Miracles

Finally. We've had some good things happen!!! We've been working with this guy David for the past two weeks. He's a menos activo. His wife was baptized 2 years ago and he hasn't been back to church since. He went on a mission to Guatemala over 10 years ago. He has a super strong testimony and when we go to his house, he always shows us stuff from his mission. My companion and I on Sunday were welcoming people into sacrament meeting before church started and I saw David and his family pull up!! (He has a 3 year old son too) I was so excited! I ran out to the parking lot and told them how happy I was to see them. Then I sat with them during sacrament meeting. While the sacrament was being passed, he decided not to take it. After the bread passed, he put his head in his hands and started to weep a little. Then he pulled his head up and leaned over to me and said "This spirit is something I've missed for so long. Thank you." Then the rest of the day he was introducing himself and his family to everyone in the ward! He was so stoked to be there. And honestly, that moment in the chapel has been the best moment of my whole mission so far. That moment humbled me. 

I've decided i want to share a small spiritual thought with you guys every letter. This thought was from my personal study yesterday morning. I was reading in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Alma. chapters 31-34. these are very "famous" chapters in the Book of Mormon because it talks so much about the first principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is faith. In these chapters, there are two missionaries, Alma and Amulek, teaching a group of people that don't have that much money. They had just built a huge church, but were forbidden to worship inside because the leaders of this church told them that they were too poor to enter. For this reason they are written as to being "poor as to the things of the world; and they were also poor in heart." As an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Elder Holland has said, "These two things almost always go together." But these people sought after the words that Alma and Amulek were teaching. They believed in the words of Christ. But the part that hit me the most was in the last chapter of this story, Chapter 34 verse 28. Alma and Amulek had almost finished their teaching and Amulek says to these people,

 "And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need - I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith." 

What a strong obligation we have to succor the weak. And just as Amulek says, there is no one exempt. There will always be someone who has less than you. And it is our responsibility to care and love them and everyone. I hope my small message can uplift one of you this week. I hope all is well back home.

Love, Elder Carter