---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elizabeth Montgomery <elizabeth.montgomery@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 8:09 AM
Subject: Letter #27 - 10/7/13
To: Christine Montgomery <chrismont9@gmail.com>
From: Elizabeth Montgomery <elizabeth.montgomery@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 8:09 AM
Subject: Letter #27 - 10/7/13
To: Christine Montgomery <chrismont9@gmail.com>
Dear family,
I'm attempting to multi-task right now -- write this letter while listening to general conference -- so we'll see how this goes. I just couldn't wait until this weekend (when it'll be in Russian/Ukrainian) for the spiritual feast of prophetic counsel... I love conference! :)
I don't have too much to write actually. I got to jam a lot on guitar this week to advertise our English class. That was fun. We also went to the nursing home and played hymns for the old people there; they're super nice and humble, and we almost got a new investigator from it (still waiting to meet with her again). Also, we got a new investigator, Pyoter (err... "Peter" if you so desire). We tracted into him the other week and invited him to church, and he actually came! He really liked it and wants to see general conference, and it turns out he and our bishop are old friends -- how perfect is that? He's got a super interesting story too; for example, he served in the military and was wanted by the Ukrainian government in the early 1990's because he was anti-communist. Super nice guy too. Looking forward to teaching him!
Well, I guess I can leave you with a spiritual thought (I've acquired a whole closet full of them during my time here). Here it is: the Lord is in control. In Mosiah 26, there was a lot of discord in the church, and the responsibility to solve it landed on Alma. His Spirit was troubled (v.13) and he poured out his soul to God (v.14). Think about the stress he was feeling -- he had just been converted and just reestablished the church in the land, and now there was apostasy left and right (including of his own son). I bet he thought at one point, "I have no idea what I'm doing," and he probably felt a huge burden for the salvation of those around him.
But check out the Lord's response from verse 15 to 32: besides assuring Alma of his and his people's faithfulness, He uses the word "my" 18 times and "I" 17 times. What do you think the message was? "Behold, this is my church" (v.22). Do your best, follow My instructions, but ultimately know that these are My sheep and they are in My hands. Don't worry unnecesarrily. Don't take a burden upon you that's not yours to take. Fulfill your duty, direct the church like I direct My Kingdom, but don't judge yourself if things don't work out as you hope. I am in control here. "Rejoice, the Lord is King... The Lord, the Savior, reigns... His kingdom cannot fail; He rules o'er earth and heav'n."
It applies to missionary work, it applies to church callings, and it applies to parenthood. It applies whenever we're concerned with the salvation of another. We need to have the trust and the spiritual witness that the Lord really is is control, and that all will be right in the end. We do our duty, we work in the field of salvation, but we always leave the harvest to the Lord of the harvest.
Well, hope y'all have a great week! Hopefully I'll have some fun miracles stories to share next time. :)
Love,
Sister Montgomery
