First, I want to say that I am so sad to hear about the passing of Sister McCuen. I love the McCuen family so much! My condolences to Dave and his family. I look up to them in so many ways and even more now as they are "looking to Christ" and living. Great examples of stalwart Saints who are converted unto the Lord. I love you all!
Now for our week here in Michigan, what great week we've had! I'm so grateful for the time Elder Shumway, Elder Yorgason and I have been able to spend together in the Lord's service. This is truly HIS work! We've been witnesses and participants in many miracles this week that have helped me understand greater how much God loves ALL of His children. He does not intend on saving just a few of his children, He will give all of them multiple opportunities to learn the Restored Gospel. I'm grateful to be one of the instruments through whom Heavenly Father can offer that opportunity to His children!! It' humbling to think of it in that way. This is no work of my own, it is the Lord's! We are simply vessels through whom He and the Holy Ghost can work. And when we do His work HIS way, in addition to blessing the lives of his children by helping them receive the Gospel, we are blessed so much in the process. I love it! I love His perfect plan for our happiness.
On Tuesday evening we went out with our Ward Mission Leader Brother Malcolm to find some people in the Ward whom we hadn't seen in a while. We came to Brother Smart's house. None of us had ever met him or seen him at Church so we knew it had been a while since he'd been there. He opened the door and stepped outside! Brother Malcolm handed him some treats he and his wife had made and we got to know each other a little bit. We find out that he was raised in the Church but he fell away when he was in his late teenage years. He now has a family with a few children who are college aged, and none of them are very strong in any religious beliefs at all. It was an interesting discussion with him. We asked him about his testimony, if he felt he knew that God chose Joseph Smith to be a Prophet and he said no. So we ask if he had ever read, pondered, and prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true. He again said that he had not. In his countenance we could see the doubt and skepticism racing through his mind. The adversary has been working on him in that way his whole life!! As we testified of the truthfulness of both those things, he asked "How!? How could you ever know that those things are true?" And even though that sounds like he was just doubting it and leaving no room for the Spirit to touch him we could hear the sincerity in that plea, as if his pure Spirit inside of him, blanketed with doubt and disbelief was just crying for some evidence of the reality of God! We read from the Book of Mormon with him in Alma 32:27, 28. About what he needed to do to come to know if it was true and also how he can start to recognize that answer when it comes. He was grateful for us coming by and we exchanged info so we could come back again. Then on Sunday evening we happened to be in the area and we called him to follow up with his study of the Book of Mormon. He said that he had looked for his copy he thought he had but couldn't find it! So we asked if we could bring one to him since we were in the area and he agreed. Brother Malcolm came with us again, and we ended up having another lengthy discussion about how the Spirit will feel as he receives his answer for himself. He asked, "So you really don't think that is just your brain telling you those things?? I just don't know about that." I know that as he takes small steps of faith, he will receive light to his understanding and the path will be clear before him! As we met with him the scripture kept ringing in my mind in Alma 30:16 where Korihor, and anti-Christ is trying to deceive the Saints.
"Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so."
Later in the chapter Korihor explains that he knew that he was deceived by the devil into thinking there was no God. The adversary will never stop trying to confuse and lie to us! And he uses similar tactics today as he did thousands of years ago. I can't wait to go follow up with Brother Smart and see his countenance full of light and being thankful for the knowledge he received that there is a God, and that He loves him.
On Friday we contacted someone who had requested a Bible from us online! Her name is April. She's 35, has two kids ages 17 and 12, and she has such a huge desire to learn the truth. As we gave her the Bible and taught the Restoration along with it she felt the Spirit and she said, "I believe it!! I feel that this is true." She agreed to work towards Baptism for October 1st! I'm sad I won't be hear but so happy she was sent to us! The Lord has prepared her to receive the Gospel at this time in her life. She has some health issues which have led her to reach out to God. So she's started going to a local Church, started reading the Bible, and she downloaded this daily bible verse app on her phone. On that app, an advertisement came up for a "Free Bible". She thought why not?? And that's how we got her info and came into contact with her. As we've gone out and tried to find people to teach through our own efforts, God has sent his children who are ready for the Gospel to us.
There's so many more things I wish I could fit into this email but I don't have time!! I love you all and am so grateful for you. I hope you know that our Father in Heaven loves and cares for you. No matter what the trial or tragedy you may be experiencing, He is there to help you. All it takes is simple steps of faith. Sometimes they are painful and difficult! But through that process He enlightens our understanding and gives us glimpses of His Eternal Plan for our happiness. This is my last full week in Michigan! I know that the Lord will continue to bless us with miracles here as we labor with all our hearts, mights, minds, and strengths. Till next week!
Elder Goff
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