Hola Family!
I have no idea where to begin. This week has truly been a week of miracles! Especially dear was an incredible change of heart that we got to witness!
Sister Taggart is a sweet older Hispanic lady who hadn't been to church in fourteen years. We met with her for the first time last week, and we taught her the doctrine of the sacrament from 3 Nephi 18. She expressed sincere desire to return to church, but she feared that she would not be well accepted by those in the congregation who knew her and that her lack of memory of gospel truths would be starkly evident. She was so open and so full of hope, so I asked her if she would kneel with us right then and there to ask God, the Eternal Father, if it was His will for her to go to church. She knelt. We knelt alongside her. She humbly began her prayer and asked Father if He wanted her to go to church. No sooner had these words left her mouth than she started weeping softly. When she closed her prayer in the name of Christ, she looked up with tears streaming down her face. Her smile shone, even through her tears. "I will go to church this Sunday," she said, "I will go to church."
She had a marvelous experience at church! I had the privilege to witness her first moments in the church after fourteen years. She stood, unsure of where to turn. Suddenly, an older man in the ward who looks like Santa Claus, Brother Bowen, saw her and his face lit up. He walked over, calling her by name, and engulfed her in a bear hug. She slowly relaxed as they caught up on the times and exchanged news. She beamed as she entered the chapel. I was stilled with awe as I observed the care and reverence with which she picked up the hymn book for the opening song, like it was a newborn child. I was moved to tears during that fast and testimony meeting as I watched her cling to each word with rapt attention. I was astounded by the difference as I watched as she was filled with brilliant light. She glowed with joy, she was effervescent with contentment. I so easily forget what a blessing it is to live with a perfect brightness of hope, having never intentionally removed myself from the feeling. What a difference I see in her eyes!! She looks up now, and her eyes are bright. Sister Taggart is a very strong woman.
We also had a run in with Chris, Sister Taggart's less-active anti-Christ son. It was legitimately parallel to the description of Korihor's teaching in the Book of Mormon, just in more modern terms. I felt sick to my stomach as he ranted on about how he believes that Christ came, but not to save the world, and how he believes that technology can bring us to God if we keep building its capabilities at this rate. Tower of Babel syndrome much? I thought so too.
It was terrifying to watch as this seemingly nice, ordinary man transformed as he talked about his beliefs into a man with a crazed look in his eye, talking so quickly and so loudly that spittle accompanied his sharp words as he sent them flying at us. He put down my faith, calling it blind idiocy. He denied Jesus Christ. We wept that night for the desolate state of his soul.
He had so much hatred for everything that testified of Christ (including us), and the most heart-breaking thing about it all was that he spoke all of these disparaging words in the presence of his son and his mother. It was heart-rending to watch the tears of earnest love, concern, and hurt roll down Sister Taggart's face as she looked at Chris in a silent plea for peaceable company. Equally saddening was the shame that crept across his son's face in blotchy red as he intently studied the ground. Chris has broken his mother's heart and lost the confidence of his son, because of his bad example before them.
I have no idea where to begin. This week has truly been a week of miracles! Especially dear was an incredible change of heart that we got to witness!
Sister Taggart is a sweet older Hispanic lady who hadn't been to church in fourteen years. We met with her for the first time last week, and we taught her the doctrine of the sacrament from 3 Nephi 18. She expressed sincere desire to return to church, but she feared that she would not be well accepted by those in the congregation who knew her and that her lack of memory of gospel truths would be starkly evident. She was so open and so full of hope, so I asked her if she would kneel with us right then and there to ask God, the Eternal Father, if it was His will for her to go to church. She knelt. We knelt alongside her. She humbly began her prayer and asked Father if He wanted her to go to church. No sooner had these words left her mouth than she started weeping softly. When she closed her prayer in the name of Christ, she looked up with tears streaming down her face. Her smile shone, even through her tears. "I will go to church this Sunday," she said, "I will go to church."
She had a marvelous experience at church! I had the privilege to witness her first moments in the church after fourteen years. She stood, unsure of where to turn. Suddenly, an older man in the ward who looks like Santa Claus, Brother Bowen, saw her and his face lit up. He walked over, calling her by name, and engulfed her in a bear hug. She slowly relaxed as they caught up on the times and exchanged news. She beamed as she entered the chapel. I was stilled with awe as I observed the care and reverence with which she picked up the hymn book for the opening song, like it was a newborn child. I was moved to tears during that fast and testimony meeting as I watched her cling to each word with rapt attention. I was astounded by the difference as I watched as she was filled with brilliant light. She glowed with joy, she was effervescent with contentment. I so easily forget what a blessing it is to live with a perfect brightness of hope, having never intentionally removed myself from the feeling. What a difference I see in her eyes!! She looks up now, and her eyes are bright. Sister Taggart is a very strong woman.
We also had a run in with Chris, Sister Taggart's less-active anti-Christ son. It was legitimately parallel to the description of Korihor's teaching in the Book of Mormon, just in more modern terms. I felt sick to my stomach as he ranted on about how he believes that Christ came, but not to save the world, and how he believes that technology can bring us to God if we keep building its capabilities at this rate. Tower of Babel syndrome much? I thought so too.
