The Week of the D.

10 June 2013

 

Man, this week was crazy! I taught D. 3 times this week. I say I because we had so many different obligations (meetings/lessons) all at the same time that Elder Harker and I had to keep going on splits with priests in order to get to everybody. We have to keep doing that this week too. I can't wait for the day that they split these two areas! D. is progressing like crazy! He's been sober from alcohol and tea for the last 4 weeks and coffee for the last 2, and I just taught him the word of wisdom yesterday. He had some questions on why tea is banned, and it just so happened to be that a distant relative of the family whose house we were teaching in, that just happened to be a convert, who just happened to struggle with tea before her conversion walked by the kitchen at the exact moment that D. asked "So I understand all of the other 4 things, but what's so wrong with tea? I love me a good iced tea!" I've never seen this woman before and I'll never see her again. She was there just for the weekend to attend a farewell in the ward. Oh yeah, and the other "coincidence" was that we had actually planned on teaching the word of wisdom the night before, but we forgot the word of wisdom pamphlets in our apartment. So we taught the law of chastity instead. Coincidence? I think not :) the woman who sat down gave a TON of really good examples and testimony for D. God is really working miracles in D.'s favor, time and time again. He's really getting the gospel and he loves the way it's making him feel. I can't wait to see him baptized. I hope I stay in the area for at least the next transfer, because Elder Harker has only taught D. twice and I've been there for all six lessons.

In other news miracles happened with J. too! We took her back to the Visitors Center on Wednesday and we were talking getting ready to watch a biography of Thomas S Monson, and we were discussing how she feels about everything shes learning. She feels like a sponge and all of the information felt really illuminating to her. At that moment I felt like we needed to watch "Patterns of Light" by David A Bednar, so the sister missionaries whipped it out on the big screen, and afterwards we talked about how we learn line upon line, grace for grace like in the fog. After using Mosiah 18:8-10 We asked her what she had against being baptized, and she said "Nothing!" I asked her if that was something she wanted to do and she said "yes... but tell me why I have to be baptized again." this time I used a different parable (ha ha every time I say that I feel like I'm teaching just like Christ, only using more modern analogies. They really help!) and then the sisters whipped out another video by David a Bednar on the banks of the Susquehanna River talking about the restoration of the priesthood. I remember looking a that bank and saying to myself. "It looks just like I remember it. The water's just a little higher and there's a few more leaves on the ground." After watching the video I bore testimony of what we had watched is true and how the priesthood gives us God's official stamp of approval if we are worthy of it. J. found it really hard to take that her old preacher that she was close to was doing his preaching without it being with God's authority, but she knew what we were teaching was true. After that, she asked what she had to do to be baptized, and we said, finish the lessons and come to church 3 times! She came to church without the excuse that she had nothing to wear. She was so happy and she still was wearing some very Sunday appropriate clothes. :) Her baptism is planned for June 29th. I can't wait.

I really have to thank Melissa, for convincing me to go out to Boston to go through the temple, and Mommy and Daddy for taking me to all the church history sites out there. Without that personal experience, my personal testimony of Joseph Smith and the priesthood and the Book of Mormon wouldn't even be half of what it is today. That one trip has been the biggest influence on my mission.

Unfortunately, I don't have much more time, but there have been many more miracles to witness of. God will never leave his children alone if we are seeking him out. Obedience brings the blessings of heaven to us. We are always in his debt, even when we pay tithing. Daddy- thank you for always paying your tithing, it is a great example to those that I teach, because it helped me go through the struggle of paying for a mission. God provided me a way so that I could actually pay for all of it while still paying my tithing. And that was through you. Thank you all for the wonderful examples you are to me! I love each and every one of you, more than you can ever imagine. Keeping depending on God. It will all work out!