Apr. 24, 2017

Dear Family, (And Friends)


Haiku:
How much tickles will
make a big octopus laugh
"Ten-tickles!" Ha Ha.

Some Goofy Stories from the Mish:

Oh man. This week was a painful one. This week as we were out tracting, I got so distracted I walked right into a perfect sized lampost in someone's yard to ding me right in the noggin. I knocked the bulb sideways, and a I'm sure a few screws went loose in my head, too. Haha it sure gave my companion a scare, but no worries Mom, I'm alive. But in borrowing your favorite swear word Dad, I'm sure I said something really profane along the lines of owwwwwwwcheeeeewwwaaaawaaaa! (Which in spanish is the equivalent of aiiiii chiuahua, btw!)

Did you know that the cats out here in Washington are a special brand of tonto? Whenever sunlight reflects off of our missionary tags onto front doors, we have a goood ol' time!! (Run kitty run)

Also, every Knocking sesh that we go out we now have pun battles with each other between doors! Papa. Mike. Rob. You would be so proud. (Knock on wood.)

Spiritual Experiences:

Finding in Shelton is harder than in other places, because of the lack of you know, humans! But we had a very spiritual experience. We've received a referral from a woman out of state. Her friend, she said, was interested in the gospel. About half of this woman's family is Mormon. The other half is not. And her father has been kind of anti-ed.

Her name is Tasha. As we taught her the first lesson it went very well. The spirit was present. And she said that she felt like 'something was missing.' So we were naturally excited to start teaching her the second lesson. As anyone who's ever been on a mission knows, however, it's not always smooth sailing.

As we prepared for the second lesson, we parked outside her house and started praying before we were to enter the home. We were a close to being late to the lesson though, and since we had just finished tracting her street, we had left the car door open, with both our legs poking out of different sides of the car, facing opposite directions like some weird automotive bug, if you can picture that. We weren't too concerned though. We just wanted to pray, and hurry into the lesson. So we didn't think to shut the doors.

As we were praying, I heard someone calling out to us from across the yard. Lo and behold it was Tasha. We stopped mid-prayer (there wasn't really time for anything else) and we headed straight into the lesson.

The excitement didn't stop there. As we entered the house, we saw her father, sitting with his arms crossed, muscles rippling, and tattoos dancing, in the front arm chair. Now normally, I wouldn't necessarily share the ethnicity of the family, because it doesn't really matter. We are all children of God. But in this case, so that you get somewhat of an idea of the full effect of just what was going down here, I think it's pretty pertinent information. Their family is Polynesian. And this guy was BIG.

Well, we introduced ourselves and no sooner had we sat down that the conversation got pretty interesting. Not only was this man intimidating, but he very clearly thought that we the mormon missionaries were a bunch of crazy loons. And he start rapid firing question after question at us. But Elder Hansen and I came prepared. We had read our scriptures that morning, and we had prayed. We were doing our very best to be worthy servants of the Lord.

As the lesson, progressed, it became quickly apparent to us that this man was not honestly seeking the truth, and as the scriptures put it when Alma and Amulek contended with Zeezrom,  that "there were some among them who thought to question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch them in their words, that they might find witness against them... men who sought to destroy [the truth]"


Now, I can't speak for other missions, but we certainly come across people like this very often where I am serving, people "[teaching] for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but [denying] the power thereof." There are a lot of people in the world today who really do struggle with this. Logically, they understand the bible. They have been taught what is true. But they listen only to what they can explain, and not what they feel in their hearts. And that is one of the single greatest strugglings that we have in missionary work. Those who would rather not risk being wrong and in the process keeping themselves from life eternal, which is "that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." In other words, being humble enough to take others insults, turn the other cheek, and turn it all aside, realizing with full certainty that if they truly knew the reason you were there and the message that you had to impart to them that they would quickly beg your pardon and invite you into their home. And that is the paradox. Without humility there is no potential for an investigator's growth or progression, or, in other words, that is what sets the elect apart from the nonelect. The difference between those who are truly seeking, and those who simply kind of want to know. In part it is their circumstances. But more often, I think, it is the state of their heart. Whether or not they are willing to surrender everything to God. I've said it time and again, and I never tire of saying it -- the only way to happiness is through submitting yourself to the will of Jesus Christ. And that is the key to missionary work.

I am never tempted to bash because I know that I was not called on a mission to teach a person who is not truly seeking. I was called to find the elect. Those that are ready. That's why the field is white already to harvest. Not yellow ready to plant, or brown ready to water. But white, ready to reap.

This man was looking for answers, yes. But it was more out of curiosity and his 'kinda wanting to know.' He was not truly seeking. Not yet, anyway. But even to the prideful, the Lord can witness the truthfulness of our messages to their heart, if we are willing to be bold, and to have the courage to abstain from fighting back, but responding in humility, truth, testimony and love. I am confident that that can dissolve any acidic situation faster than you can blink. Look  up the fruits of the spirit and you will see that that is exactly right. That is also why bashing is fruitless. Nowhere have I ever found the words, "the fruits of the spirit are anger, hatred, defensiveness, and a spirit of contention."

If we want to show others the light, then we have to immerse our own selves in that light, or else we ourselves are just as lost.

I could go on and on about this, but I don't have the time, and I'm sure you are anxious for me to finish my story. So that's how I'll conclude today's email.

Spiritual Thought :

The lesson continued to be a little tense and abrasive, with this man attempting to rail on the Mormon church and to 'put us in our place.' But the spirit of the Lord remained with us, although at the time I wasn't initially sure why. Then I realized it -- this man wasn't truly seeking for the truth, but his daughter was! As the lesson progressed, God gave us the ability to answer every single question that Tasha's father threw at us. There was not a thing that he asked that the spirit of the Lord did not quicken our minds to be able to answer, and we were given "in the very moment" what it was that we needed to say. This was an incredible testimony to me that when one of the Lord's children needs help, He is going to help them no matter what. Even if he has to make bare his arm for all the world to see. When the Lord wants to get something done, He get it done, and it happens. No matter how limited his vessel. (And trust me, at times I am very limited.)

This particular miracle occurred not because her father was seeking, but because she was. Her faith, and our worthiness to act, is what saved this lesson. And now Tasha is on date to be baptized in two weeks.

I humbly testify to you that I know God lives. I know that He is aware of you individually. And He knows your name. And I so bear witness, as very limited servant, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, and yours, amen.

Espero su semana es lo maximo! Prestos, siempre prestos.

Os doy mucho amor y esperanzo,

Elder Hakala