Balancing at Manassas Depot

Manassas, Virginia owes its existence to the railroad line. The little depot here burned to the ground three times, lasted through the Civil War, the Great Depression, two World Wars, and continues to walk the line between tolerance and truth. It had to tolerate the consistent destruction and persistent threat without giving up on being a worthy place. Today, Manassas thrives.

One of the biggest challenges of being a missionary is standing up for what I believe in without reacting poorly to others' negativity and rejection. President Gordon B. Hinckley said,

“Let us reach out to those in our community who are not of our faith . . . There may be situations where, with serious moral issues involved, we cannot bend on matters of principle. But in such instances we can politely disagree without being disagreeable. We can acknowledge the sincerity of those whose positions we cannot accept. We can speak of principles rather than personalities" (Gordon B. Hinckley).

I'm working on my balancing act. One foot in front of the other, I invite people to come to Christ, and I hope every person with whom I speak feels comfortable enough to call me a friend.