Still in Story City... - October 14, 2013

I am still in Story City for another 6 weeks!

 

It came as a shock at first, but I think I oughta stop thinking about what I want to do or where I want to go and to say willingly to God "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord."

 

It took me a little time to be ok with me being in Story City still. Initially, I was not excited at all for staying in Story City. But I now see, just 5 days after transfers, that it was necessary for me to stay here.

Reason #1. Our Zone split on transfers, but our district stayed the same So I am able to help our zone leaders have some constancy. One of the Zone Leaders is new to the area, but in our district he is only 1 of 3 new missionaries to the area, 9/12 of our district stayed the same. And we have no brand-new missionaries in our district for the first time in 4 months, they all have at least 6 weeks experience now.

 

Reason #2. One of the missionaries in our district had some pretty severe anti-Mormon material thrown at him twice in one day and he was really shaken up. I was able to help him and provide support. That was the day of transfers, so if I had been transferred, I wouldn't have been there to help.

 

Reason #3. A less-active member came back for the first time in years to church yesterday and I was the only person she knew as we visited her a couple of months ago.

 

Reason #4. Elder Newhouse and I found a lady from the Philippines back in June, and we taught her and she is a new investigator!

So needless to say, God kept me in Story City for these 3 reasons, and I hope to find many more!

 

The Book of Mormon holds all the answers we need in life. It is the tool to bring all to Christ. Nephi tells us why he and the other prophets in the Book of Mormon wrote the words they wrote:

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

 

And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled.

 

For, for this end was the a law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

-2 Nephi 25:23-26

I add my voice to Nephi's and "I labor diligently to [preach], to persuade [God's] children, [...] to believe in Christ."

 

Love, 

Elder Zachary R McKenzie

Iowa Des Moines Mission

D&C 6:34, 36

  Doubt Not, Fear Not.