"That Thy Name May Be Upon Them..." (D&C 109:22) - Week 4

As I mentioned last week, I am still learning my new responsibilities in my new position, and I appreciate the prayers of all those who have been praying for me. I am feeling more reassurance from the Lord through the Spirit that everything will be okay, and this is for my learning and experience. I am sure one day I will look back and understand why the Lord put me in this position and how it helped prepare me for other things He wants me to do.

At the same time, there are many great opportunities to serve and participate here and now. Since I last wrote, I was able to attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints service-member group here for the first time. It was wonderful to gather with the Saints and worship together as we are all far away from home. I met an excited investigator there who had been introduced to the Church by his new friends back home and started the missionary lessons just before deploying here. As we had lunch together after the service, I asked him to tell me his story and I was honored to hear it. 

As I listened, I felt inspired to share with him how happy he seemed to be as the Spirit has obviously led him here at this time in his life for a reason. I encouraged him to journal his experience and he had already started doing so! Now, he desires to be baptized and has been reading the Book of Mormon regularly. I connected him with the missionaries through the Church Military Relations department so they could finish the teaching process and help him prepare for baptism. 

I encouraged him as he continues to be taught by the missionaries, to do more than just learn information (although that is important too, since knowledge is a key to salvation); but to allow the Spirit to manifest the truth of the things he learns with each principle. I told him how the Spirit, who testifies of these truths to his heart and mind, will help him as he continues his journey; because there will come challenges and difficulties that having those written experiences will help him to endure well, because he will remember the spirit in which it was manifested to him. 

He later told me that all the things we had discussed, and even the counsel I gave, was exactly what he was journaling about this morning and was wondering about himself. I testified that there are no coincidences when the Spirit is obviously guiding us. I am excited for him to enter into the covenant of baptism, to be willing to take upon him the name of Jesus Christ, and to become a new creature in Him.

I was also privileged this week to take four LDS Soldiers off the military installation to meet with an LDS group from the local community who was having an activity. This was the first time any of them had been off the installation (because of COVID restrictions and security) and some of them had been here 8 months! We played ultimate frisbee and had lunch together with some amazing people from very diverse backgrounds. I met a new convert from Fiji, a local investigator, a man from Africa, a man from Chile, another from the Philippines, another from India who also served a mission in India, and others who were from the U.S. 

It is amazing how we can be from so many different parts of the world and can come together in fellowship and wholesome recreational activities. I felt an immediate bond with these brothers who had made covenants to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, even though some of us didn’t even speak the same language. We got to see some of the local town sites and landmarks that were remarkable. I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know more of the local culture, and to gather with others who are willing to bear the name of Jesus Christ, especially when we are the minority here.

In His Service,
CH John Critchfield