3 things are what we often call the "primary answers" in that they're so essential to getting your answer. Just like a seed needs air, water, and sunlight to grow, everyone's testimony needs those 3 things (church attendance, prayer, reading scriptures) to grow. Without any one of the 3, the seed withers and dies.

This week was really really promising. We taught several different people. People invited us in. It was Christmastime. Everybody was happy. Apart from all the shopping and the frustrations that come with it, people are having a Merry Christmas.

Several people wanted to learn more. They wanted an answer. I believed them. They truly sounded like they wanted an answer, but then they didn't show up to church. It's times like this that I wonder what more I could've done. 

I bear you my testimony that I know that this gospel I share is true. I know it as much as I know that I exist. I believe that's a strong claim, but this is truly something that I know.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Every time I remind myself that all those we're meeting "are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." (D&C 123:12)

Love,

Elder Crye