Elder Andrew Penman's Adventures in the Scotland/Ireland Mission: Faith and Obedience

Not too much happened this week!

In Galashiels, Elder Henrie and I went bus contacting and we had talked to a man with full expectation that he would accept the message. He invited us to his house and he was talking about how God could never forgive him. We read one of my favorite verses in Alma 36:15-21. He said he had a warm feeling come into his heart that he has never felt before. He knows now that God will forgive him if he betters himself and comes unto Christ!! Bummer he's not in my area, but still I love these moments! HE even closed the meeting with a prayer!

Alma 36:15-21

Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds. And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

We had a lot of things fall through but we made some good contact with some less actives! It was amazing!

I have been studying Faith and Obedience. Both are so close... with such similar structures. Obedience should be done with a willingness for it to have the greatest effect on our lives and to show God we Love him. Faith is an action but if faith is done with fear in our hearts... yes, we are still acting but we will not get the results we want. Our need is we reserve some of our faith with fear inside. Fear and faith are opposite. Same with murmuring and obedience.

I Love the Savior so much for all He is teaching me and helping me become: the friend, son, brother, husband, father, and the man I need to be to change the world!

Elder Penman