October 16, 2006

  • Swartwoods

    "And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come ..." (Mosiah 5:3).

    Dear friends, family, and xangans,

    Sunday was one of my mission highlights. It has motivated me to be a better missionary and has given me a stronger drive for success as a missionary. It helped that it was the conclusion of a great week. We had given some investigating youth a tour of the church and they were pointing out all their friends on the bulletin boards. Then we got Jose to go to the institute and attend a forum. There were other successes, but no one ended up coming to Church.

    Elder Harris and I were therefore sitting investigatorless on the back row during the Sacrament when I noticed commotion in the foyer. I caught a glimpse of a girl I didn't recognize, but I began to wonder if the Swartwoods were in the foyer. Silence was broken with the organ and in came Brother Swartwood. He comes up and gives me a big hug. His whole family was there.

    He was the first to bear his testimony. He spoke about joining the church right here in Walnut when he was 19. He talked about the passing of his step dad that week, and how they were here for the funeral. He talked about me, and about my family. I couldn't sit still at all. I was squirming with the emotion.

    As he talked about his conversion story, I was suddenly filled with a vision. In my mind's eye, I saw him being baptized, right here in Walnut. Then I saw him serving a mission, getting married, raising his children, teaching me seminary, being my young men's president, having me home teach their family, teaching friends the gospel in his home, sending a son on a mission. Suddenly in a way that I had never realized before I saw the end from the beginning. I realized that baptisms lead to an immense, wonderful, beautiful future. I had to share this vision with the ward.

    I stood up and read Mosiah 5:3, and then I bore my testimony and asked the ward to catch the vision. I told them about how lucky they were for the people that came out of this area. I turned to the several young single adult recent converts. I asked them to see themselves where Brother Swartwood now is. I asked them to catch the grand vision of their future. I asked the congregation to visualize their friends being baptized. To visualize their aquaintances and neighbors accepting the gospel and partaking in this glorious future. I assured them that we as missionaries have a vision for this area. We have great views of that which is to come, and it is wonderful.

    I could not stop shaking. I felt on fire. I felt wonderful. I know that I was called here now for a reason. Perhaps it was not the initial reason I assumed, but I was called here for a reason. It was to catch this vision- this perspective of what my work was. It was to realize in a personal way the influence of a convert from Walnut. It was to realize how much I had been touched by someone baptized here 30 years ago.

    Have you caught the vision?

    During Church, the Bishop had us go and teach the young women and young men. It wasn't planned, but he felt inspired to take advantage of the excitement and teach them how to catch their own vision of missionary work. It went very well. I shared stories from my high school experience and promised them that their freinds would not think it was weird or awkward if they invited their friends to activities. We put this mental block in our minds that people will get uncomfortable if we invite them to church functions. It is not true. They get invited to things all the time. It is normal. It is natural. Telling the youth that made an impression. I can see now that I have under-used my potential in training the members. I need to be more aggressive about teaching the members of the church how to share what they know with confindence. Man, my vision of what I can do as a missionary has just been raised so much. I feel empowered.

    Have you caught the vision?

    Love,

    Elder Embree


    "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? (Alma 5:26).

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