I love missionary work. I love 29 Palms.
We are busier than I've ever been on my mission. Sometimes it seems like there are more people to teach than we have time in our planners. Heavenly Father is just sending people to us, like a young man I'll call Rory. We started teaching him yesterday.
We met Rory because he Googled the church to find the nearest Mormon church, then showed up to church. He grew up in Utah but isn't a member, but recently he has had strong desires to learn everything he can about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church fascinates him. The restoration fascinates him. So he's been reading a lot of church material.
After starting his search about a month ago, Rory learned a lot, but didn't know if it could all be true. He talked with a friend from home about it, and his friend suggested that he pray to know. So Rory began praying really hard. For a short while he didn't feel any answer. But then something interesting happened. He said that a few days after his first prayers, another good friend, whom Rory hasn't seen or spoken with in a few years and who recently returned from a mission, messaged him on Facebook asking how he is doing.
Though it may have been a small thing, Rory felt immediately that God was trying to tell him something. So now he's continuing to study and loves church and loves it all. He is full of energy and questions and he's just funny. And he's in the Marines, like most young men out here.
Well, I know this is all true. I know there is a God. And I know that He is aware of us.
We also started teaching a young man who was baptized years ago, but he hasn't really ever been active in the church. At the end of the lesson we invited him to pray. He hesitated, then said: I'll just pray next next. I promise.
We explained how God works and how Satan tempts, and he was still wasn't all for it, but he prayed anyway.
Then a moment after he finished praying, he said: I'm not gonna lie, that felt really good.
We were pretty happy. Prayer works.
Missionary work is just fun. It's all fun. And it's all true. I know it is!
Love,
Elder Judd
