ST JOHNS, FLORIDA
COMPANION: ELDER BORE
DISTRICT LEADER
Jacksonville South Zone
First a story.
This week there were some ADVENTURES! We went biking in a tropical storm. A fantastic Samoan man invited us over on the 4th and we lit of HUGE fireworks and ate delicious Mexican food and the police showed up and lots of intoxicated people asked about what we were doing there and we got to bear our testimonies over the salsa music blasting in the background. It was easily, EASILY the best 4th of July experience of my entire life. Goodness I loved that. What else? Oh! We found oodles and gobs of new investigators from tracting for many, many, many hours and two investigators came to church and asked us to bear our testimonies in sacrament meeting and we did and they liked it so much they hugged us afterwards! Grown men hugging in the back of the chapel during sacrament meeting. That is how you know it was a good Sunday!
I taught a first lesson on the doorstep while standing underneath a swarm of hornets. I rode a bike with a flat tire (punctured, so flat as flat can be) for 30 miles in one day. I was humbled by the AMAZING stories and progress and work of the missionaries in my district. I had some good times and made some wonderful memories. BUT, my favorite is the story of kneeling in the driveway.
We were riding our bikes past a house and noticed their garage door was partially open, and we could hear them talking inside. We walked up the driveway, and I knelt on the pavement and looked in. They were
a bit taken aback. We chatted. We testified. We coaxed one of them out into the yard and taught a lesson. She thanked us and went back inside. I knelt down and offered one more time to share our message the rest of the group. In the moments before they declined, I had an experience which was dear to me. I thought of how I must have looked.
Absolutely RIDICULOUS, right? Some pudgy California boy with a self-given buzz cut kneeling in a driveway in Florida, begging a group of grown men to hear a message about Jesus Christ. I was entrusting,
inviting, almost pleading for them to hear it. My love for these strangers drove me to my knees a continent away from home to beg.
Sigh.
And that is what I learned this week. I learned a lot about fun and hard work and how not to get struck by lightening and how to steer a bike without handlebars or a back tire. But mostly I learned how to love. I caught another glimpse of what real love is and how to show it. I do so dearly love to love.
I'm not sure anyone really reads these. I'm not sure anyone ever will. I know I was never terribly interested in the less-than-captivating routine of missionary life going on thousands of miles away. But just in case, I want to testify.
I know that God lives. I know that He loves me. I know that He knows how imperfect I am. That is terrifying. I know He loves me anyway. I know I am safe. I know what I want and how to get it. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know I know nothing. I know the Book of Mormon is the best book available to the human family. I know that it is true. I know that Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson are Apostles, Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. I know that my mission president speaks for Jesus Christ. I know I am here by His will.
A funny story. I loudly proclaimed that I would NEVER buy a bike less than a month ago. The Lord demands every ounce of our will. If we hold something back, He will ask for that, and we will suffer the cessation of progression that is damnation until we relinquish our willfulness. I have been compelled to buy a bike! I'm on my way to do it. Never say never!
I love love. Love that others has for each other do not lessen their's for me. Love that I have for Father does not lessen mind for them. Love is self-propagating. As we add slices to the pie, the existing pieces grow, and deliciousness flourishes. Clearly I need a snack. No more pie metaphors.
I love you. Thank you for reading. Please pray for me. I have a testimony of prayer. It works. With our faith, we can use prayer to implement change in this world. Faith isn't just accepting what happens. It is changing our world. Change mine please. Pray for me.
I love you. I pray for you.
~Elder Jorgensen