I'll go where you want me to go

Hello all:

Lots of time to email today-- be prepared for a long letter

We've been making a big push this transfer to tract better. Instead of just hitting random streets, we've been relying more heavily on revelation to find God's prepared children. Sometimes, we'll drive around a neighborhood for 20 minutes or so (one of the luxuries of having a car), praying and listening until we find a street that we feel we should visit (after 20 minutes we give up and just start working somewhere hoping God will help us on our feet). We have found the majority of our success in our area in this manner-- by prayer, by revelation, and by work.

This stems from a story in 1st Nephi 15. Lehi in chapter 8 has a dream that no one else in the family understands. Nephi comes up withe the bright idea: "If the dream came from God, then perhaps God might be a good guy to go to for the answer!" So he does, and receives 4 writable chapters of vision and "the interpretation thereof." When he comes down from the mountain, he sees Laman and Lemuel arguing (surprise!). Nephi later asks them what is "the cause of their disputation." They tell him they don't understand the dream. "Have ye inquired of the Lord?" Nephi asks?

Their answer is stunning: "We have not, for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us." TRANSLATION: "Nope-- because we don't think God's going to tell us."

I laughed out loud when I realized what knuckleheads these apes were. How logical is it not to even put the Lord to the test. Like Naaman with his leprosy, and like the Israelites with their brazen serpent, and like Lehi's family with the Liahona, Laman and Lemuel would not ask God, "because of the easiness of the way."

Later, when pondering on how to find more success in tracting and where to go, I had a conversation with God in which the Spirit asked:

"Elder Watkins, have you inquired of the Lord?"
To which, I sheepishly responded, "I have not."
"And why is that?"
"The Lord maketh no such thing known unto me."

Boy did I feel stupid! But I have learned to be less like Laman, Lemuel, Naaman, and Israel, and to be more like Nephi and Joseph Smith-- to inquire of the Lord. As I have applied this principle, I and my companions have found more success than we ever would have though we could tract and OYM for a decade or more. Only by seeking out guidance from the Lord have we found real success.

Pictures:

* A favorite poster in my room, and the theme of this letter
* We have elk! ALL OVER!!
* The city of Denver at night (I love this function of my camera!)
* A car driving by-- looked really cool!
* The foothills area
* Ran across (and almost into) a herd of deer-- they're everywhere!
* Me and "Batman" at the Ward Halloween Party

Hope you all have a good week!

--
Elder Watkins
Colorado Denver South Mission