Oooookay. This week was crazy, maybe the longest week I've ever had. But, in a good way. Elder Umana and I are trying our best to work hard and smart, which is great, because he really knows what to do, and has such a big desire to work as hard as he can. It's really been fun waking up every morning exhausted. So fun.
We did splits with the Elders in Sherbrooke this week, and so Elder Glenn came and spent the day working with me in Mont Saint Hilaire, which was awesome. He was an assistant to the president last transfer (for 3) but he's on his last, so it was really interesting being able to spend the day with him, and hear a lot of his experiences, and try to learn from him as well. One thing that I loved was how enthusiastic he is about missionary work. It's sometimes pretty silly but it's a great example for me.
Elder Glenn and I went knocking for a while and it was getting a little chilly, but we didn't have any coats or anything. Then it was crazy, this couple we knocked into wasn't interested in listening to us, but chased us down afterward and gave us two sweaters to wear. And they told us to take them and not give them back, but we're going to do that. But that was super cool! I'm not sure that I would have done that to someone who knocked on my door at 8:00 at night, but gosh, what a nice and surprising thing to do.
One difficult thing we've been doing together, Elder Umana and I, is only teach 'seekers'. So we had to drop a number of investigators this week, but we both believe that it is what we're supposed to do, to use our time in the best way to find those who are ready. That's been a super great lesson for me this week.
But! Maybe the biggest lesson I learned this week is explained perfectly in Jacob 4. I've loved reading that chapter for a while now, but this week when I read it I was taught a great lesson. After reading Jacob 4:6, and reading about how the prophets have the faith that's strong enough to move mountains, and to do miracles, I was just thinking, 'how do I get there?' and 'why don't I have that now?'. And then! I read verse 7.
"Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things."
Man. That hit me pretty hard. I think I'm starting to understand how the Lord wants to humble me before he is going to just give us all this success, because if he didn't, I would be tempted to think that I did it! Wow. It was such a wake up call. I'm super grateful for that scripture and the lesson that I learned that morning (and have thought about quite often since) that in order to be Christ's disciple and to work these miracles we're searching for, we have to be humble. So there have been many, many moments just this week that have been humbling, but I'm so grateful for them. All it's doing is making me rely more and more on Christ and his Atonement. And if I wished I didn't have them or I could avoid them, then I wouldn't be growing, or be given these amazing opportunities to serve the people here. It was a pretty big lesson for me this week. And I'm sure it's going to only continue, forrrrrrrrrr ever. Woot! Or as Bethany would say, FIST PUMP.
Thanks for everything you do. Thanks for your prayers, they're really helping. Tell Dane I say Hello! I've seen fireee and I've seen Daneeee!!!!!
Love,
Elder Austin K Murphy
Elder Murphy and Elder Umana on a walk through beautiful Quebec.
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