Hello Family and Friends,
I hope everyone knows that I love them and that God is Good.
I know during this Christmas season there can be hard times for many people. I
know that each of us go through our own trials but I know that God will never
give us more than what we can handle. While on the mission I have been able to
put myself in many different types of homes and situations and I am really
grateful for the perspective that comes from looking through another person’s
eyes. These last couple of weeks have been some of the most rewarding times in
my mission. I have been able to cry, pray, and perform miracles through the
grace and power of Jesus Christ. I know that God is real and that he loves his
Children.
This is Liliana, Julian (11) and Ian (8 years old). Hermana
Allred and I were able to start teaching them. With their permission they said
that I could share a little bit of their conversion story.
We first met Julian (11 years old) at a members house and were able to teach him
the 10 commandments with a hand game. He was so excited to show his mom what he
had learned that we all had to walk over to his house to show his mom. After a
month of teaching them we were able to help them take the steps necessary
toward baptism. Julian and Lililina were always so ready to be baptized but Ian
was having a harder time praying, reading and getting answers to his questions
and therefore did not have a desire to be baptized.
One day when we were stopping by to talk about the baptismal
interview questions with Liliana and Julian I was able to sit in the kitchen
with Ian (Still able to see my companion and Liliana) who was having a hard time. I got to ask him
what was going on as we sat on the kitchen floor and why he did not want to be
baptized with his family. He just told
me that he didn't feel ready and was scared of messing up after baptism and
that he didn't know if God wanted him to be baptized. After listening to his
cute 8 year old concerns I invited him to kneel down with me to ask God what he
wanted him to do. Kneeling with a young child as he asks God for an answer to a
prayer was the most sacred opportunity that I have had on my mission. He
quietly whispered the simplest prayer and would stop everyone once in a while
to ask me what he should say next. The spirit was so strong and so peaceful. At
the end of the prayer he pauses and says, "HE DIDNT ANSWER!!"'
I wanted to laugh because I realized there that he didn't
understand what it meant to feel the spirit. After asking a few questions about
how he felt and if his mind was a little clearer he was able to understand what
God wanted him to do. He told me that God wanted him to be baptized but to wait
until his mom and brother were baptized so that he could see how it is and so
he could have his own baptismal service.
So this weekend
Liliana and Julian were baptized, Julian received the Aaronic
priesthood and this is him with the two other deacons. and Ian will be moving toward baptism this
next weekend. Thanks to God and his mercy this family has been able to make
huge changes and become united in Christ through the Restored Gospel of Jesus
Christ. I am so grateful to be a part of this moment with them. Thanks to the
members and family that has been helping me on my mission God is able to work
his best work in the hearts and lives of the individuals.
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