So, Who Else is There to Meet?

Hi Everyone,

So this week has been more fantastic than the ‘92 USA Olympic Basketball Dream Team! There were some mornings I woke up feeling like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, but mostly Michael Jordan. This week I have been able to get better acquainted with ward members and, oh boy, do we have a great and interesting ward!

Today we went over to a member’s house, Brother Harry Wilson, who is around the age of 60, to do P90X (the workout program). Brother Wilson is ridiculously in shape and fit and did the workouts better than Elder Campbell and I. BUT - here’s the best part. I kid you not when I say that Brother Wilson looks exactly like Abinadi. I am not exaggerating. I will send a picture of him next week. He even has the white beard! ‪ So here we are in Abinadi’s basement doing P90X. Forty-five minutes into the workout I can barely do one pull up. Then, I look over to my left where we have Abinadi busting out 25 pull-ups like there is no tomorrow - at the age of 60.

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‪So after P90X, we helped Brother Wilson make breakfast. So guess what Mom and Dad? I don’t just love reading the Book of Mormon. I love being a part of it! I did P90X in Abinadi’s basement. I worked out my thighs and calves with Abinadi, and yes, Abinadi made me breakfast. I don’t think that’s a story most missionaries could tell! I mean I have been able to meet Danny Ainge and Abinadi, so who else is there to meet? Well, that question is the perfect lead-in to my next section. ‪

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So, who else is there to meet? I need to meet people who are ready to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I KNOW I have been placed here to find them.

‪I’ve witnessed the truth of this as I’ve talked to investigators this week.

There is a family in our ward, the Williams, who we have become well acquainted with. I feel so loved and at home when we are over there having dinner, and the conversations at their table are always so uplifting. The whole family is LDS except one member of the family, Jackson. His name is really Jackson. Jackson is in his early 20’s and he is honestly such an extremely cool guy. He is very relaxed, chill, hard working, and down to earth. If I wasn’t a missionary, Jackson and I would for sure hang out together and be good friends.  The Williams are extremely family oriented, (which just makes them 100x cooler) so Jackson still comes to church even though he has not (yet!) been able to accept the LDS faith.

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‪So we were over at the Williams this week and we were talking about how the Catholic Pope is going to step down, and how Catholics must be feeling about this unusual situation. Jackson then asked, “Well, how would you feel if President Monson stepped down and left?” At that moment I was instantly flooded with the Spirit and I felt my tongue was loosened. l responded back:

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‪ “I would be devastated, but that will never happen.  You may ask, ‘Well how do you know, you’re not President Monson,’ but Jackson, I would not be here right now if I didn’t know that President Monson will never step down. He will be our Prophet until he passes away and then another prophet will be called. The Lord has given us prophets to lead and guide us and he has promised us they will never let us down or lead us astray. I know President Monson and any other prophet after him will never step down, and I’m serving a mission right now because I know this.”

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‪I felt like the Lord’s instrument as I talked and it was amazing. I made a bold statement, but a true one as well, and it helped me realize my purpose – to help people know about and follow the Prophet because he will never lead them astray. We were able to have a great conversation. I love the Williams. They will always be my friends and I cannot thank them enough for their kindness to me.

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‪The Lord gives us guidance through his prophets. I know this is part of God’s plan for us during our time here on Earth. As members this truth is easier to understand than for those outside of the church. I can say that during that conversation my testimony of Thomas S. Monson, and all the prophets from the Holy Bible to the Book of Mormon to these latter-days, increased in great magnitude. I know if I follow the prophet I will never be led astray.

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‪Elder Tait