Zone conference was exactly what I needed. The things our mission leaders talked about were everything that I've been struggling with, and it helped me see the gaps that I needed fill in. President Hill talked more about Peter's experience of walking on water towards the Savior and addressed how we can all exercise our faith and step out of our "boats." He also shared something that really gave me a good perspective. He said that it wasn't until Peter started noticing the increasing wind and waves around him that he started to doubt and sink. And when he sank, the Savior was immediately there to pull him up back into the boat. President Hill advised us all to do our best to not pay attention to all the stormy "waves" around us, but to focus on that small percentage of souls that are out there and ready for us to find. He encouraged us all to talk to more people, and to invite more people to baptism, but he also comforted us telling us not to get discouraged when we do everything we can and the people we teach or talk to reject us and the gospel. He reminded us how everyone has there agency. We can do everything we can by working through the Spirit to help prepare people to make covenants with God, but in the end it's their choice to accept our invitations or not. It gave me satisfaction, knowing that I have been giving it my all here and doing the best that I can and it also gave me positive motivation to improve myself and keep working hard.
Then General Conference!! Man, even though I had to listen to it in Romanian, I was able to pretty much understand everything in the talks and the Spirit spoke to me just as much as it would if I were listening to it in English. Elder Holland gave a really really good talk in the priesthood session, admonishing all priesthood holders - but especially Aaronic Priesthood - to keep themselves worthy of their priesthood responsibilities. I also remember President Eyring's talk but I want to read it when the Liahona magazines come out because with the translation, the whole effect of seeing his face become so emotional, but not hearing that emotion in the translator's voice really threw me off and ended up being really distracting, so I didn't really get very much out of it. Then Elder Robert D. Hales' talk came. That was the first time when I've watched General Conference and felt like one of the speakers had written their talk specifically for me. I drank in every word he spoke, and the Holy Ghost was so strong within me. His soft manner of speaking and the comforting words of enduring through our trials with faith and hope gave me such a great sensation of peace and comfort. I actually have a pretty interesting experience to that goes along with this talk.
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| Shane's companion, Elder Cox, block-knocking |
Last friday we were block knocking and about halfway through through this man started yelling at us. Nothing really out of the ordinary, especially since it was pretty plain that Jehova's Witness missionaries had been through sometime recently, because everyone thought we were JW's. However, this man was livid. He was yelling things like "what are you doing here? why are you coming knocking on my door, do I come over to your house and knock on your door?" and getting up in our faces. I tried to talk to him calmly and respectfully, telling him that we were just sharing a message about Christ with people, and that we weren't trying to upset him, but it wouldn't have mattered what I said. He just kept yelling at us telling us to get out of the block, and threatening to call the police, to hit us, you name it he said he was going to do it. This in itself is also nothing really out of the ordinary. Romanians, especially the males, in my experience are all bark and no bite. So we call the elevator, and I offer him a pass along card (probably not the smartest thing to do at that point, I know) which just sets him of again, so as we walk into the elevator I just toss the card on the ground. It was everything I could do to keep my composure and not start yelling back at him. Tossing the card down (also probably not the smartest thing I could have done) cut the fuse and he rushed into the elevator, got right up in my face, and held up his forearm like he was going to hit me. He ended up just giving me a little shove with his arm and then backed out of the elevator as quick as he could. As the elevator descended, adrenaline rushed into me as I processed what had just happened and I was then probably the most upset I've ever been. I was at the point where if I saw the man right then, I probably would have delivered a good beatdown. Now, you know me, I've never gotten in a fight in my life. This was probably the closest I've ever gotten, and probably if it was someone else there instead of me, it would have turned into a fight, but I've always been a pacifist. But that literally took me past my breaking point. Since being here in Brasov, I have been spit at, been called pretty much every offensive thing you can think of, I've been threatened at, and straight up persecuted more than ever in my life, and this thing with the guy was just the cherry on top of the whipped cream on top of the gigantic ice cream sunday. I was furious.
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| Inside an apartment "block" -- Brasov, Romania |
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| view down a 10 story apartment block |
The next day during my morning studies, I read in the Book of Mormon about Ammon preaching to the Zoramites, and how they completely rejected him and persecuted him. The prayer that he offers to God after that in Alma Chapter 31:26-35 expressed everything that I was feeling, exactly. Then I read another passage, somewhere in the New Testament I think, that talked about trials. It was one of Paul's epistles and he was addressing the people, saying that the Lord had chastised them so that their hearts would be humble and ready to receive the word of God. That made me think about how General Conference was coming right up, and I knew that there would be something shared there that would be specifically for me. I found it, in Elder Hales' talk. There were also many other talks that I got a lot of guidance from as well, but Elder Hales' had the strongest impact on me. I know that it wouldn't have had the same impact on me if I hadn't had all those trying experiences that brought me down on my knees in humble prayer, pleading with God to give me guidance, strength, and direction. It was just another assurance to me that Heavenly Father is always listening, and knows us perfectly.
So that was my crazy Romanian experience for now. Can't wait for the next one!! Thank you so much for the emails and pictures. Haha man, I cracked up when I saw the one of Eli. A lot of the guys here dress pretty similarly. Until next week then! I'll be finding out where I'll go; this week is the last full week of the transfer! I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
Love, Elder Myers
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