By ALMEDA GUSTAVSEN, Bible Instructor, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

During my days of training there was one quo­tation from the Spirit of prophecy which meant much to me. It was, "Not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God."—Christ's Object Les­sons, p. 327. It had always been my ambition to become a worker in God's cause ever since my parents had accepted the truth when I was but a child. So when I first heard this quotation, it somehow stayed with me. I knew God would have me prepare for that special work, even though as yet I did not know just what it would be.

Before I had completed my junior college course I was called to do conference office work. This I accepted, feeling that God had pointed out to me that special place I was to fill. For a number of years I continued in the office work and felt per­fectly satisfied and contented. Then an opportu­nity was given me to complete my junior college work.

During my college days I spent two summers in the colporteur work. It was this experience that gave me a glimpse of the world's great need. The people whom I met were without Christ. Some realized it and longed for a better experience, but some were quite satisfied and indifferent to spiritual things. As a result of this there was rolled upon my heart a burden for lost souls, a burden to bring Christ to those looking for something better, and to help the indifferent ones to realize their need. To prepare myself for this work was my definite plan during the rest of my college days. I believed that God was opening up to me a different field in which I should labor for Him.

When one receives a vision of what God's plan for him is, Satan gets tremendously busy, not only throwing obstacles in the way, but doing all he can to blind one's vision. This was my experience. When I was graduated, for various reasons I went back to office work, the main reason being that I had lost my vision, although I did not realize it then. Once more satisfying. myself that my place in God's great work was in the secretarial field, I settled down quite contentedly, forgetting all about lost souls who were crying out for Christ.

But God began to speak to my heart, first through the annual Ingathering campaign and then through the endeavors of the home missionary so­ciety of the church. Each time I went out in these channels of missionary work I felt a tugging at my heart, and the desire to enter soul-winning work in a definite way grew stronger. Soon I felt definitely convicted that God would have me join the front ranks and go out and gather in the rip­ened fruit. But, of course, the harder God worked on my heart the more the enemy tried to direct my attention elsewhere. I saw my own weakness and inefficiency, and was sorely tempted to think this work was for someone else.

Like Moses of old, I was slow of speech and de­cided God could better use me to "stay by the stuff" while others were being used on the front battle lines. After all, I argued, I was winning souls in an indirect way by handling the materials used by soul winners. But somehow the handling of that material had its influence for good. Day by day, as I wrapped and mailed books and litera­ture to be sent out to the field, it brought back the old urge that I ought to be out there feeding this food of truth to hungry, dying souls. And so as the inner voice made use of every means possible to influence me, and kept speaking to my heart, the conviction grew and grew until I knew I had to do something about it.

A visiting worker to our camp meeting last sum­mer addressed the conference workers one morn­ing, and the burden of his message was soul winning. Everything he said went straight home to my heart, and I left the meeting with a definite conviction that God was speaking to me in a defi­nite way, and that I must offer my services in this phase of the work. This I did, although not with­out a further struggle, for the enemy was still working hard. But when I willingly laid all on the altar for service, dedicating my life to win souls for Christ, I was more happy and contented than I had ever been before. The many obstacles Satan had tried to throw in my pathway all disappeared, and while I still felt my weakness and inefficiency, I had peace in my heart.

And so it was that I finally joined the ranks of our Bible instructors. When I reached my field of labor I went to work as well as I knew how. I found my fellow workers most helpful and en­couraging. I did not know much about methods, nor how to use them, but I knew God had prom­ised to work through me if I would let Him, and I trusted in that. As I went from door to door, an unspeakable joy filled my heart as a result of wit­nessing for God. Teaching the blessed truths of the Bible to hungry, sin-sick souls brought to my heart a greater satisfaction than anything else ever had. I was deeply impressed with the fact that the work of saving souls is the finest work ever committed to man.

I saw a great interest manifested on the part of the people in general to know more about what the Bible teaches. Hundreds are groping for more light and waiting for someone to bring them the truth. Even at that it is not always easy for them to accept when the truth is brought to them, for it is astounding how the devil has sown his seeds of error. As I met the many false teachings of the enemy, I had a better vision of the great task to be accomplished and a greater burden for the hun­dreds and thousands of innocent people caught in the devil's net. Many of them are struggling to get out, but do not know how. They are reaching out their arms to us for help. May God give us grace and strength to help them before it is too late.

My heart has been stirred as I have been given a larger vision and a greater burden of the great task God has entrusted to His people. Sometimes I am overwhelmed and feel like crying, "Who is sufficient for these things?" But it is God's work and we know He will finish what He has begun. All He asks us to do is to allow Him to use us.


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By ALMEDA GUSTAVSEN, Bible Instructor, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

December 1945

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