This last week it was my turn to lead the discussion in Sunday School for our LDS Service Member Group. The lesson was on Joseph Smith’s wrongful imprisonment in Liberty Jail and the revelations he received at that time. It was a good reminder for me of enduring well despite challenges, and that all these challenging experiences are for my good and help me come closer to God; a price I am willing to pay.
It also reminded me of how helpless and powerless Joseph must have felt, and then the Lord gives him a revelation on how His power really works: through gentleness, kindness, love and charity, and virtue. These principles bring the power of the Priesthood to life, and we can see their influence. It helps me while I am feeling somewhat powerless on the other side of the world when my family is going through challenges. I sincerely appreciate all the friends and family who have been there to support and show charity to my family in my absence.
I have been privileged to become familiar with a young Soldier here who was introduced to the Church by some miraculous experiences, and a special group of friends he came to know, just before his deployment. He started the missionary lessons before deploying, and I was able to coordinate with Church Headquarters for him to continue those lessons online with the missionaries back home.
I have been sitting in on the lessons with him, and I have watched as he has stood and born his testimony in Church of the things he knows to be true so far, and the things he is still working on gaining a testimony of. He even volunteered to give the talk in church today and did an amazing job! It is obvious that The Lord has prepared him to receive the Gospel at this time in his life. I see the excitement in him as he continues to hunger and thirst for the words of Christ which have brought so much joy into his life when, previously, he was looking for it in the wrong places.
The local Church Ward invited us to a Halloween party yesterday, and he wanted to go, so the two of us went and met the local Bishop. I wanted to introduce them because the bishop here will oversee this young man’s baptismal interview and ordinance. We had a great time playing games with the local families here that are from at least 10 different countries.
As we drove back to our installation, we discussed some of his questions regarding prophets, gaining a witness of true principles, and learning to understand the Spirit. His talk today was on the difference between doubts and questions. He bore a sincere testimony of his desire to choose to believe, and how he had already had the chance to defend his faith against doubters.
I have met many people in the last couple of months who are listening to The Shepherd and doing their best to follow Him. I am honored to follow Him myself, and I am loving the experience of seeing Him gather His sheep “from the four corners of the earth, even as many as will believe in [him] and hearken to [his] voice.” (D&C 33:6) I hope I can continue to be a part of the gathering in some way.
CH John Critchfield
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