Wedding Bells

(Elder Cummings)

We have seen another miracle this week!  Elder Perkins and I were led to contact a former investigator about a month ago.  Her name is Diana, and the man she is with, Mario, is a less-active member.  In the household there are six children, three of them eight and older.

When we first made contact they were so happy to see missionaries again!  From the teaching record it has been a little over a year since missionaries had gone by.  They invited us to come back for dinner, then another time for ice cream, then just to share messages.

Diana and Mario live in the Merced 1st Ward boundaries (so they are not Hmong).  At the beginning of the year the ward council set a goal for ten convert baptisms in the year of 2016.  Rolling into September they were sitting at two.  Elder Perkins and I have spent time in prayer and study and through it all the Spirit has confirmed to us that ten is an inspired goal from God.  With four months to go, we have been going to work to reach this goal the Lord has set.

This last week we got a text from Diana telling us that she and Mario finally decided to get married and that she and her children want to be baptized as soon as possible.  This will be a huge boost to the ward missionary goal and we are rejoicing!

September first, Elder Perkins came across this scripture in the gospel of John, chapter 4 verses 35 and 38:

"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest...I sent you to reap"

This work is truly in the Lord's hands.  Faith supported by righteous actions allows us to participate in its rolling forward.  There are people all over the world who are being prepared to receive the gospel.  There are prepared people all over the world who are receiving it.  "There is not more compelling work than this, nor any which brings greater satisfaction" (Preach My Gospel, First Presidency Message).

Have a wonderful week!

Elder Jared Cummings

At zone conference this last week we were there early to set up.  The vehicle coordinator took off with his wife to go to a wedding, so we had his truck for an hour with permission from him to "take it for a joy ride."  We did...to McDonalds for breakfast.

That night we had exchanges with the assistants, but our car which had our overnight stuff was forgotten in Merced.  Their car, and the truck made it to Fresno.  The next morning we drove with them back to Merced and started our morning schedule at 8:00.  It was rough.