Oh! Missionaries! I've been expecting your call!

Dear Family,
Kasoa is awesome! Things are really going well… well for the most
part. As in all things there is opposition. After our week of working
hard and excitement for our two baptisms this week we had some serious
opposition come on Sunday. Both of our investigators we are planning
on baptizing this week were not able to come to church. I was worried
that this may just bring about my first month of no baptisms. We are
hoping and praying that all will go well for us still that we may be
able to still have at least one of the baptisms this Sunday.
One day in particular we just had a bad day. Things were just not going right.
Both me and my companion felt like we had no energy, all of our
appointments had failed and it seemed like we had biked all over the
place, trying to teach our investigators. We were at practically the
farthest part of our area and had drained all my energy getting there,
to teach one person that failed us. A part of me just said go home.
It’s starting to get dark, by the time you get home it will be dark.
There’s not much we can do anyways. It was a very tempting idea to go
and get some rest so that tomorrow our energy would be restored, but I
knew I couldn’t end my day like that. It just wouldn’t be right. Me
and my companion scrambled through our planners to see if there was
someone near we could see then with no luck we decided to check the
phone to see if there was just anyone that we could see. As we were
looking we came across a list of names that had been referrals given
before we came to the area. I asked my companion if they had been
contacted and he just shrugged his shoulder. He then said well what do
we have to lose, and took the phone from my hands and made the first
call. No one picked. He handed the phone to me and said, You’re turn!
So I then called one, with no luck. Finally we got to one man named
Isaac. We gave him a call and he was so excited to get the call. He
said, “Oh! Missionaries! I’ve been expecting your call!” To say the
least I was shocked. We set an appointment with him for the following
day. We met him and he was awesome. He is about 35 and married with 4
children. The family is so cute and awesome! The family was very busy
so we were only able to sit with him. He asked us a few questions
mostly about the Book of Mormon. Usually in such cases we first
explain Joseph Smith and the Restoration to make it more
understandable, but I was prompted otherwise. I used a scripture that
honestly I have used far too little, yet it is so common and perfect,
John 10:16, then referring directly to the Book of Mormon in 3rd Nephi
and teach about Christ’s appearance in the America’s. I could tell as
we were discussing it his interest peaked. We then especially referred
3rd Nephi 16. It was perfect. He just sat there in his thought,
pondering what he had just learned and you could tell he had a burning
desire for more restored truth. He committed to read more and to pray
to know if it was true. Needless to say I can not wait to teach him
and his family again tomorrow.
Sometimes, things suck. Life is difficult, we get down on ourselves
and want to go home. Those are the times that are most important in
our lives. If we figuratively, “go home” or give up we are letting
Satan win. Those are the times that we have to arise and shine forth.
It will not be easy but it will be those moments that will mean the
most in our lives.
Love,
Elder Smith