Hearts Knit

 Is this the title of a missionary email or the title of a cheesy paperback romance novel?

Actually, the title comes from Mosiah 18:21

21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.

Now, I don't have much time this week, but I will say it was a spectacular week, for 2 reasons:

1. We got to go to the temple this week.

2. Rose was baptized and confirmed this week.

Amazing, right?

As I was standing in the temple, I began to feel a profound sense of peace and of love. As I looked out over all of my fellow missionaries, I just felt such a sense of love and unity with them. It was amazing. I truly saw them all as my brothers and sisters. I wanted so badly to see them in the celestial kingdom. The temple is a sacred place. The Spirit is powerful there, and profound. I am very grateful for the temple.

And, in other news, despite Rose's antagonistic in-laws, she was baptized on Saturday! YAY! Then, her father-in-law decided to pull a nasty trick. You see, he was a previous minister for another church, and his heart is full of hate and venom for Mormons (not sure why, I've never met the man).

Anyway, he knew that we would confirm her the Sunday following her baptism, so he did his best to keep her from coming to church. They took away the only available car and her phone so she couldn't contact anyone, and gave her a whole bunch of chores to do so that she couldn't come. We were all trying to figure out what to do, when her husband saved the day. We previously had thought he wasn't very supportive of her, and even thought he may have been contributing to the problems, but apparently he felt it was important for Rose to be confirmed, because he smuggled her out of the house in his car and brought her to his work and then texted some members to come and pick her up. (Nobody could pick her up at her own house because it was about 2 hours away). She made it to church barely in time to be confirmed in sacrament meeting. The wisdom of God is greater than the cunning of the devil. I definitely know that. Anyway, she is doing very well, after having dodged a bullet with her in-laws. (They won't allow copies of the Book of Mormon in the house, but we just showed her Gospel Library on her phone and she reads it that way)

Ha ha! Onward christian soldiers!

Anyway, I am so grateful to be out here. God's hand is definitely in this work! Have a great week!

--

Elder Benge