September 27, 2005

• "O remember, remember. . . remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ . . ." (Helaman 5:9).

  
  

  
  

  ---

  
  

  
  

  Dear fellow xangans, family, and friends,

  
  

  Congratulations Erin on getting baptized! I will treasure forever the letter you sent me. I am so happy for you.

  
  

  Things here in LA are going great. Today I think has been one of the best days of my mission for several reasons. (Despite a few setbacks.) We just have a really cool area. Our area includes Chinatown (which we went to today, and which we go to often to answer referals), Dodger Stadium, and the LA county Prison (where we visit).

  
  

  I got threatened for the first time on Saturday. I was on exchanges with Elder Satko and we were tracting. We came to a street and Elder Satko asked me if we could skip the first house and start tracting on the second house. We did. When we returned to the car, a drunk man was standing there. He swore at us and yelled at us- telling us to stop bothering the world etc. He told us that if we ever came back to his neighborhood he'd kill us. We told him to have a nice night and left. I never once felt unsafe. Then we saw him enter that first house that we had skipped. I realized we had been prompted to skip that house for a very specific reason. The Lord is watching out for us.

  
  

  Just so that you know, we do more than knock doors, go to meetings, and work with habitat for humanity. For example, we run car washes. Free car washes. It's actually quite funny. We all get together in our white shirts, slacks, and ties and wash cars for free. Some of us hold signs. Some wash the cars. Others teach. (This is considered proselyting hours, not community service hours). It is really fun, and is really effective. While people are having their cars washed for free in the Church parking lot they can have a tour of the Church, learn about the Book of Mormon or Joseph Smith, or get free videos like "Finding Faith in Christ" and "The Restoration." They love it, and so do we. I wish you all could watch it- cause it's really a funny scene. You should see people's reaction as they drive by the signs. "Free Car Wash"? lol.

  
  

  Well I wish you all could experience the excitement and joy in missionary work of this magnitude. It is devestating when people get "anti-ed" and are turned away from the Church because of propaganda from anti-mormons, which is what happened the other day to the old woman we were teaching (I mentioned her last post), but then something happens that make it all worth while, like today when I received Erin's letter or yesterday when one of our investigators set a baptismal date. There is no place I'd rather be.

  
  

  I wish I had more time to tell you about the amazing experiences I've had this past week- about being in the LA temple. About watching people's lives change. About serving. About learning how to work with people. About learning who I am and learning how to be what I want to become. But I am out of time.

  
  

  Until next week,

  
  

  Elder Embree

  
  

  
  

  ---

  
  

  
  

  "Hear me, O LORD . . . according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. . . Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it. . . Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour. . . [but] let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high . . ." (Psalms 69:16-19, 29)

  • 7:27 am
  • 2 Comments