Sister Katie Webber: Rejection 101

Who knew missionary work had so many parallels to dating? Let me paint you a picture.

There are about 5 different types of people who don't end of getting baptized.

1. "Don't know, don't care." These people don't really know, or don't care what you have to offer. They just have no idea what their life is missing.

2. "Too busy right now." What you have to say is mildly amusing, but their hectic life is more important right now.

3. "Just friends." They like you, but they're not sure they like what you have to offer. They mostly just like the company.

4. "Potentially embarrassed." These people like you, and what you have to offer, but are worried about what their friends/family would say if they found out they were seeing you regularly.

5. "Non-committal". They like you, and everything you have to say, but for some reason they just won't take the plunge.

6. "Disapproving family." You've picked out a date, they've been fitted to be all dressed in white, and then the mother of the baptismal date puts her foot down and the whole show is cancelled.

There are variants of the above, but I've covered just about every type of person that we've been rejected by. Last Monday we had 4 progressing investigators (meaning they either had a baptismal date, or were working on setting a bap. date), and about 7 non-progressing investigators (meaning we were meeting with them often, and they were trying to decide if they wanted to be baptized). After the hardest week of my mission so far, we have a grand total of:

ZERO investigators.

That's right.

What happened? One of the above. Take your pick. It's absolutely bizarre, and my companion and I found ourselves in the church last night, just staring at each other wondering what happened to our lives.

Let me explain.

We had a lesson with our beloved Pauvlina when her babusya walked in the church and saw us showing a picture of a child getting baptized. She stopped the lesson, pulled her out of the church, and that was the last time we saw of Pauvlina. Her mother, Ludmilla---the one who we set a baptismal date with, the one who had us move up her baptismal date, the one who was getting baptized in 5 days from now....we met with her last monday and she told us that her husband said he'd divorce her if she got baptized. We were shocked, and so sad for her. Then her mother (the babusya) walked in, and pulled her out of the church. Ludmilla turned, bowed, and gave the most sincere and apologetic look I've ever seen. I cried as I watched her walk away from the church. That was the last we saw of Luda.

We called, went over to their place, did everything we could, but finally the babusya forbade us from contacting them or going over there again. We got a call from Luda on Friday night and she told us everything that's been happening, and she said it was dangerous for her to be calling us. She specifically asked to talk to me and she just showered me with the kindest words I've ever heard. Then she asked if we'd pray with her, so my comp prayed over the phone and the tears were coming freely. It was heartbreaking.

The next 5 meetings we had with investigators, we had to drop them right and left for other reasons, and it was so deflating. On Saturday I was emotionally, spiritually, and physically spent. I didn't know if I had much left in the tank to bring myself to do anything else. I was reading in 2 Timothy and came across a scripture in 2 Tim 2:10 that says:

"Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

Wow.

Then I read one a few verses before that, which read:

"Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

That pretty much summed it up for me, and make me realize that this wasn't the end of it. Maybe these wonderful children of God won't be making covenants with their Heavenly Father anytime soon, but there are other people out there who are ready and able to do so. We just need to find them. So even though this week has been rough, and has been a real test of faith for me, it's just the beginning. I've got a long journey ahead of me, and I can't dwell on the past. It's just going to help me be a better missionary in the end.

With all the opposition going on, it's just another testimony that this is the Lord's work. Although Satan is working so hard on so many people, in the end it's all going to be alright. This is the true church. Every time I testify of that, the Spirit confirms that it's true. I know this with my whole heart. I'm so glad I have this knowledge, and I'm grateful for the comfort it brings in times of struggle. I know the power of prayer is real.

I love you all, and want you to know that I'm praying for you.

Cectpa Webber

PS: I have zone conference next week, so any dear elders sent before next monday will be delivered to me on the 23rd!! :)

(I think that's a major hint.....if you want to send her a letter go to www.dearelder.com, go to "write a letter" at top of website, go to "Ukraine Kyiv" on the mission list, type in your address and her name and then write to her)