Wise as Serpents, and Harmless as Doves

Well, for starters, sorry that I couldn't actually email you on Monday; the computer lab we normally email at was closed.  The library itself is never open on Mondays anyways.  Then, when we went to email on Tuesday, the server for the email site was down, so that was exciting.  Now here I am.  Ta-da!  Better late then never.

For the past month or so, Sister Porter and I have been attending a Coffeehouse for Christians I guess you could call it, where people get up and share thoughts and or songs.  It is very interesting, the different reactions we've gotten.  People really like it when I perform, and generally people are really nice to talk to, but last week was kind of dicey.  I talked with one pastor who was very uncomfortable with talking to me and was very defensive.  Usually I shrug it off, but sometimes it just hits me how much people really don't like me or what I do.  Selkirk has been tracted out at least ten times in the past two years.  You'd think the elders that served here before would come up with different proselyting ideas, but you know.  Now we're left with a mess and we're doing our best to clean it up.

So after going to the coffeehouse, I felt very weird.  I tried to keep my head up, and understand why I felt the spirit so much more when talking with some Christians then with others.  I've talked with some people, and we've agreed we have differences, but talking of the Savior and His role in our lives has definitely brought the spirit to me.  But talking with this pastor and his attacks on the credibility of the Book of Mormon did not bring the spirit to me.  I've talked with other people who definitely don't agree with our understanding of the Godhead as well, and they are nice, but they've never really thought about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in a concept outside of the Trinity.

These conversations, although painful at times, have been great catalysts for study and added growth.  "I saw two Personages."  My testimony is that Joseph Smith did see God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, and that they are two distinct beings with flesh and bone. "This is My Beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  It is my testimony that the Father and Jesus Christ, although separate, work together in perfect unity and purpose, which purpose is love.  I still think that my little head doesn't always comprehend the immensity of this fact, the restoration, but I do have a testimony that this is true.

My last thought is this: In all that you do and say, be tough as nails, yet full of charity and love.

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."  Matthew 10:16

Love you!  Thanks for everything :)

Sister Heidi Hill