Faith and Hope

Alright, I have to be quick today! This past Tuesday, we went on exchanges with the assistants and we had a really good day. Elder Croft came with Elder Nielsen and I and then Elder Myers went with the other assistant Elder Visser. We went finding that night with a member Zach Eberhart and he and I went to a lesson while the other two elders went tracting. Our lesson fell through so we went back to a lady's house named Lindsey who we talked with a few nights prior. She told us to come back on Tuesday if we had time so we said, "Okay." When we got there a member from the Conroe 1st Ward was there with her husband! Lindsey had made us all dinner and then we shared a message when we finished. Good thing we went back!! She is a really nice lady and she works with Brother Fisher from the Conroe 1st Ward. He served here like 2 years ago and met Katie who is now Sister Fisher. They are sweet! We taught the Restoration and then we are going to go back this week. She has a daughter who 12 and she is interested in meeting with us as well!

Meanwhile, when we were at Lindsey's house Elder Croft and Nielsen found 5 other investigators!! There was one guy named Tommy which we have already met with again this past Thursday and then another lady and three of her children.

As we have reflected on why we found 7 new investigators that day we have come to one conclusion. We had the hope to find. Obviously we had the faith to go out and act and say okay lets go tract, but we were actually planning and hoping to finding people. We told each other that we would do whatever we had to and then prayed and confirmed with the Lord. You can have faith and no hope. They are so similar, yet they are different. I love these words of wisdom from Moroni 10:20-23.

Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.
And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.
And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.
And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

It is also interesting to me that some missionaries think that being disobedience doesn't affect the work. The scriptures clearly tell us that iniquity leads us to despair.  And if we are in despair we have no hope.  And if we have no hope we have no faith.  And if we have no faith we will see no miracles because miracles come on account of our faith. Moroni 7:37. 

"Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!

In this there is safety; in this there is peace.

He will send blessings; He will send blessings.

Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments.

In this there is safety and peace."

I love this hymn. I know that as we keep the commandments our faith and hope will increase and our confidence shall wax strong in the presence of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.