Being Instruments of the Spirit

This morning, Tuesday August 11, 2009, I started my scripture study to consider what I might give as a message tonight at the Mission Home. Every six weeks the new missionary arrivals come and are received at the mission home in Peoria. They receive training regarding mission matters (car, phone, medical, driving, money management, etc), have dinner and then receive some additional spiritual instruction and share testimonies. [Jeanne] and I attend these when we can, starting with the dinner at 6:00 p.m. After Sis. Erickson reviews some mission matters, I'm given about 5 minutes or so to welcome them as a member living in the mission and as a member of the mission presidency. I share a scriptural thought that I feel might be helpful and set the stage for President Erickson's message and testimony.

So this morning I sat down on the couch and wondered what to give at tonight's meeting. I normally start reading the scriptures to find something that might fit. However, this morning, I decidedfirst instead to review an article in the Ensign for August, and the very first scripture reference in the article was in 2 Timothy Chapter 2. As I read it, my excitement continued to grow. It was Paul's last letter he wrote before his death in Rome, and it was written to Timothy, his most valiant assistant in his missionary efforts, giving him some last minute instructions. I actually turned back to Chapter 1. I liked it even better, and then prepared some thoughts around 4 verses, starting with verse 6.

I was grateful for the the spirit's witness to me as to what to prepare for that evening. I have had that type of help through the many years of serving on the High Council and in Bishoprics and Presidencies in giving talks or other priesthood activities. I've been so blessed by the spirit; so undeservingly. But, when you're serving the Lord, the Lord wants you to succeed in that service.

Pres. Erickson shared a special story with us tonight that supported that idea of how the spirit works in our lives, when on the Lord's errand. I love conversion stories anyway, so I recorded it when I got home this evening. It went like this -

"One of the investigators, a Bro Bess (not sure of the spelling) was being baptized tomorrow in the Peoria Stake Center after the transfer meeting. What makes it so special is that they live in the Jacksonville Ward, which is west of Springfield, in the Springfield Stake. This brother took the lessons a year and a half ago and was set to be baptized, but backed out at the last minute. 2 weeks ago, while Pres. & Sis Erickson were driving along, he had an impression to call this person and invite him to lunch. The brother was surprised at the call and the invitation, and finally agreed to it. Pres. Erickson said that for the first 5 minutes, they talked about this and that, then Pres. Erickson told him that on August 12th, he would have the baptismal font prepared for him to be baptised. He said that the man looked shocked. He started making excuses, first about tithing (Pres. Erickson said that when the Lord allows you to keep 9/10ths of his money, it didn't sound so bad). He also told him he always wore shorts to work (Pres. Erickson told him he liked to wear shorts playing golf). He asked if that's OK? - Yes. So what is really keeping you from baptism??? He asked to have time to pray about it. Pres. Erickson said no. He had already done so and knew it was true. Pres. Erickson said the man phoned him the next evening and said he had just had a fight with his wife and couldn't be baptized. Pres. Erickson told him that all couples have fights and it didn't have anything to do with baptism. Finally he called the President back and told him that he would be there on August 11th and be baptized. He had struggled with the Lord in prayer, and had been touched so powerfully by the spirit, that he knew he was ready. Reflectively, he asked the President as to why he had pushed him so hard. Pres. Erickson told him that that's what he was told to do by the spirit and that it was time for him to join his wife in the church (who was a member, and had got re-activated about 2 years ago). Pres. Erickson said that it wasn't him, certainly, it was the Lord working through him to help elevate this individual to his highest potential. What an incredible story of boldness and faith. Certainly, the Lord will cause us to do or say things we would not be comfortable with. What a great lesson about allowing the spirit to work through us when needful."

-Mel