Letter #23- "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone "

Dear Everyone!

First order of business!

1.  Thank you so much for all the packages and letters.

2.  In the future if you are going to send a package, send it priority through the USPS so it can be forwarded. Otherwise I will not be recieving it for 6 weeks or even longer.

3.  Hey!

I have been having a great time here still in Goose Creek, and I'd be ok with never leaving this area! I love it here! Elder Grayson and I have baptisms lined up for the next two weeks and the people that will be baptized are amazing people! I know the Lord has great plans for them. We have been working with people that have gone less active recently and the thing that I am learning most is how much more loving I need to be to the people I am working with. We went and talked to a less active guy last night who served a mission in Mexico and has been less active for about 4 years, he's only 26. I was blown away! HOW DO YOU DO THE LORDS WORK FOR TWO YEARS THEN JUST LEAVE LIKE IT'S NOTHING!?!?!?!? I was pretty blunt with him. The first thing I said was, "You're Alex? Nice to meet you. (shake hands, and found out from him that he is less active and a return missionary) Have you thought about going back to church?"

He said, "I know I need to."

Me, "Well, what is stopping you?"

Him, "I live all the commandments of the gospel I just don't attend."

Me, "Attending church is a commandment, it's even one of the ten, keeping the Sabbath day holy."

Him, "Oh, ya. I guess.....(silence)"

Then I just bore my testimony to him and we talked for a while.

That might have worked on him if I had been nicer, the intent behind me giving him that little stinger was not lead by the spirit. More so it was me wanting him to feel the sting of my judgmental attitude....That was hard for me to admit, but it's true. This Sunday, a sister gave a talk about how our words and actions need to uplift others around us not tear them down. And that was not what I was doing at all in these meetings with our less active members. Not just with Alex. But with mostly all of them. I had a bad judgmental taste in my mouth and I let them know it. But that IS NOT how the Savior would have done it. I know that if he were teaching these people he would ask them questions to understand them and then he would lovingly and directly help them realize for themselves that they are not doing what is right. Just as when the woman was caught in adultery, he did not rebuke them for their evil desires, he simply asked them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." I just want to testify that we have a responsibility to uplift and help our brethren and sisters here in this life. I know that as we seek to do that, that we will feel our Saviors love for them and greater help them as well as ourselves. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.