Discipleship (noun)

Discipleship (noun)

- a position of someone who believes and follows

Our week began with a zone activity: football in Junction City. I saw Elder Bischoff again! We had a great time playing football and hanging out.

Halloween was glorious! After district meeting, many of the elders convened at Sonic to take full advantage of 50 cent corn dog day! Elder Richins and I received a referral in no-man’s land we attempted to contact. You would think because the terrain is so flat for miles we would spot the house with no trouble! On the contrary we had a difficult time, but the trip was not wasted. We found a really cool bridge!

All upon a sudden, it’s November! Satan tries real hard to throw a wrench in my day to start the month poor. Long story short, Elder Richins and I are teaching an investigator of ours and the door to her home becomes defective. It will not shut. A lightbulb turns on in her mind, “Oh! I will call my preacher!” Please don’t call your preacher... “Would you like us to come another time?” we ask. She replies, “No, stay. It’s fine.” Now I did not say it, but I sure am thinking, “Don’t you think this is going to be a little, you know, awkward?”

Sure enough, the kind preacher rolls up in the driveway and gets to work fixing the door. Not half a moment later did he say, “You guys out converting people?” LaMont’s brain: ‘uhmm I think it’s appropriate to say yes, but the Spirit is the true converter.. eh, I’ll just be friendly. I say with enthusiasm, “We sure are!” Not even skipping a beat this man rattles off all this critical, demeaning garbage. I tell you what: I’m going home in two months and I don’t have time for that refuse in my life. All I hear is “Womp, womp, WOMP, WOMP, womp,” he stumbles around with Galatians 1:8. I help him quote the verse and provide him the reference. “Let him be accursed,” we finish together. After more ranting, a pause. He asks, “Don’t you have questions about what you are told?” I smirk. “Every day!” I say with a smile. “I take my questions to God!” I shoot our investigator a big grin, *HINT, HINT* and think to myself, ‘not my preacher whose paycheck thrives on my being in the congregation.’ I’m sorry. Bad Keaton! Humility is a struggle!

After he is through telling me I’m being deceived he asks, “What translation of the Bible do you read?” Wryly I smile, “King James Version. It is the truest translation and the Shakespearean vernacularism has a most beautiful resonance to the soul!” I’m certain he shut out at ‘version’ because he calls out on his way to his Jeep, “Get a Bible you can understand!” Elder Richins and I wave as he leaves. It weighs on our hearts heavily a brother of ours will harden his heart so much to the fulfillment of the prophecy written in 2 Nephi 29. Murmur ye because ye receive more of my word?

My week was made when we met Earlisha (err-leash -uh). She has a real strong pit bull named Ginger that is my best friend. I love dogs. One of our investigators allowed us to draw some of his hunting bows. That was a blast too! Dogs and weapons.. Yup that’s about my happy place.

Elder Richins and I had the great blessing of home teaching with a semi-recent convert. We taught two families about discipleship. Mormon wrote in 3 Nephi 5:13, “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.” Mormon may have been making a statement about being an apostle, but it interesting to note the word ‘disciple’ according to Latin means ‘learner’.

Let us all be learners, believers, and followers like Mormon of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ!

Love all of you so much! Have an amazing week!

This plaque was hung on an exterior wall of the meetinghouse that doubles as the mission office.

The great ‘Kansas Witchita Mission’ of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. “Dang it, Mitch!” This is why we can’t have nice things! Enough with the Oz jokes already!