Elder John Ford: Some experiences

Howdy!

Another astonishingly fast week, when I sit down to type, it feels like I haven't even left! But that's what being 'Anxiously Engaged' means I guess. Too much to report on this week, so lets get cracking...

This week found us working our socks off to beat ourselves last week. The objective: to find one new father that we could find and bring to church. We searched high and low, nigh and far, but no matter how much we pushed, no one was being boss, all were shutting their gates with the familiar, "I'm busy..." So, we tried closer to home, actually, the house directly next door to the church. We know the family so well, a divorced mother with three adult sons living with her, probably not the best scenario to find a father, but despite this we asked who was around. Turns out we met not a father, but one of the most spiritually driven men i've ever come into contact with.

His name's Kenani, he's a Pastor by profession, although doesn't have a church (Work it out for yourselves, i'm lost too...) He had been staying with the others because he is a family friend, and the time we contacted him he pretty much had decided that life wasn't worth living. After some debating, testifying, and some spiritual experiences, he decided to not end it all, but to come to church with us on Sunday.

Sunday came, and we went to pick him, even though he lives next to the church. We arrived and saw him at the front door, his head down and without a shirt. He said he couldn't come. We asked why, and he said because his shoe had torn after he was collecting water the night before. I tried to offer him my shoes so that he would come, citing that "Zambia's too hot anyway, bare feet will do for me," but he still wouldn't take the bait. But we finally told him to come, and after helping him to put on his partially scraped show, he came. And he he loved it.

We hope that this week he will pray to know if he should be baptised. I pray that this is the miracle we had been searching for, the man that God had put into our path, the goal we had set in faith.

Another story: There is a shop near the Church that we always buy drinks from when it's hot. It's name is Shopix- and for some reason I have never found out the owner's name, we always call him Shopix. And so for the purposes of this story, the gentleman that I am going to refer to will be called Shopix.

We went in to Shoipix to buy a drink, Shopix asked us how we were doing and we replied Shopix by telling him that we were good, and asked how Shopix was doing. He said that both Shopix and Shopix were fine, but that Shopix was feeling the heat a little too much... Anyway...

We got into a 'discussion', honestly of my making, but nonetheless, a debate. He contended with us about how the Bible was 'enough' for him, and that even if what we said was true, he was 'satisfied' with what he already has. We learnt that he is a 'travelling Bishop', someone who is basically a Spiritual Counselor that has no church, but pays people to have their concerns addressed by God's representative. A load of nonsense, during the conversation, he said something that made the red mist descend- "Even I could have written the Book of Mormon."

If anyone knows me very well, my history is littered with doubt and trouble regarding the validity of ther Book of Mormon. I have had literal wrestles with God about the Book of Mormon, and although it has taken me years and years of prayer and fasting- I have come to a sure knowledge that the Book of Mormon really is the word of God. And so, when Shopix crossed swords with me about his impossible writing ability, although he didn't know it, he had awoken a beast, a beast that has yet to be sturred since I came to Zambia.

But, contray to my own believe, I was overcome and testified, for the first time in my lie, of what I know to be true of the Book of Mormon. I told him, "In the name of Jesus Christ, no man could write the Book of Mormon, for it is the word of God."

He stopped talking for the first time in about 35 minutes. It felt like the world had ended, or Beyonce had appeared in the doorway of his shop, for he was silenced, bewitched by the spirit that was present in that room. I then promised him that I have read the Book, and know of it's divinity, and that no man can be saved unless abiding by it's precepts. The rest is history, but the truth remains- no man can thwart the work of God, no man can testify against His word, and no man could've written such a book, not even the most learned.

I hold this sacred experience close to my heart, and hope by sharing it to you, you can see the truthfulness of His work in my life, in your life, and in the work that missionaries do all over the world.

Love you, have a great week, Transfers Saturday!

EF x

1). Elder Malinga loves strange positions