A-MAZE-ing Grace

Unholy Hopscotch, yesterday we had an exceedingly frightful experience. Allow me to relate my indelible tale:
Elder Lee and I had a dinner appointment scheduled with a member. Now, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Rather, the opposite is true; we have more member meals per week than scheduled teaching visits with investigators (Only on frightfully bad weeks which, of course, scarcely take place in the Wa-Tac). Anyway, we typed the address into my Global Positioning System device, and set off, feeling hopeful and ignorant, like Winnie the Pooh upon seeing a stack of honey jars.

 We began to feel a little uneasy and squeamish after 30 minutes of driving on dirt and gravel backwood backward and whack board roads. However, we decided that going back would be backwards and boded (I lack words) as bad for our schedule, and so we continued undaunted on our present course. Unfortunately, there were sketchy "roads" branching off from the road we were on, but the GPS only showed the road we were on. After a while, we found our way barred by a metal gate, much to our irritation. Rather than choosing to go back the way we had come, we decided to take a gamble (something frowned upon in the church) and try to find our way past the gate by travelling upon what Lehi called "forbidden paths". Of course, in this case they were just unknown roads, but we got totally lost. After going off on to one of these roads and founding our way again barricaded, we turned around and turned on to what we thought was the right road. However, instead of leading back to where we thought it went, we ran into another gate. Now, this was quite perplexing because we thought we were on the main road travelling back the way we had come. Unfortunately, just because we wanted to believe it didn't make it true, and we wound up thoroughly lost. Fortunately, after praying and pondering, we eventually discovered where we had erred, and were able to make it back to the right road. Yes, we had to go back the way we had come, and take a loop to travel on a completely alternate course to arrive at our destination. I am proud to admit that we were only an hour late to hour appointment. (We were originally going to be 15 minutes early). Now, that may have been a little confusing and long winded tale, but here is the motto: We cannot forge our own way to salvation. God has prepared one way to get there. We may be deceived and start going on the wrong path, but we need to be humble enough to change our course and turn around once we find out we are wrong. Yes, the right way is a little bit inconvenient for the natural man, but it was intended to be that way. Salvation was never easy, but it is worth it, and it is easy compared to what the Savior had to go through to make it possible. I also learned that God gives us everything we need to find the right way. We have the Holy Ghost, we have the prophets, and we have the scriptures. Sometimes, we just need to ponder. That's all it took to get back on to the right path. I just had to take time to think logically. God gave us a brain for a reason. Study it out in your mind. Rely on Him. Be humble.

I will now quickly report on the family we are working with: They had their baptismal date moved to the 24th, because they had a few other things they wanted to work on. Still, they are progressing very well. I am so happy when I see how well they are doing, and as I think about the progress they have made.

Today I studied Mosiah 4:11-12. I would encourage all of you to read these verses as well, and ponder them.

Sorry about the jumbled letter. I did not have much time today. I love you all. Have a great week!

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Elder Benge