Transparent Obstacles

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: January 11, 2015 at 7:49:50 PM MST
To: Cyndy Weiss <cyndyweiss@gmail.com>

This week, my life changed. I learned something that changes
everything. President Pearson came on Tuesday to Mission Leadership
Council. He basically told us we are the worst... actually we were the
worst. He told us we are ineffective and faithless. "Sydney is not the
problem!! It's the way you're thinking!" "We are not looking for
needles in haystacks here!" On wednesday we had zone conference with
him which was even better. He taught us that how we view ourselves
determines who we become. He said that this is what everyone needs to
acheive salvation. Every person needs an identity. If we have a fire
in our hearts that we are children of God then we know we can achieve
greatness. Everyone says life is in your head. What you believe you
can achieve. I always believe that's just a fairy tale. If belief
means hard work. As long as I work hard enough I'll get what I want,
right? FALSE!

Remember that movie "The Secret"? I thought that was soo stupid, but
I didn't understand it. It all clicked in my head last Friday during
personal study. The day prior I was sitting studying when I looked
over at the window sill next to my desk. I was 8-10 little flies lying
on their back dead. All but one who continued kicking his legs
desperately with the last remaining strength that he had. These bugs
had exhausted all their strength trying to fly through the seemingly
non-existent window. In their heads that was the way to get out. When
at first it didn't work the bug gritted his hypothetical teeth and
said, "Well this is the way out so I'll just try again." Over and over
again he tried but the fruits of the 100th attempt yielded the same
fruits as the first attempt and like-wise the last. The bug fought
with all it's might and strength but it's mind was closed all the
while.

On my mission when things didn't turn out how I wanted it to I didn't
think twice, I kept working and trying the best I knew how. I thought
maybe I'm just supposed to be a seed planter. I've tried my absolute
best for 18 months and things haven't really turned out the way I
hoped, "But this IS the way... isn't it? So I'll do all I can until my
time is up and I'll fall onto my back and lay there kicking my legs
till I die." On Wednesday President Pearson grabbed me, shook me up,
and showed me that next to the window there is a wide open door.

There are transparent obstacles that stop us from achieving greatness.
Just because these obstacles are not perceivable with our physical
eyes, that does not make them any less effective it hurting our
progress. With a positive faithful attitude we literally move
intangible obstacles out of our way. The world starts to move how we
believe it can. Such spiritual power to move these mental or spiritual
obstacles can only come through a correct understanding of our
identity. We are Children of the most powerful being in the universe.
We can do AMAZING things. It's in ALL of us. We have limitless
potential. We all knew this before we were born but by choosing to
come to this earth we chose to leave this memory behind so that we
could choose our divine potential.

If only people knew what they are capable of, they would no longer
settle with lives of instant self-gratification. Instead they would
choose lives of power and glory. "The power is in us"!!! We "are
agents unto ourselves." With P-day, MLC in Sydney, Zone conference,
and weekly planning, we didn't get a normal day of proselyting until
Friday. All together we had about 3 1/2 days of proselyting and we did
more work in 3 1/2 days than we did in the entire previous week. We
found a new investigator Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and on Sunday we
found three, one of which accepted an baptismal date on the first
lesson! Am I working harder? No! I already did that. I believe that I
can achieve greatness, therefore the intangible, spiritual obstacles
that once slowed me down have been moved out of my way.

"Spiritual matter is the same as physical matter but it is finer and
purer." One day we will all see that "It is all matter." One quick
experience that I had last night before I end this "lecture on faith".
When we believe that we are can do great things, the Holy Ghost and
communicate to us more openly.

Last night we had just finished doing some visits with our ward
mission leader. He dropped us off at the end of his driveway next to
our car. As I got in the car I saw this house that we had parked in
front of. I thought maybe I should knock it, but we needed to get back
to collect numbers so we drove away. I had this sick feeling that
there was something wrong. I told my companion, "I don't feel good, we
need to go back." I pulled a U-turn and parked where we had been
parked one minute earlier. We got out and knocked the door. "Hello we
are just asking some questions today." "Ok like what?" The bearded man
responded. "Well, for you what are your feelings about God?" "No
thanks!" *SLAM*. But the feeling in my stomach persisted. I told my
companion, "Just one more door and then we'll go".

We knocked on the door and blond women in her 30's came to the door.
She smiled and said "Hey guys how can I help you?" We asked what her
feelings about God were. "I don't believe he exists." "Ok what led you
to that conclusion?" My companion says. "I just can't get over how
much bad there is in the world. Those children that died in that
orphanage in Pakistan didn't choose to be there. They didn't choose to
die." "God gives all of us the right to choose and some misuse it and
hurt others" "But if he gives us the right to choose how come those
children died? They did choose to die. Did they?" We taught that
before this life we lived with God as spirits and we all had the
choice to come here to gain and body and learn from our experiences.
"So you're saying we did have a choice?"

Minute by minute as the conversation had been going the spirit and
started to creep in. When she realized that we all had a choice she
began to get emotional. We taught her of her divine potential and
tears began to flow down her cheeks. We said to her. "Thank you so much
for listening to us and letting us share what we know." She explained
that in two years she had never had religious people come to her door.
That week her friend had died and we were the second people to knock
on her door that weekend. All of a sudden she knew God was real and
she felt his love.

Hope filled this lady's eyes as we stood there in the dark with just a
small porch light. This "atheist" had just felt her fathers love and
the Holy Ghost. That changed everything. And the cycle goes on for all
of those who know their true identity will help all of their brothers
and sisters to do the same.

I know God loves his children.

Love, Elder Weiss