So to start off, I'd like to share a story from knocking doors last night.
We were knocking in an area called Village Creek (One apartment complex of 3 in our area that is mostly Hispanic--and our area is massive) for like the 3rd time last night, and this old white man opened the door. We explained we are representatives of Jesus Christ and that he sent us to share a prayer with him. He stared at us with his mouth open for I kid you not, probably 20 seconds. I finally said "...soooo can we share a prayer with you?" and then he just WENT OFF about our "cult." Elder Alexis looked kinda freaked out, and I was like "Sir, we are just here to share a prayer, can we share a prayer?" Kinda laughing, which made him really mad and he yelled "I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE ___ YOU GUYS ARE COMING FROM!?" To which I responded "Jesus Christ" (It's true!) which made him Rage even more. Finally his Son came up behind him and told him to quit being a "Ding-Dong" (language changed). Then the son started asking us some questions (He was pretty genuine) but the guy just kept going off. He asked what we believed in, I gave him a simple 3 sentence explanation (Christ established church, people rejected Apostles and Priesthood authority was lost and we believe it's been restored) to which he went off and yelled "Who rejected the Apostles!? NO BODY?!" to which I responded "...the people who crucified Peter upside down?" which he responded "Yeah! The Same people who crucified Jesus! Those guys weren't very popular!" ...... "Exactly, so they were rejected..." to which he responded "Well that's because people usually reject the truth because they're too prideful!!!" ...."Exactly, and when they were rejected and killed the Church was corrupted and Priesthood Authority was lost. Look at us, we are pretty unpopular. Maybe we have the Truth!" Well, that made him really mad... and then he told me that we kill people who leave the church, so we handed him a card and walked away while he was still foaming and barking at the mouth.
I share that experience not because I want to embarass this man, or speak badly about him. I wasn't trying to argue with him, but I was trying to calmly clarify what we actually do believe. It just amazes me how hard people are against the mormon religion.. we don't teach anything that crazy. That pretty much sums up my knocking experiences I've had in this area. I've been handed anti-mormon pamphlets where the storyline is something like Two Mormon Elders being converted to Born-Again Baptist churches (among many others), that "quote" "Real Mormon Literature" (only key words and context have been changed hahaha) and sometimes cite quotations from Books titled "Mormons and the World of Magic and Blood-Oaths" as our "Doctrine."
My simple question is this. Why are there no other religions that have so much adversity raging against them, with so much combined force to stop them, and so much blatent lies circulating about them?
I've recently began attending other churches on Sunday. I love hearing and comparing doctrines. There's a lot of people who have amazing Faith in Christ, doing amazing work in his name. I want to know where these people are coming from, and what they believe. I dont want to tear down anyone's Faith, but to simply grow it and show them more. It makes me frustrated how no one even considers to try and view things from our Standpoint with an open mind. I want to do the same thing for others. If i can understand them better, maybe I can help them understand us better.
I bore my testimony this past Sunday. I have no idea why, but the Spirit hit me like a train. I didn't say much, but I wept like a baby. It was embarassing.. it's actually the first time I've cried on my mission.. which is a shocker, because I've had alot of profound and moving experiences on my mission, but this is what moved me to the point of tears. My testimony was short and simple:
"I Know this is the Church of Christ, and it's on the Earth again for all of us. I know The Gospel changes lives, because it has changed mine, and I'm so grateful for that. I know that it can change anyone's life. I testify that Christ lives, He knows us all. He is our Savior, and he always will be, no matter what we have done. I am so Grateful that I am a Representative of Christ, and I get to share that with everyone I meet. This is my purpose, and I'm just...grateful."
Love,
Elder Juanes
Elder Jace Johns
3850 Central Ave
Apt# 202
Ft Myers, FL 33901
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