Ok so last year in preparation for our infamous never-to-be-forgotten-world-class-bent-rod-had-to-be-there-oh-na-na-c'mere-bear-the-name's-tina-have-some-salmon-and-blueberries-only-Hay-will-get-this-super-amazing-Alaskan-fly-fishing-trip my dad enrolled Bridger and I in a 6 week fly fishing course through Davis High with none other than THE Mr. Navodomskis. He is quite a boisterous man who knows everything there is to know about all things fly fishing. Admittedly I learned a lot from his class, I also drew some pretty fantastic doodles during his lectures. However never in a million years did I think one of his personal experiences was going to come to mind and into play during my mission in the middle of Eastern Tennesee. But it did, and it's helped me a lot. One day mid schpill he shared something that I remember jotting down and doodling about.... he was so animated and getting so pumped up about fishing and I remembered he bounced on his heels and yelled "YOU GOTTA BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA CATCH FISH!!!!" He told us that his son is a great fly fisherman because he honestly believes every time he goes fishing that he is going to catch fish.
Alright let's apply this to the gospel. I need to believe that I'm "gonna catch fish..." WE need to believe we are going to catch fish. We need to believe that there are those being prepared to become caught up in the gospel and to change their lives. Our call as missionaries is to be "fishers of men." My goal is to believe more each day that I'm going to catch fish... we are going to catch fish... Sister Allen and I are going to catch fish . Which brings to mind the chapter in Matthew when Christ calls his apostles and asks them to leave their nets and follow Him... I wrote about that at the start of my mission, about what nets I left and which nets I still need to work on leaving. It's a daily decision, to leave our nets and follow the Savior. I've also written a bit about offering our fishes to the Lord, when we give him all that we have, our 5 loaves and 2 fishes, He multiplies it and works miracles. I say it over and over, He can do so much more with us than we can on our own... Well now I want to talk about another fishing story from the life of Christ.
I recently have had my eyes opened to the scene at the sea of Tiberius, and I want to share what I have learned. You know the background, the apostles had just lost Christ, so they thought... their Master had "gone the way of the earth" so they thought... He had "given up the ghost" so they thought... they were saddened and so what did they think to do? What they've always done, they went back to their nets, they went fishing. And they were miserably unsuccessful (kind of like our week last week, hmm the gospel is just so true and so applicable) they were out all night with no results and were probably pretty grumpy and frustrated by the morning. And as they were out on the sea in their boat: grumpy, unsuccessful, grieving, missing a loved one, feeling like failures, not knowing their purpose, scared, lonely, frustrated, confused... doing what they knew to do, what they thought was best... as they were sitting in this state there came a figure on the beach who called out to them. And what did He say?
"Cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find" John 21:6
And did they want to do that??? I think if I was on the boat I probably wouldn't have wanted to... I'd probably have given one of my famous eye rolls and grumbled, "This wise guy doesn't know we've been out here all night with no success" but I also think and hope I would've then said "But you know what boys??? We've been here all night... let's try it... what've we got to lose?" and then I'dve chucked the net onto the right side... Now who knows if that is what the Apostles thought process was that morning, but we know that's what ended up happening... they casted their nets on the right side... and the result? They couldn't pull in the amount of fishes that were caught! It was immeasurable, they couldn't receive It, didn't have the ability to comprehend the amount, didn't have the strength to hold it all, or the capacity to retain It all, that was how blessed they were. It was as if "the windows of heaven poured out a blessing, and there was no room to receive it" Well It was John who recognized the figure on the shore that called out that inspired advice. He said to Peter, "It is the Lord." And then we know Peter bailed off the side and swam to shore, and we know the rest of the conversation... But I want to stop right there and let that sink in, both to my heart and yours...
You see, Christ DID know that they had been out all night, He knew they were feeling unsuccessful, frustrated, and confused. He knew what they were feeling and He knew how to help. He knew where the fish were. And when the apostles trusted that, they had success... do you get where I'm going with this? When we rely on our own understanding, our own intellect, opinion, and experience, more often than not we end up stuck in a boat lonely, tired, frustrated, and confused. BUT if we trust in the Lord, and do what He suggests, put His counsel to the test, then there will be more success and more blessings than we can even pull in. HE KNOWS WHERE THE FISH ARE, and we gotta believe we will catch them... as long as we are working for and on the right side... literally and figuratively.
So last week Sister Allen and I were on that boat... it was a long dark week, we had been going off of our own understanding, our own intellect and fishing where we thought was best... and we ended up frustrated, confused, and tired. Then someone taught us that lesson, and we put it to the test. We fasted and prayed and cast our nets to the right side and there were blessings... and they are continuing to be caught, not exactly how we expected... but how He intended.
Here are four of them...
A Spanish referral from the Elders in the area next to us. Honduran men at a restaurant, a very prepared but very distraught man and another random investigator at church.
