9/30/13
Hola Familia!!Como les va??
Wow this week has been great!
Especially yesterday! So Erikc received the gift of the Holy Ghost... how
amazing is that?? God loves us so much; He really gives us everything we need
to return to His presence. Then, after church we found out that they gave him
the priesthood during the 3rd hour!! What a day for him! Receiving both the Spirit
and Power of God! It made us really happy that Obispo was so on top of it
though, because there are actually a few recent converts that still haven't
received the priesthood. (don't worry, we are working on it). But when we
stopped by to visit Erikc yesterday he was so happy; A completely different
person. How humbling is it that we have the opportunity to invite people to
prepare to receive the power of God... really. I don't think we will ever fully
comprehend in this life how big of a deal that is!! Yesterday we also had a
lesson with a new investigator... who is golden. Well the story starts a few
weeks ago when we were talking out on the street with this man and his wife. While
we were talking, his brother came over, but sort of just observed from a
distance. When we left we set a return appointment with the man and his wife,
and just handed his brother a pamphlet. Well, this week when we were on
exchanges, Hermana Tanner and Rife went by for our appointment and the man and
his wife weren't there, but the brother was! I guess they talked to him for a
bit about the Book of Mormon, and he really showed a lot of interest and so
they gave him one, invited him to church. He said he didn't have a car, so they
told him we could get him a ride, and they set up a return appointment.
Well, yesterday morning we called him to make sure he could still go to church before
we sent a member to pick him up, but he never responded. Well, when we showed
last night for the appointment he said he was waiting but no one ever came to
pick him up!! Oh nooo. Finally someone who is actually waiting for their ride
and it didn't come! Well we apologized for the lack of communication and
promised they would be there next week! Then we had a super powerful first
lesson. He is super versed with the Bible, which sometimes is a struggle, but with
him, he was supporting everything we were saying! He said that all of the
pastors in Mexico had been preaching doctrines of hombres, and so he never got
baptized into their churches. So as we explained the Restoration, with the
apostasy and everything, he just soaked it right on up! He said that he had
been reading the Book of Mormon, and he loved the footnotes that connected to
the bible. At the end of the lesson we always say, “when you know these things
are true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized with
someone with the authority of God?” (in Spanish of course) and he said “SI!”.
He said that he knows God gives him answers to his prayers, for example he
asked God to send him people to understand more of the bible, and shortly after
he saw us talking to his brother out on the street!!!! (yes... when he said
that I thought "this actually happens in real life??") And so he said
he knows that when we prays about the Book of Mormon, God will let him know if
it is true or not. Really, it was quite the lesson. When we left, we didn't
even say anything to each other because we were both so in shock. The promises
of the scriptures are so true. God does prepare the hearts of the children.
There are so many people who are in search of the truth, they just don't know
where to find it!
Oh and on top of all the great
things yesterday, it was also fast Sunday. We were fasting for our members, so
that they might be able to know who of their friends are ready to receive the
gospel. This past week we have realized how incredibly important the members
are to work with. It is so much more effective to find people through the
members, obviously we will keep finding on our own as well, as seen in the
example above, but we never would have found Erikc if it hadn't been for
Manuelita! So everyone reading this. OPEN YOUR MOUTH. There are golden people
all around you who want to hear the gospel, you don't have to preach to them,
but just show how happy the gospel makes you, and share why. How sad would it
be to get to the other side and have your best friend say "you knew all
along and didn't tell me!!".
On Saturday we had the opportunity
to see the General Relief Society Broadcast and I loved the talk by President
Monson. If we are acting out of love, they won't take offense.
I know that this church is so true.
I know that the gospel has been restored again on the earth through a true and
living prophet and I can't explain how excited I am for conference this
weekend!!! That we have worthy men of God to lead us through these latter days.
How could we not listen! Can you believe it has been a year since the age
change..? WHAT A YEAR.
I love you all so much. Thank you so
much for all that you do, for the love and support. Have an amazing week!
Reemplace miedo con fe, eche el temor con el amor!
Les quiero,
Hermana Draper
No comments:
Post a Comment