Still running the race

It's been a hard week so far.  I'm not sure why but some little things have been getting me down.  Ironically, Bible Study is the most difficult.  The course of going each week and trying to make friends and sit by someone and make conversation . . . . so this week I pouted and sat by myself and no one sat by me or talked to me.  It's so difficult.  I shouldn't pout but some days I just don't have the energy to exert and make conversation and try.

When I have hard Tuesdays then I look forward to Wednesday mornings more!  Wednesday mornings is missionary day.  The sisters come and we talk, and talk.  Somethings about nothing in particular.  My neighbor still comes each time which is a huge blessing.  She can hear more about what I believe and vice versa.

This week we talked about 'Words of Wisdom'.  This is the revelation Joseph Smith received from Jesus about we shouldn't drink coffee.  Clearly JS wasn't from Washington State.  And we shouldn't drink alcohol or tea or take illegal drugs, etc.  If you'd like to read the entire revelation you can look up Doctrine and Covenants 89.  It's scripture for them you know.

The LDS library app has everything.  However, they should check that everything is spelled correctly before they publish.

At the end of the visit they challenged me with a week of living the Words of Wisdom.  I was a little stupefied.  Really??  You want me to give up coffee??  How far am I willing to go with this evangelism?  I told them I would get back to them (I have their cell phone number and we text back and forth).  So, I had my own little revelation from Jesus.  If I give up coffee (and beer--not such a big deal), they have to read a chapter of the New Testament each day.  Then we discuss what we read instead of their agenda.  Agreed!  So, here we go through Ephesians this week.  Pray for my headache that is surely to come tomorrow morning.  And pray for endurance.  I feel like this move is starting to get me down again--going through a cycle of mourning.

Oh, and if you have time, please pray for our church who is still searching for a Senior Pastor.  We have a short list that the elders is going over right now.  Lord, speed up the search!!  Give them wisdom!

Nephi and Galatians

Tomorrow morning the missionaries (I lovingly refer to them as 'the sisters'), myself and my neighbor will meet.  I agreed to continue reading 1 Nephi (the first book of the B of Mormon) if they would agree to reading the book of Galatians.  I just picked a short book of the Bible because I wanted to get them in the New Testament and read something in its entirety and not just cherry-picked verses.  Then I smiled to myself when I began to read Galatians last week:

Chapter 1

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Be praying for me Friday morning!  I need all the help the Spirit can give :)

Woman on a mission

Today was my fifth meeting with the missionaries.  They always bring one other person from the neighborhood so lately they've been bringing my neighbor and best friend.  Last week I would have said they have sucked the life blood out of me.  I was done.  I was frustrated with the way they cherry pick Bible verses and use them however they like--usually out of context.

Since then I've had a trip to Washington and had some wisdom given to me from many friends.  One mentioned if I start looking like a cartoon character  sucked dry from a mosquito (reference: Far Side), stop meeting with them.  Or if Trent sees that I am losing too much energy from this endeavor he needs to tell me to stop.  It was freeing to hear that . . . even if this is my mission right now, I don't have to adhere to their schedule or any schedule at all.

I'd kind of felt like a failure last week because I couldn't address each of their cherry-picked verses they use to verify they are the only true church.  So I thought I would meet one more time with a bit different approach and see how it went.
It went much better.

Today instead of focusing on what I was going to say, I just prayed.  My time I spend to solely read the Bible I spent praying in between each chapter I read.  I read one chapter of New Testament, two of Old Testament (histories or prophets), one of Psalms and one of Proverbs.  But my focus was prayer and if I didn't finish my Bible reading that was OK (I didn't).  The kids woke up before I completed the task but I felt prayed up.  I had friends praying in WA too.  I gave myself a lot more grace (because that's what Jesus did already) to not have to answer every question.  My goal was to encourage them to read their Bibles with the eyes of a child, like they've never read it before.  I agreed to read some of the Book of Mormon and in return we are ALL reading the book of Galatians.  Fantastic.  Mission accomplished.  If we can point them to the Bible and have them see it is the perfect living and breathing Word of God, we are doing well.

AND, for the best news: I met another born again Christian right here in Iona.  She goes to Bible Study Fellowship with me!  She came out of the LDS religion so we are going to have lunch together next week.  I felt like God just dropped someone straight down from the heavens in front of me.  She is the crosswalk guard at Evan's school.  Hallelujah!  God is good.

