First off, I didn't do much of anything exciting for my half way point on my mission, but I will probably do something fun this Thursday on my split with my District Leader Elder Evans, who is also from the same MTC group. But we will see. Sorry to be so boring, but the half way point just didn't seem like anything special. Just another day in the life of a missionary.
Secondly, all of my stuff is holding up quite well, and is still going strong. As far as best brands goes, the Keen shoes are great, and way comfy. No blisters or anything. The tread is way worn down and the sole is starting to come off, but it's okay. The Darn Tough socks are way good, and have yet to get a hole except for when they get caught on stuff and rip, which hasn't happened too much. They are also still quite comfortable, despite being put through the ringer day in and day out.
Thirdly, the highlight of the week would have to be either our Sunday turn out at church or our zone trip to Tsimbazaza, the zoo here in Tana. Yesterday at church, we had a massive turnout of one hundred and forty people, included in that were eleven investigators and several less actives. So needless to say, we were WAY happy. Well, we would be even happier if all the people who said they would come to church would actually come, in which case we would have twenty-five plus investigators at church along with a good fifteen less actives... Ah well.
Anyway, fourthly, I will start into the more spiritual side of things. My mom asked me what I have learned the past year with regards to faith. All I can say before is to get ready and hold onto your hats, because I've learned a LOT. Please read all of this, because I feel that this is a very important topic for all of us.
Faith is honestly the biggest thing we deal with out here: faith of both members and investigators. First off, I have learned that faith is, as Alma says, "not a perfect knowledge" but rather a BELIEF coupled with ACTION regarding a certain thing that is not seen, yet believed to be true. A wonderfully accurate example that I have heard a few times from either apostles or others is that of a misty morning (you all in Utah might not understand that, because real misty mornings don't really exist there, but here they are abundant). But it applies greatly to the concept of faith. Walking out on a misty morning, you can't see any further than about five feet in front of you. You have no idea what is right in front of you. You feel that if you take a few steps in front of you that you will become lost in the mist. And yet, as you move forward in faith, the mist seems to be moving away from you, and you are able to see just enough to press forward. Then, as you continue to do so, your faith increases the more you go. That faith, at that point, never becomes a perfect knowledge of what lies ahead, but it is enough for you to push forward. But as you press forward in faith, the sun begins to come out, and the mist begins to lift. That represents God. As we show evidence of our faith that we are willing to follow Him, God will slowly but surely begin to clear the way before us and enlighten our understanding. However, we MUST show our faith in Him. If we do nothing and expect Him to simply lighten our path, He cannot do so. This is what caused John to write that 'faith without works is dead." Returning to my example I just gave, what would happen if we just stood still in the mist and did nothing, expecting our view to be improved no its own? What would happen if we did so, and the sun coming out was dependent upon our moving forward, as it is in this case? The answer is nothing. Absolutely nothing would happen and we would just sit there in the misty darkness, not knowing anything more than we did before. No, we must take that first step and leap of faith, out into the mist and darkness of uncertainty. If we make that jump, God will catch us. We still will not have a perfect knowledge, but--as with the mist--the uncertainty will be pushed back just enough for us to see that we are on the right path and need to continue forward, continually putting our faith in God. If we do so, we WILL be blessed, for God is "bound when [we] do what [He says], but when [we] do not what [He says, we] have no promise."
My mom also asked me what my personal definition of faith would be. As far as that goes, I would say that faith is a willingness to put your trust in God, despite a lack of knowledge and certainty. There are many great stories of people showing this kind of true, pure faith in God, but the one I will share is more personal and one I have seen in person, I have already shared his story, but this is about a recent convert named Anessey, who, before, was Muslim. I already told the story, but it profits for me to tell it again. Starting in 2001, Anessey and his family learned from the missionaries, and continued to be taught from them for the next THIRTEEN YEARS, during which time none of Anessey's family (including him) ever thought they would join the church, but they continued to have the missionaries over because they simply enjoyed the company. But, in 2014, last year, Anessey finally took that first step of faith and actually began to read the Book of Mormon, and he felt that it was true. The mist of confusion and darkness slowly moved away from him as he pushed forward. And then, despite the fact of him being a Muslim his entire life, he decided to change and follow the path he felt was right, and get baptized. Now, about a year later, he is still trying to overcome his past ways and his Muslim habits, but his faith is there. He sees that he is on the right path, whether he sees the end of it or not. And I have seen that his life has truly been blessed due to his willingness to follow God, despite his lacking a perfect knowledge or seeing a great sign show him that this is the right path. That is to say, he has true faith. He tries to follow God, he falls short sometimes, but then he picks himself back up again and tries harder to follow the path in front of him, which is the path he feels is right for him. It is the path that he feels (but doesn't know perfectly) is God's will for him. Also, an interesting fact to note is that none of the rest of his family converted, but are still Muslim to this day. Anessey was the only one to truly put his faith and trust in God and move forward, despite not seeing everything that the future held, or even seeing the path that was in front of him clearly. And yet he CHOSE to make that leap of faith, and take that step into the uncertainty. He could have been content with staying Muslim and sticking with what he already knew. That would have been the easier option. But, as Elder Holland said, "Salvation is not a cheap experience!...How could we even think that it would be easy for us when it was never easy for Him?" And so, Anessey followed the example of His Savior, Jesus Christ, and decided to get baptized into His church.
Now, I know we all live in different situations, with different problems, concerns, and uncertainties. But the fact remains the same that we must press forward through whatever kinds of mist there be that surround us, whether that be hesitating to get baptized or any other situation there may be. And so my invitation to YOU (yes, I'm talking to you), is to make that decision, put your faith in God, and show your willingness to follow Him, despite your uncertainty. I know that you will be blessed because of it. The mists of darkness which surround you will begin to disappear and fade away, but only as you take the steps to follow God's path for you. So I will say it again, please make the decision to follow God and His plan for you, despite your uncertainty, your lack of knowledge, or any other causes for hesitation you might have, and JUMP. Leap into the mist, and you will see it move away from you, thus throwing the path into a greater light so you may see more fully the way that you are to go. That is my promise to you, that these are things that will happen as you put your faith and trust in God, and He will bless you beyond your comprehension.
I thank you all again for your wonderful support and love you send every week. You all are so wonderful, and I want the absolute best for you.
Until next week!
Am-pitiavana,
Elder Snell
