Tortillas: 16
What an amazing week here in Los Altos! We have seen a huge progression in the work, and so many miracles! We made the goals to have at least 10 street contacts every day, and wow it has blesses us so much. We were getting to the point were we had so many appoinments planned that we had not time to contact, and we had to do divisions with members to make it to all of our appointments! The most amazing feeling is to arrive home and be so thrashed, that when your head hits the pillow at 10:30 there is nothing holding back from a good nights sleep!
One of our miracles this week was with Ruben, the one that we stopped visiting for a while. We had a lesson with us this week, and because of what he heard in general conference, he thought a lot about his life and where he was going, and now he has decided that he needs to change his life! He still does not feel ready to accept a date for baptism, but he said that if we keep preparing him he will tell us when he feels ready. We are going to keep helping him understand the sacred importance, and inviting him to make the changes in his life. On Sunday, we passed by to bring him to church, but sadly he was not there. But, as we waited an 11 year old boy named Elmer came up and started talking to us. We met him a couple of days before because he was in a lesson with someone we met in the street. We thought that he was their son, but it turns out he is not, but lives most of his life in the street because his parents work 6 am to 9 pm. As we talked to him, we found out that he had decided to go to a catholic church alone, so we invited him to come with us to chruch and he accepted! One sunday we had plans for many people to be in church, but all of them fell, but Heavenly Father still blessed us with people attending, including Elmer, an investigator that rejected us before but ended up showing up with her friends (The old woman who makes tamales)! Many miracles were seen this week, but there is not enough time to write all of the blessings of God that we are receiving. Praise to the Lord on high!
Mejor Milagro:
The most amazing miracle this week is about a woman named Susanne. About a month ago I went on divisions with two preists, Jeffery and Borris, to teach them how to contact as my companion went with another member to our planned lessons. Before we started, I told them that we would begin with a prayer to seek the guidence of the spirit on where we needed to contact. I said a prayer, and as I finished I asked them where they felt we needed to contact, an in that moment they both mentioned that they felt we needed to go to an area of condos. I wont lie, I was a bit sceptical because we had tried here before but we were rejected, but the spirit is what mandates. So, we went and started knocking doors, and every single person began to reject us. We continued, with no success, until after about 7 doors we knocked a door and met Susanne. We shared with her that we were here to bless her life with the gospel, and she informed us that she would love to listen but did not have time. She told us that about 4 years ago she listened to the missionaries, but she was very active in her church and with the lack of time she would not be able to listen. But, with a little bit of talking, I was able to find out that sometimes she is in her house on Sundays, and she would be willing to listen if we called her and she was not busy. So, I wrote her number and did not think much about it. This week, my companion and I were doing our weekly planning session, and Susannes name came to mind, so I decided to call her. We called, and suprisingly she told us that this Sunday night she would be able to meet! So, fast forward to sunday, and I was talking to a member, Hermano Mendez. In the course of our conversations, I came to find out that about 4 years ago he was helping the missionaries to teach Susanne, but because of complications with the missionaries they lost touch with her. So, we arranged that in the night he would accompany us to our appointment with her. As we arrived, we began to talked we began to share with her the message of the Restoration. While sharing, it was so amazing to see how the spirit guided our teaching. It felt like what we were saying was so specifically suited to Susanne, and I could tell that she was almost in tears. When we finished, Hermano Mendez shared his testimony about how the gospel could bless the lives of her and her 3 children and her husband, just as it had blessed his life, but the most important thing was that she kneeled and asked in prayer if Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God, and she commited to pray and that if she received her answer, she would become a member. After commiting to this, she mentioned that while we taught when she had a doubt about Joseph Smith, my companino immediatly answered it with the prophecy of the apostly Pablo in Acts 3: 21-22. She also mentioned to us that when the missionaries started teaching her she had a strong desire to come to church and a strong feeling that she needed to go, but was not able to because of what happened. I know that God is preparing his people to receive his restored gospel. I am so greatful to be working in this great work, and to be his servant.
Testimony time:
With the long miracle, it will be a short testimony. The title of the email is from 2 Nephi 9:39, and the whole phrase is
"Remember, to be carnally minded is death, and to be spiritually minded is life eternal."
In the world that we live in today, if we chose to be carnally minded, we will find ourself in sadness and darkness. To be carnally minded is to yeild to the enticings of the natural man, the cravings of the body, before we remember the cravings of the spirit. Also, it could be forgeting our personal scripture study and prayers and looking at things of God with a worldly mind. As we look at the things of the world with spiritual eyes, we will be able to decerne the lies of the devil in our modern society. He wants all men to think that sin is fine. That is does not really matter. He wants to capture us with his changes and drag us down to the pit of Hell to be miserable as he is. Do we want to be miserable? I truly dont. If we want protections from the temptations of the adversary, if we want to be pure and clean, if we want to be lead in the way of truth and life and receive the eternal life that God has promised us, we cannot forget to do that which is most important, FEASTING UPON THE WORDS OF CHRIST DAILY AND SPEAKING WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. I testify that he wants us to be happy. He wants to shower us with blessings and he wants to give us this eternal happiness, but IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO WORK; HE IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE. I know these things are true without a doubt. He loves us more than anyother thing, and he has given us that which has not price. Many great men have died for that which most of us will not cherish, and if we do not cherish the scriptures we are mocking God. It really is easy. Grow closer to him spiritually, and he will grow closer to us. He will protect us. He will comfort us. He will make sure that everything will work out. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that the Bible AND the Book of Mormon are the words of a loving Heavenly Father, and they will guide us safely home. I speak boldy because I love each one of you so much, and I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Divisions, beautiful parts of Quetzaltenango.
picnic,
free coconuts. The cup is a liter cup and one coconut filled half the cup!"
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