It was terrifying to watch as this seemingly nice, ordinary man transformed as he talked about his beliefs into a man with a crazed look in his eye, talking so quickly and so loudly that spittle accompanied his sharp words as he sent them flying at us. He put down my faith, calling it blind idiocy. He denied Jesus Christ. We wept that night for the desolate state of his soul.
He had so much hatred for everything that testified of Christ (including us), and the most heart-breaking thing about it all was that he spoke all of these disparaging words in the presence of his son and his mother. It was heart-rending to watch the tears of earnest love, concern, and hurt roll down Sister Taggart's face as she looked at Chris in a silent plea for peaceable company. Equally saddening was the shame that crept across his son's face in blotchy red as he intently studied the ground. Chris has broken his mother's heart and lost the confidence of his son, because of his bad example before them.
This is Sister Gudmundson's account of our run in with Chris:
"Thursday night we went over to teach Sister Taggart and we met her
less-active son named Chris. He's been in the Navy and has since strayed from
the Gospel path. We talked to him, or rather he talked to us for about half an
hour. He told us what he believes...it wasn't good.
"Although he said that he would give his life for the
church, he didn't believe in it. Instead he relys on technology and thinks
that "supreme beings" have created us. He told us the reasons he
believed these things. For example, he mentioned how the pyramids were made by
the Egyptians long ago but man can't figure out how they were made and can't
recreate them. He told us several things that were very outlandish. He said he believes Joseph Smith was "downloaded" and that's how he
knew where the plates were and could translate their ancient language.
"He posed the question, seemingly in an effort to stump
us, of how do we believe the Egyptian pyramids are possible.
I mentioned that what he was saying reminded me of Nephi building a boat. He, the son
of a prophet, didn't know the first thing about building a boat. Even his brothers, Laman and Lemuel, refused
to help him build a boat because they thought Nephi was foolish. But, through
revelation from God, Nephi was given the knowledge and understanding needed to
build a boat. That is the only answer one can give to the marvelous
creations of man in the past and in our world today. Through the power of
the Holy Ghost one can know the truth of all things. God knows everything and he gives us knowledge of how to do things
through the Holy Ghost.
"Before I could tell much of Nephi's story, Chris
interrupted me and went off again. While Chris (a 55yr old man) talked, he
spoke so quickly that it was hard to get a word in. I could tell that he just
wanted to debate and confound us. The Spirit was not there and I could see that
his only desire was to cause contention. At several points in the conversation,
this servant of Satan winked at me....it was gross and I felt even more
disgusted. During his rambling he denied the existence of God and even the
Divine role and lineage of the Savior. He denied the Christ! Chris who had been
baptized into the church and covenanted to take Christ's name upon him, had
strayed so far from the path that he'd turned into an anti-Christ.
"I could see those around me, Sister Rapier and
Sister Taggart, crumble emotionally and physically as Chris continued to deny
the Christ. I could feel myself crumble as well. The spirit wasn't there. Never
before on my mission was I so close to standing up and telling Chris in the
name of Jesus Christ to be still and to stop talking. It was very bad.
"Sister Rapier finally asked Chris to either join us for
the lesson or leave because half of our hour appointment was
gone. He walked away.
"After Chris left, his words echoed in all of our minds.
My mind felt so frazzled, my thoughts raced in a fractured frenzy. I didn't
know what to do. I could tell that Sister Rapier and Sister Taggart were
feeling the same way. In an effort to welcome the Spirit into the room, I asked
if we could say a prayer. We did so and I could tell the Spirit came into the
room just a bit, but not enough. Sister Rapier turned to 2 Nephi 22 and we read
it together. Trying so hard to teach, I commented on the last two verses. I
scrambled to know what to do next, my mind so fractured. In one of the verses,
I saw the word "sing" and without thinking, I asked Sister Rapier to
sing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives". Sister Rapier stood and her
beautiful voice broke through the barrier between us and the Spirit.
"The Spirit filled the room undeterred by Chris'
anti-Christ words. The spirit was so strong that I began to cry. It was such a
contrast! There really is opposition in all things. As any mother would, Sister
Taggart, expressed her worry for her son Chris. I was reminded of the story of
Alma the Younger. We ended up reading his story (Mosiah 27). The passage that
stuck out to me the most was verse 31. In this verse Alma the Younger is
testifying after he's been born again. "Yea, every knee shall bow, and every
tongue confess before Him (Christ). Yea, even at the day, when all men shall
stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall
they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgement of an
everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble,
and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye." I know that Chris will someday confess that Jesus is the
Christ, the son of the Living God.
"The following day I read the story of
Korihor found in Alma 30. As I reflected back on our experience with Chris, I came realize that many of the things Chris
had said were very similar to what Korihor professed in 76-74
B.C.
"I am so grateful for the Gospel and the peace that can
be felt from the Holy Ghost. I know that Jesus is the Christ and is the Son of
God. I know that He atoned for my sins and the sins of all the people that have
and are and will be on this earth! It is marvelous and I am so grateful for my
Savior and Redeemer! I know that He lives!"
That night, after our experience with Chris, a spirit of comfort accompanied us as we sobbed. As we prayed for peace, we each felt the tender care of those who accompany us on the other side - a clear indication that we are under God's watchful care. Peace filled our small basement apartment as we asked God for his spirit to attend us. I slept soundly that night for the first time in over a week. God truly does watch out for us, and I know that my Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, lives.
Love you always,
Sister Naomi Rapier
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