Generally when you seek out community service opportunities you are referred to other church denomination's soup kitchens and food pantries. For the first time in my life we were referred to an underground gym that has absolutely no membership fees or contracts, and has no signs to direct where its at. Confused and not the least bit curious, we looked around every tight brick corner of Woodstock seeking this far fetched idea of an underground gym. Finally we found a pathway down an alley that led to a narrow staircase. No signs, only a MASSIVE cross. Oh boy.
Sure enough, it was the rumored gym. Elder Abraham and I call it "Cross Fit", since it doesn't even have a name! It's a hardcore Christian gym with Christian Rock blaring, crosses and hymns covering the walls, and people doing prayer circles in between lifting sets. Definitely the most bizarre gym I think I'll ever encounter. To make it stranger, we were able to volunteer as janitors, cleaning the bathrooms and kitchens while one of the managers recited scriptures and "history" on why Elder Abraham should revert his name to Abram. Not the most pleasant of toilets I've scrubbed in my time, but service is service, and Mike the Cross Master is indeed my brother. Sometimes we have to turn off the ears and open the heart.
Amid the first thunder storms of the year we stumbled into two different families to teach, both of which were 100% open to learning more on how they can strengthen their faith. Perhaps the flashing lightning and rumbling thunder created an ambient atmosphere to teach of the inspiring light of the Restoration of the Gospel, because both families committed to baptism! It's amazing how people yearn to seek the truth in both trying and comfortable circumstances. The difficult problem is only finding these families.
xoxo
Elder Burgess
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