LATINA: So we received a referral our first week here, and never had been able to contact her, but the Elders said they felt like they shouldn't drop her and we didn't want to either until we had met her. We had been over there multiple times with no answer, we called and texted also with no answer. Finally I mustered my courage and left her a very broken Spanish message. And she called back. And she scheduled a time for us to come by. And we went. And it was the wrong time. Doce (12) and dos (2) sound similar but are different, very different ;). But esta bien because she rescheduled for the next day. So we went back. At the right time. I had role played the Restoration lesson with Sister Allen and felt a little apprehensive but mostly good about it. And then we knocked on her door and started talking with her and she is so sweet! Oh my goodness I have such a special place in my heart for people who speak Spanish!!! This might be bad to say but they are way easier for me to love instantly! Some of these stubborn Tennesseans take my stubborn heart a little, or sometimes a lot more time to open to. Anyway, we started talking to this woman, and the conversation was going well, you know what, actually... it was going great. She understood, I understood, Sister Allen even applied some of her college course Spanish and understood! But guess what... I didn't teach the Restoration lesson I had practiced... nope on that hot and humid front doorstep I began teaching the Plan of Salvation... not because I wanted to, noooo no. My own understanding and intellect and desire would've been to teach what I had practiced, fish where I knew. But I know that that isn't how Christ taught... He knows where the fish are, and He knows how to catch fish. He knows where she is at in her life right now and what questions she needs answers to and what things she needed to talk and testify about. And I also talked and taught and testified. I trusted Him and did what I could, gave Him my 2 fishes, my broken Spanish, threw my net off the right side, prayed, "I don't know how I'm supposed to teach this but you do, so I'll do what you want me to do..." the result? Well she wants us to come back on Thursday!!! You gotta believe you're gonna catch fish!!!! With HIS help.
HONDURAN: at a restaurant we were at with our ward mission leader as we were getting ready to go I heard a Spanish accent say "Ah! Missioneros!" Unfortunately I was mid conversation with our ward mission leader and didn't say anything to the guys and we walked out. And when we got out to the car I said to Sister Allen, "I can't decide if we should've talked to those guys..." she responded that she needed to go back in to go to the bathroom so we could talk to them then... in my mind I thought, "Ooh awkward I don't really want to go back, I don't want to make a fool of myself..." And then another part of me thought "Oh well what have we got to lose? I'll trust a prompting if it is one... And if it's not then oh well esta bien" (sound like the ship in Tiberius conversation? Yeah weird I know... I guess I'm predictable;) so we went back in, and it was awkward... no doubt about it, but turns out the one guy recently moved from Honduras AND HE'S MORMON!!!!! WHAT?! Yes! You read that right!!!! So we gave him our card with our Church address and are praying he shows up sometime soon. Once more Christ knows where the fish are! And we have to believe we can catch them!
STRUGGLING SEAMAN: we met another referral who honestly is one of the biggest studs I've ever met in my life. He has investigated and studied the church for 9 years and speaks 7 languages. His grandparents were members and two of his brothers are. He has led a very interesting life with some heavy and intense involvement in the military. He honestly seems like the most prepared person I have met so far in my mission, the problem is, he doesn't think he will ever feel worthy enough to be baptized because of his career and background in the military. That shatters my heart BUT Christ knows how to catch fish and He'll help and guide us.
CHURCH ATTENDEE: well once more we were sitting in church and had a random guy we tracted into show up!!!! The bishopric must get a show at our faces and the look of pure shock and elation when we see a person unexpectedly saunter in last minute. This man, aw man y'all he hasn't been to church in 30 years, AND HE CAME! He said it was very different and a lot of it went over his head... to be honest it was a difficult one for me to keep up with as well, some fast paced Book of Mormon comparisons between antichrists and a pitch on the pathways education system... yikes... But the hymns were powerful! Anyway unfortunately he couldn't stay longer than sacrament but said he'd like to come back next week again! Christ knows where the fish are and we gotta believe we can catch them!!!
To close I want to bear my testimony of the divinity of this work and the perfect example of our Savior Jesus Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how applicable His teachings and life is to our own. As well as how the scriptures truly are "living words" they apply to us at different times in different ways, and I'm so grateful for them! I love the things I'm learning and for the opportunity to learn and grow! I am so grateful for the inspired age change and the opportunity to be out here now learning what I am in the most selfish stage of my life doing the most selfless thing in the world. I'll never regret nor forget the experiences I am having and people I am meeting.
I hope you all have a blessed week and that you examine your life, and find the fishes. Leave your nets, give your five loaves and two fishes. And follow Him. He knows where the fish are and how to catch them, if you believe you can catch fish and trust Him to help you, more blessings await than you have the ability to receive. I know that, now more than ever, and today more than yesterday. This gospel is so true and so real.
Love y'all!!!! Have a JAWesome day!!!!
Love,
Hermana Hall
PS I do recognize it's Pioneer Day hope you have a great one!!!! I'm grateful for those who paved the way for me to he here!!! "Blessed honored Pi-oneers!!!"
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