And I'll leave you with 2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Quote

How many Bible verses can you come up with that refute this quote from the Book of Mormon?  Trent and I figured you could probably find something from each book of the Bible that would contradict this.  This quote is a featured page from the 'Plan of Salvation' booklet the missionaries gave me to study.  Quite unbelievable.

A knock at the door

Finally!  Missionaries at the door.  And the truth is they only really wanted to visit our house so they could come inside and see it.  But that's ok . . . . if our house is the draw for me to talk to them about Jesus and the gospel of grace, I'll take it.

They came yesterday evening for the first time and then invited themselves back and they were already here this morning.  I made it very clear that these conversations would not end in baptism of me into the LDS church.  They were fine with that and acted interested in what we believe.

They started this morning with their booklet 'The Plan of Salvation' which starts with pre-earth life.  So, it took us one hour to go over two paragraphs of their booklet because I had lots of questions and then just wanted to direct it to the salvation plan.  The classes we go to from Share the Son ministries instructs to keep it to the main point.   Disregard polygamy, all the weird rules, temple garments, etc.  Keep it to salvation and how you remove the stain of sin.  Because really, that is the main point.  I pray that a seed was planted before they left--I was very clear what I believed and didn't want there to be any question that I agreed with them--because I don't.  LDS are very commandment driven and their salvation depends on it.    I gave them the example of the criminal being crucified beside Christ.  He didn't have any opportunity to obey any commandments but he did go to heaven.  Jesus said he will see him in Paradise on that day.  So how could he possibly go to heaven without keeping commandments?  I got blank stares back from them.  I'm in a bit of a quandary now because I'm meeting with them again and need to study up a little before I do but am going through Grudem's systematic theology course (without quizzes and tests at the end) and would rather study it instead.  My time is limited . . . but God is faithful.

Here is one of the sister's illustration of salvation.  Notice the stair steps to get out of the pit of sin to God.  If you don't complete the stair steps, no enchilada.

Next week we will meet again.  I invited my neighbor to participate.  I have had a hard time finding a decent way to share my faith with her while still pointing out flaws in hers.  And keeping a friendship that is dear to me.  Next week will be an opportunity to do each of those things, for both of us.  I'm sure the feeling is mutual for her.  

The Acts Church

I survived VBS in my front yard!  God was continually faithful.  First of all, my health issues disappeared.  I had a few very rough days but after a lot of tears and wrestling it out with God, I felt a lot better.  Thank you for your prayers.

We had VBS Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  There were three separate LDS families who came with their children.  Some moms stayed and some did other things while their kids stayed and played.  We did Bible stories each day with a craft, songs, games and snacks.  One mom graciously came and brought snacks for all three days which was an answer to prayer because I did not feel like I had the energy and time to tackle that too.

But after the first day the other teachers (two other moms in my small group) stayed and I fed them (and their children) lunch to thank them for helping.  Then on Wednesday another mom decided to bring lunch for everyone.  Then again on Thursday the act was repeated!  We all sat outside underneath the big poplar trees eating at our craft tables in the shade with the kids eating, chatting, and playing around us.

It was a beautiful picture of Acts 2:42, in mini form: 'And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.' and verse 26, 'And day by day, attending the temple together and bring bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts'.  We all sat and prayed together, broke bread together, read the Word together, and taught our children how to love Jesus more.  I pray some seeds were planted among the LDS folks who attended.  An emphasis on first we are saved, then works are born because of our love for the Savior.  Jesus loved us first in spite of our sin.  We can't be our own savior!  Sigh.  It saddens me to think about the hopelessness of me being my own savior.  Especially after the last seven days when I think God really was impressing on me that I am so pitifully sinful and can't do anything about it . . . only Christ can.  Praise the Lord!  Oh, but I love Him so . . . .

Overheard

Well, I didn't technically overhear this.  I was in the room participating in the conversation.  It went something like this:

"Christian families are starting to withdraw their kids from the homeschool co-op because there are too many LDS families participating."

I was flabbergasted.  You get one guess to figure out what my opinion on this subject is.  Post your comments . . . . I would love to hear your point of view.  And my next post will be my viewpoint of this comment with nothing held back :)