"Wherefore, whithersoever they shall send you, go ye, and I will be with you; and in whatsoever place ye shall
proclaim my name an effectual door shall be opened unto you, that they may receive my word."
- Doctrine & Covenants 112:19

Thursday, January 23, 2014

1 Ne. 17:3


This had been a good week!

We have a new Mission President, President Poulsen and his wife. They are so great!! I love them so much already. They are going to be perfect, and just what this mission needs. President served in Taiwan, and his career (Citi Bank I think) took him and his family to Asia: Hong Kong, Thailand, some other places, so most of their children were born there, but they moved to Utah when the kids were a little older. They were also Mission President & Wife in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, and didn't think they would be Mission President again, but here they are! And I am predicting that President Poulsen will be a General Authority. Mark my words!So update on Tim:We called him last Saturday. He said that he was in the hospital (he has kidney failure and got an infection from the dialysis) all week and that he just got back . I felt so bad! I wish we would have known so that we could have sent someone to give him a priesthood blessing or something. Well he said that he felt guilty because he promised to go to church and couldn't go! Man he is great! We were able to teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost. I know that the things that we said were not our words because when we were teaching, he said oh, well that is making a lot of sense, I get it now. All the things he was taught in the church he used to go to were able to be explained, and showed him why he needs this Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we taught about Repentance, it was so funny, he goes, oh I feel good about that, now I can repent for not going to church on Sunday! haha we were like Tim, you were in the Hospital, God doesn't expect you to repent for that! Later he was talking about why he stopped going to his church. He mentioned that he didn't like how they had to give money, and how the church used that money (I was like oh shoot...the Tithing lesson is going to be rough haha). But he clarified when he said that he didn't like the paid ministers with their fancy cars and houses, how the money went to them. He said that the local elders explained to him church organization, how they are unpaid, and tithing, and where the money goes, and how it all works. He said, I like that, that makes sense to me (I was so relieved haha). Well, I think the happiest moment of the mission so far is when we were teaching him he goes, this is all making sense, I am feeling a lot more comfortable with that date (baptismal date of February 22nd). !!!!! Oh man it was so great to hear that. He is afraid of commitment, but I know he is so close, and Heavenly Father will help him out. The elders were able to take him to a church building last Saturday, and explain to him how it all works and he said he liked it and that he would be going to church in the morning. Well that night is when he went to the hospital, so he couldn't go to church the next day. So in our lesson, we asked if he would pray to know what Heavenly Father wants him to do, if Feb. 22nd is right for him. He said that he would. We said we would start sending him daily scripture texts. Well, we texted him Sunday to see how he was doing, and........ he went to church! He went to sacrament but had to leave after for treatment. I am so happy he was able to partake of the sacrament! The elders sat by him and explained everything that was going on (good job elders!) and he said that he liked it. After church, the local Elders visited and taught about faith and the Holy Ghost and gave him some scriptures to read and a pamphlet to read before Saturday. Holla! We texted him the next day and felt like we needed to share Matt. 11:28-30 with him. We were a little skeptical, we wanted to find a different one, but we decided that it must be something he needed to hear, so we sent it and testified about Christ and how he is never alone, how Christ has felt all that he has. His response was that he really needed to hear that, and that it helps on days like this (he was in a lot of pain). I was thankful that Heavenly Father sent the spirit to help us think of that scripture, and it taught me a lesson never to doubt promptings. Well sorry this isn't a paragraph anymore, but I just wanted to give all the details. I am just so filled with joy and I look forward to seeing him progress even more.

A miracle that happened last night,

so we were on chat, and this man Juan came on from Mexico City. Well, he said that he is looking for truth.He feels like God is trying to tell him something, and led him here. He feels like he has a lot of mistakes that he has made. He wants to be cleansed from those sins and to continue to learn more. I honestly was a little apprehensive because I thought that he was not sincere. We had been getting a lot of those chats lately, and it sounded too good to be true. Well, he gave me his contact information, but he got disconnected. Then by some chance, he came back! there were a ton of sisters online too, it was cool. We continued to chat and he said how he wants to learn more, and we invited him to go to church on Sunday and he said yes. Well, right before I could give him the address of the church, he disconnected again! I tried calling him, but he didn't answer. We continued on doing things, and then I thought hey I'll call him again. He picked up! He speaks English a little brokenly, but I am selfish and don't want to give him to Spanish-speaking sisters haha. We gave him the address of the church and the time it starts and he said that he would be there and that he wants to do what God wants him to do. Well I ate my words about him not being sincere! We are excited to call him Sunday and see how it went. I will probably end up having to give him to Spanish-speaking Sisters because he won't be able to understand the lessons in English, and I don't speak enough Spanish.

Which brings me to my goal...I want to be able to pass off to give tours in Spanish by the end of the mission! I have been reading the BOM in Spanish in my free time, and so I am hoping to become better and better slowly over time so that I can pass off in Spanish. We shall see. We have little to none free time in this mission but we have the gift of tongues right?

One of the rarities of this mission is getting Member Present Lessons. We have to work at it a lot harder than other missionaries, because we don't get to work with any wards or anything. So it is always really hard to get that Key Indicator. But, yesterday, we had a miracle! We were stationed on a desk and amidst calling security on a crazy man, we were able to teach an MPL to a teenage girl who was brought by her friends who are members. It was really cool, and I am thankful for the Spirit because if she weren't feeling the spirit, I know she probably would have walked away when we were dealing with the man and calling security, but they stick around. Now we get to continue to teach her, and her friends can be members Present for those lessons too! Sidenote, if any of you would ever like to be a Member Present on the phone, you can let me know and I'll give your number to a sister so they can use you in their lessons, they would be really thankful for that, it is rare. 

Also, right after that conversation, we were talking to a dad and his son who just returned from serving in Colombia. Long story short, he gave his information so he can be a Member Present! That was pretty cool. It reminds me of the scripture I think 1 Ne. 17:3, and 1 Ne. 3:7 where it tells how God will provide away to accomplish the things He has commanded.

Oh yeah, our new apartment is fantastic!! I feel so spoiled. I will have to take pictures and show you.

Well there are so many other stories I could tell, but I don't have time. I love you, hope you have a wonderful week. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith!


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