As Christ taught the sermon on the Mount, He
taught the people to not only love those who were kind to them, but also those
who were UNKIND to them:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44)
I had to laugh when this was the
#LighttheWorld scripture on a day it fit my situation perfectly.
Background: Our zone was doing a unique fast
where each companionship took a turn to fast, instead of all fasting at the
same time. We were fasting for the success of the zone and of the mission.
So Sister Rust and I were fasting on Friday,
the 8th. I am not a good faster, I do not do well when I am fasting, so it's
already hard for me, many of my companions have told me I get really hangry
when I fast... I can't deny it.
Along with doing our fast we were asked to
send out a pump-up text to the zone. Pump-up texts are not my forte, so we were
wracking our brains trying to come up with something to say. We looked at the
clock and realized it was lunch time, so giggling, we sent out a text to
"Pump everyone Up" for eating lunch. We joked about how they should
all eat a little extra in honor of us.
As we were giggling, a set of elders texted
back with a message about how we need to skip lunch breaks (because apparently
eating is a waste of time?) and just knock doors instead.
I knew they just wanted to provoke me, but I
unfortunately took the bait and told them to "swallow [their] stupid
pride." Yep... that got me in big doo-doo trouble. Moments later a text
went out to the whole zone, meant to tear down everything I had said in my
"pump-up" text.
I was humiliated, heart-broken, and angry. It
seemed inconceivable to me that another missionary, a servant of the Lord,
would purposely do something so unkind and purposely targeted.
So, naturally, I cried.
I soon remembered the scripture of the day,
"bless them that curse you... pray for them which despitefully use
you..." My anger and my humiliation was not magically dissipated, but I
was able to think more clearly. I remembered that those who are hardest to love
need love them most. So I got on my knees and prayed for them to find success
in their proselyting and to be able to feel the love the Savior has for them.
I can't tell you that forgiveness is easy, I
can't tell you that I don't still grit my teeth a little whenever I have to
pray for someone I don't exactly like, but I'm working on it. The Savior asks
for us to try, and that is what I am doing.
All my love to you,
Sister Megan Monson
