Email - 6/2/09

From: Bryan Barney
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 8:02 AM

That's cool that Brian noticed the good examples in the ward. Sometimes I don't know what the purpose is of what I'm doing in some places, but if I'm leaving a good example, then that's a good thing. For example:

This week we had, for the first time in our mission, someone chuck a Bible in front of us and start to attack the Book of Mormon. We were visiting a woman who has been off-and-on investigating the church for some 7 months now, when her mother (with whom we were already somewhat acquainted, and familiar with her odd beliefs) began the assault.

Being somewhat prepared for this, and fully aware that this woman did not want to listen to any explanation we would give using the Bible, for we are in fact fully capable of proving the Book of Mormon using the Bible, we did what we felt best to leave a decent example for the woman for whom we had come.

"Ma'am, can you show me God now?"
"No, because no man at any time has ever nor will ever see God."
"Can you show me Jesus, then?"
"No, I can't."
"How then, can I be expected to believe in them? I can't see them, and you can't prove they're real. How can I believe in what I can't see?"
"It's called Faith."
"Exactly. And it is this way that I know that The Book of Mormon is true. Faith."

To cut a long story short, we bore our testimonies and left. The woman attacked and attacked and attacked, and the more I have reflected, the less I have understood why. What reason could she have? This woman, who claimed to have such knowledge of the Bible (though evidently very little, as the interview so clearly showed from her vehement claim that no man could see God), likewise frequented no church. Thus she could have no real agenda against ours in this manner. We were 2 young men who had come to her house to talk about The Word with her daughter, who is a woman in her own right. 2 young men in a world rife with sin and debauchery, who could very well have been out doing who knows what kind of horror, but because of our faith we had dedicated 2 years of our lives to the service of the Lord. What, then, was her reason in trying to destroy our faith?

I tell this story only to illustrate that at times there is nothing we can do but be better people. The phrase, "Be the Better Man" comes to mind. I don't mean to say this proudfully, that I am a better person than this woman, but that in that situation I was determined not to sink below what the Lord expects of me. As President Uchtdorf recently said, I am doing a Great Work, so that I Cannot Come Down.

I'm glad to hear Spanaway Ward is doing well. Make sure Colin helps out the Missionaries when he can. If he can't get a badge for himself for now, he can at least help the work roll along, huh?