Well shoot. I guess stories are bound to get around sooner or later. This is why so many criminals get caught you know. They just can't help bragging a little bit about the awesome job they pulled off, or crazy stunt they pulled in a car, and then poof. The whole world knows sooner or later and then the authorities come and get you. At least I was smart enough to flee the country before news spread too far. You can't get me out here! All the Elders like hearing my car stories too though ;) Oh man... What a stupid kid I was.
Well I'm sure glad you guys are surviving out there. Our branch missionary leader told us there was a huge hurricane over there, but when he said that the water rose to neck height and there where lots of dead people and Virginia, New Jersey, Colorado, and California all lost power I didn't believe him. He exaggerated a bit, but he was telling the truth! I totally forgot it gets cold in the winter there. How cold is it? Do you have any good sledding hills at the house?
This computer isn't letting me send any pictures so you'll have to wait until next week. Sorry I've been so rushed for time lately, I've forgotten.
This week was awesome because of Zone Interviews. We have Preach My Gospel DVDs here in the mission where the mission lives of a district in CA is recorded and used for training purposes. I am very very grateful that President Schmutz is my mission president. The way he teaches is just amazing. We go way beyond the basics and discuss the doctrinal background for why people are the way they are, and how we need to address their spiritual problems. President Schmutz radiates intelligence and light, and it is a blessing to be around him. He taught an amazing workshop to our zone, and then began interviewing each elder individually. I love how personal President Schmutz is with each missionary in this mission. He was conducting interviews from around 10am until he finished up mine at around 6pm. I lost track of time but my companion told me I was in my interview for at least 30 minutes. We talked about life, the mission, and doctrine. It was awesome.
One thing that President and I have discussed recently however, is the omniscience of God. I have learned a lot the last few days about the omniscience of God in my studies. He knows all things through His spirit which is in and around and part of all things. I wonder in amazement at the spectacular magnificence of such a Being. How wonderful and splendid is our God! His power and majesty are in all things, and there is nothing not known unto Him. It is so clear how present He is in just my life alone, and the works He does in my life are greater than I have ability to express. How terrible it is to witness so many who don't have this same vision as we do. So many of Father's precious children that don't know Him! John and the 3 Nephites were promised to never feel sorrow save it be for the sins of the world. I am beginning to realize just how much pain these men of God still feel.
We missionaries have a heavy responsibility to make sure each person we teach gains a firm testimony of this gospel. There is no other way in which exaltation can be obtained, save it be through the doctrine of Christ and obedience to the laws therein. We had an amazing experience with an investigator of ours this week, which I will tell quite briefly before we have to run. We had taught Bro. Pweblos a couple lessons before this week, but he was still having trouble getting an answer to his prayers about whether or not this was the true church. We reviewed again the restoration with him and then we committed him to pray again. He expressed his past experiences of unanswered prayers, but promised to continue trying. I know that when God says He will answer prayers, He will, and I promised Bro. Pweblos that if he would kneel with us right there, God would answer his prayer if we waited in faith on our knees. He agreed, and we kneeled on the nailed in bamboo slats that made up the floor of his hut. He offered up his faithful prayer and asked God if this was the true church. We waited. He continued telling God how much he needed an answer. We still waited. He again expressed how confused he was and how he needed to know the truth. Still no answer. We had been kneeling for 10 minutes and I was begging God just as hard as Bro. Pweblos was that he would answer this prayer. "Father," I prayed, "I promised this man an answer. He is doing everything Thou hast asked him to do. Why art Thou still silent?" 15 minutes had now passed by. The thin strips of bamboo were digging into our knees extremely painfully. Bro. Pweblos was crying for an answer yet there was none to be heard. I began to wonder if he would just give up. I told God that I had made a promise, and I was not going to be the one to interrupt this prayer and make excuses for Him. I was just amazed it was taking this long. 20 minutes now had gone by. Bro. Pweblos let out an exasperated gasp and fell, rubbing his knees in pain. My knees to were screaming in pain, yet Elder Olojan and I stayed kneeling. I wondered if this would be the end, but after a couple minutes of silence, Bro. Pweblos got back up! He kneeled again, wincing a bit in pain, and continued his prayer. Then, all of a sudden, he gasped, and fell again, this time not from pain. He cried out "Mao gyud kini!" or "This is it! It's true!" He lept up and about tackled Elder Olojan and I. He cried on our shoulders for a couple of minutes and then told us of his answer. He had grown frustrated having given so much and and prayed so much with no answer, but really needed an answer. After so long, frustrated, he threw his head up and looked into heaven. It was then that he saw from heaven a bright flash of white light, and his whole soul was filled with peace. He knew without a doubt that God had answered his prayer and he knew this was Christ's church. We had been kneeling for 30 minutes. I testify that God answers prayers. So many prayers go unanswered because we don't have the faith to wait for the answer. Would you have the faith to wait for 30 minutes in silence for an answer to prayer? I had never had to wait that long, but I know that that experience for Bro. Pweblos is not going to be forgotten anytime soon.
I really have to go now! I love you all. Emily, Shaelyn, Jessie, thank you so much for the letters and dear elders. I love them!
Love,
Elder Garver
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