Today began at 9am with meetings and didn’t finish until nearly 5 pm. It is exhausting to try to see everyone who wants to see you, to teach, to listen, to counsel, to help. But at the same time, you know the things you do make a difference. I first met Godfry at the wheel chair turnover. He asked about our church and came the next Sunday. He needs to be carried up the two flights of steps to where we hold sacrament meetings. Godfry is 20 years old. He doesn’t really have a home. He lives with friends and moves from place to place. He has no job and no income. He would go to school if he had school fees. But he feels like he’s finding a home in the Gospel.
He relates to Joseph Smith wondering which, of all the churches, is true. He read James 1:5 that says if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. He decided to read the Book of Mormon and pray and ask if it was the word of God. He feels he has found peace and a quiet answer and wants to be baptized.
So many people here think that all you have to do is want to join a church and you go ahead and do it. They don’t understand that when you are baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you are making a covenant with God. You are promising to keep His commandments. You covenant to repent and change your life, not just once, but ongoing forever. You agree to be an active, participating, member of the church. And before you can make those covenants, you must know what they are. You must know the commandments include chastity, tithing, keeping the Sabbath day holy, being honest, obeying the health law of the Word of Wisdom, following the counsel of the Prophet and other church leaders. So Godfry needs to be taught.
But he has no “contact”—usually a phone number. And no home or location. And he can only travel in his wheel chair—which is not even a tricycle, but literally a wheel chair. But we persevered. The missionaries found a location close to where he is staying now and set up a time this week. Godfry is a sincere young man. So many places search for people who want to join the church. Here we have to insure they qualify before we can allow all who want to , to be baptized.
We had great speakers today. Winnie was baptized last week and spoke today on choice and agency. Ilued, an older man, spoke very directly about chastity—having sex with only your spouse and not living together before you’ve paid the bride price. He talked about how important it was to teach our children about sex and modesty so they don’t learn from the street or experimentation. He said, “I wish I had a chart with a man and a woman and it all anatomically correct up here.” And I’m thinking, I’m really glad you don’t! That’s a bit too literal for a sacrament meeting.
I’m exhausted. But life is good!
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