My Kindness Shall Not Depart from Thee

So this week was super difficult and very entertaining at the same time. 

All of our baptisms fell through (3 of them that had accepted their baptismal date for this sunday) and for those who maybe dont know why that is such a depressent for us as missionaries, imagine this for just a moment: 

You have bought a present for someone you care about dearly. Youve saved and saved to buy exactly what they want. You even asked the shopkeeper to put it on hold for you. You buy this present and wrap it in the most beautiful, expensive paper and decorate it perfectly to give to this person. Christmas comes and you hand your present that you slaved away and saved for weeks with the hopes that their eyes would light up and you would hear the words pour from their lips "this is exactly what I wanted! Thank you."

But instead, they hand your precious, perfect gift back to you with a "I dont want it. This isnt what I need."

Well, if youre still with me, and imagining the crushing feeling of disappointment and hurt that would swell through your heart at a present at Christmas imagine a gift from God that every missionary is willing and eagerly waiting to give to EVERYONE absolutely without price. Something dear and precious that cannot be measured. And the person who says they wanted it at the beginning has told you they dont want it anymore or its not what they expected.

This is what we felt 3 times this week. But as I was pondering on my email to write to you all this week, I thought of a song that has been a favorite of mine the past few weeks that Id like to share with yall. Its called My Kindness Shall Not Depart from Thee:

For a little while

Have I forsaken thee; 

But with great mercies will I gather thee. 

In a little wrath I hid my face from thee 

For a moment. 

But with everlasting kindness will I gather thee, 

And with mercy will I take thee ‘neath my wings, 

For the mountains shall depart, 

And the hills shall be removed, 

And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea, 

But know, my child, 

My kindness shall not depart from thee! 

Though thine afflictions seem 

At times too great to bear, 

I know thine every thought and every care. 

And though the very jaws 

Of hell gape after thee I am with thee. 

And with everlasting mercy will I succor thee,
And with healing will I take thee ‘neath my wings.
Though the mountains shall depart,
And the hills shall be removed,
And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea,
Know, my child,
My kindness shall not depart from thee!
How long can rolling waters
Remain impure?
What pow'r shall stay the hand of God?
The Son of Man hath descended below all things.
Art thou greater than He?
So hold on thy way,
For I shall be with thee.
And mine angels shall encircle thee.
Doubt not what thou knowest,
Fear not man, for he
Cannot hurt thee.
And with everlasting kindness will I succor thee,
And with mercy will I take thee ‘neath my wings.
For the mountains shall depart,
And the hills shall be removed,
And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea,
But know, my child, My kindness shall not depart from thee!

I encourage all of you to listen to this song (the version by Dallyn Vail Bayles) and remember that the Savior loves and cares for all of you. He has not forsaken you. His kindness shall not depart from thee. I know this gospel is true, I know that the Savior lives. I know that we are under His watchful care. 

love yall!

xo