Last week we were driving home and as we drove past some mobile homes I felt like we should go there when we had some extra time. A couple days later as we were planning we felt like we should go there and meet some of the Members and Potential Investigators in the area. So we went and began to walk around to find this member we thought we should go see. Well, we walked around for 30 minutes trying to find his house and we ended up walking the whole mobile home neighborhood and his house was literally right by our car...haha well we knocked on the door and he didn't seem like he wanted us to be there but we started talking to him and as we started to talk to him his heart softened. He began the conversation by saying he didn't believe in organized religion anymore and it ended with him accepting The Book of Mormon and wanting to come back to church again. In Preach My Gospel it talks about how we need to uncover people's "icebergs" or their deep concerns, and things holding them back. As we talked and I said what the Holy Ghost put in my mind, he opened up and told us why he didn't go to church anymore and what past experiences were holding him back from coming again. It was just amazing to see firsthand how God helps his servants when they are worthy and how God prepares his people to come back.
Also, I have been reading 3 Nephi looking for references to the word "minister" (in any of its forms) and "one by one" like Elder Ballard invited us to do in the ministering training. As I have been reading 3 Nephi I have loved the faithfulness of the people. Here's a really good story for you, sorry if it's a bit long. I promise it's a jem! 
Anyway, in Chapter 3 Giddianhi, a wicked man, is threatening to come and kill all the righteous people. He thinks he is so mighty and powerful because he has thousands of men. Well little did he know that Lachoneus, the leader of the righteous people, had Heavenly Father on his side. When Lachoneus gets Giddianhi's fairly scary letter, The Book of Mormon says,
Verse 11 & 12 "And now it came to pass when Lachoneus received this epistle he was exceedingly astonished, because of the boldness of Giddianhi demanding the possession of the land of the Nephites, and also of threatening the people and avenging the wrongs of those that had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged themselves by dissenting away unto those wicked and abominable robbers.
Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them."
Lachoneus knew where real strength came from. He knew that his God would help them so,
Verse 15 "Yea, he said unto them (the righteous group of people): As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers (Giddianhi's bad guys)."
The people prayed, repented, fasted, and relied on God. It came to the day they all went to war and when the armies of Giddianhi came, the righteous people fell down and prayed for help when they saw how scary the bad people looked. It says in 3 Nephi 4:9-10,
"And it came to pass that when the armies of Giddianhi saw this they began to shout with a loud voice, because of their joy, for they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because of the terror of their armies.
But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them."
And these righteous people won the war! They won not just because they prepared swords, armour and fought hard, but because they prepared spiritually. They prayed to Heavenly Father for help, fasted for strength, repented of ANYTHING & EVERYTHING, and relied on Heavenly Father to help them as they put forth their best.
I know Hevavenly Father will do the same for you. He will answer you prayers, give you strength as you fast, forgive you of all you sins, and be a solid rock you can rely on. I know God is there. I know He answers prayers, and I know with all my heart that He loves you. And I love all of you too.
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