Called to Serve

January 13, 2010 - January 13, 2012

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

June 22, 2011

Dear Family,

Brad sent in his mission papers?  Whoohoooo!  So in about 3 weeks we'll know where he's going?  (Brazil for sure)

What date did he put as his availability date?  I found out this week that i will be home on the 28th of December this year...just a fun fact for y'all. ha.

Today we went to the temple, it was awesome.  I always love going there.  It seems like you wake up from the nightmare of your worries and just get a break.  everything is so much clearer!  I wish everyone could experience what that is like.

I also cut my hair in a different place than usual today.  A bunch of older women thought i was pretty cool being a foreigner and all.  My companion was listening to our conversation and just shaking his head.  I sure miss Shel's hair cuts.  They are killer.

Well this last week flew by again.  It seems like every other day I'm using the computer to send e-mails i don't really understand how that works.  We have a baptism marked for this Sunday.  Its a 10 year old boy who came with his mom to church for the first time this Sunday.  After the meeting he came running up to me and gave me a huge hug and said "Hey i wanted to be baptized with weekend alright?  Convince my mom!"  I had a good laugh about that.  We are going everyday to their house.  Its actually the grandson and daughter of Sister Nilza that had the stroke.  We are pretty determined in baptizing the rest of this family and it looks like the Lord is too.  Rivânia, the mom, has been praying and reading the book of Mormon for a while asking for an answer and she has received about 4 answers so far.  It drives us crazy because she simply doesn't want to accept it.  I have faith that this weekend she will be baptized with her son. 

It seems so simple to us missionaries.  We promised that if they read and pray about it then they will feel super good and will know that it is the Spirit confirming that its true.  Then it happens many times exactly as we said it would and then they still can't seem to accept it.  I have spent many hours pondering why that is exactly.  I was answered with my own example.  If you ask me what is right, i can tell you.  Maybe I can even show in the scriptures why it is right.  But to make it a part of who i am is a whole different story.  Unfortunately change is a little difficult.  Especially a change from carnal, sensual, and devilish to meek, humble and patient.  Things from the natural man side seem to stick a lot better than things from the spiritual side.  Why else do pornographic images endure a lifetime in our minds with perfect detail but we cant seem to memorize a certain scripture?  Only by the Holy Ghost is a change of heart possible.  When our very desires are changed then we can start to see some progress.  When we teach people and they feel the spirit this starts to change their desires.  Ultimately the choice is theirs if they prefer truth or apostasy but at least the answer they can't deny.  That is where i start to get emotional haha.  As Alma says there in Alma 13:27, i sometimes find myself desiring and exhorting so much that it hurts sometimes.  That's just part of the game.  While sometimes we have downs that seem to break a record in depth with every fall we also experience highs that can only come to those truly humble and penitent that seek happiness.  If sometimes we feel like things aren't going to great it, doesn't necessarily mean we are doing it wrong, it just means we haven't finish yet!  After all, the tree of life wasn't planted in the middle of the path, but at the very end of the iron rod.  No diligent effort goes unnoticed or unrewarded by the Lord.  That's been a phrase that has helped me out a lot this last week.  We actually had some great experiences just because we deemed it worth a shot!

Well i love you all and I'm so happy when i hear about the experiences you all have and the things you learn every week.  I'm sooo grateful for my family, there are lots of things that learn from you all.  Things that i took so long to recognise but just recently seem to have "clicked."
Have a great week hold firm to that iron rod!

With a ton of love -- like a surprising amount,
Elder Romm

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