The 'ol Family History Sneak Attack

The ol' family history sneak attack:

We had just shown up to this apartment complex we had been trying to knock out for the past week and were finishing up the last 25ish doors. The complex was 99% college students but as we started knocking I saw this older guy smoking outside his porch staring us down. He was a ways away from us and made no response when we waved at him. We decided to abandon knocking and go over and talk to him. 

"Sir can I give you a card?" I we asked

He drew a long breath from his cigarette exhaled and told us no and went off on how he knew the only real way back to God and told us we were wrong etc etc. 

He was putting us down for a while and then with a final snort told us to leave. 

"But sir," I said all slyly, "we only wanted to give you a card for family history." He accepted and talked about how his mom went to Salt Lake once to visit the genealogy library. Then he asked why our church did family history and before we knew it he let us in. 

And then he asked about the Restoration and we started teaching. At one point he stopped talking all together to point out the unfortunate way my face frowns when I read my muscles so it looks like I'm frowning if I dont concentrate. Too be fait we were talking about apostasy so I think it's ok to frown a little. But that embarrassing moment for me provided great contrast with the first vision and he got super interested in the Book of Mormon which He said he wouldn't read but then asked us for our testimonies. We bore them and then he told us he had been looking for God's love for a long time and while he'd felt it before he couldn't find it anymore. 

He told us he'd died twice, one time he said it was very pleasant. It was warm and he could feel his spirit quietly slipping away to paradise. He said he had been living a pretty righteous life at that point so it made sense to him that he'd be rewarded.

The second time he was sure he went to Hell. He said it was cold and black no fire, no brimstone, no devils just a cold, dark void. He said it was more terrifying than any biblical description of Gehenna.

He started to cry and told us he would do anything to feel Gods love as he had once before. We had told him the Book of Mormon would help him do so and he accepted a copy and a return appointment. 

I know that the Spirit was present in that lesson. Despite him thinking I was uncomfortable in the beginning it went really well. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Jesus is the Christ and despite everyone telling me this week that I'm wrong and that I'm going to burn I know they're all wrong. The Book of Mormon is true and a man truly can get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book. 

Love y'all,

Elder Murdoch

1: a crappy picture of me and a returning members dog at church

2: that is not mud, but is in fact chicken poop

3: M R . B E A N