So
I want to start out by first telling you about a miracle that Hermana
Lewis and I had. We needed to go find some new people to teach and we
had no idea where to go. We thought through some options and then we
prayed for guidance from the Spirit to know where to go. We didn't feel
like we received a strong prompting to go to a specific spot but we
still ended up agreeing to go to some apartments we had never been to
before. When we got there we started knocking doors and some people did
not want to listen but even though they didn't want to hear our message
they were still nice and not mean about it. We even talked to a guy that
was super nice to us even though we woke him up with our knocking and
he agreed to have missionaries go over and teach him. We also were
talking to this teenage girl and she pointed out some of the apartments
where Hispanics lived. At the first door we tried some kids opened the
door and we were able to talk to their mom who let us in to teach her
kids. The mom's name is C and she has three kids. A is ten,
A is about to turn nine, and S is three. The lesson went
really well and the kids paid very good attention. It turns out they had
had a visit from missionaries a few years back once. They still had
the picture of Jesus Christ that those missionaries had left with them.
They go to a Christian church in Kent so the kids were sharing some
Bible stories that they knew. A had really good questions and I
almost couldn't believe that they were coming from a ten year old! For
example, one of his questions was if he needed to wait to take the
sacrament until after he was baptized and another question he had was
how often should we take the sacrament. He had read somewhere that a
certain religion only takes the sacrament once a year.
C
listened as well and she said the closing prayer. In her prayer she
asked to know if Joseph Smith was a Prophet and to know if this was the
true church! :) It was so great! But it gets even better!
So
then we went back a couple of days later for our return appointment and
unfortunately Claudia was working but the kids were home and so was the
grandma so we were able to teach them. The grandma didn't want to
listen but the kids were happy that we were there. As soon as we got
inside and sat down A went to go get his pamphlet and his Book of
Mormon.
We had left the
kids with their own pamphlets about the restoration of the gospel and
they had both read! A was almost completely finished with it!
Sadly,
a lot of our adult investigators don't even do that and these kids did!
And again they were so well behaved during the lesson!
We
went over the Restoration again and we played Restoration Jenga that
way they could put a visual to it. After playing the game and explaining
how everything related to the Restoration, A said that he then
understood that there is only one church with the priesthood power. It
was so amazing! He also said the closing prayer and gave thanks for us
being there and he also said that he was thankful for the invitation to
go to our church and that he personally thought it was a good idea to
try it out. :) Seriously these kids are so great! Hopefully we get to
teach them with their mom again soon so we can figure out how to get
them to church!
Also
there is this couple that we stop by to see every once in awhile and we
visited them this past week to invite them to the upcoming activities
that we'll be having in the church. We talked a little bit about the
importance of baptism and the husband said that he would like me and
Hermana Lewis to baptize him and his wife. We then explained to him
again the importance of the priesthood power and how only the men have
this power to baptize. He understood in the end but it was still funny!
Another
blessing is that we were able to have a lesson with Hermano R.L!!! I was so happy! :) He called us and wanted to feed us dinner
so we met him at a Mexican restaurant and talked about how he's been
doing and the Book of Mormon. I've been so worried about him because he
hasn't been coming to church but he said that he knows he needs to come
back and he came this Sunday! He told us that he's just been working a
lot and that he's too tired to go sometimes. He's also trying to find an
apartment so he has a lot going on but I'm so happy he's coming back to
church! :) He also talked about how he loves people so much and that
it's sad when people leave. He said it's okay when that happens
sometimes but that in the church it happens all the time! He always gets
sad when missionaries get moved to another area or finish their
missions and go back home so that's what he was referring to. He wasn't
happy to hear that I'll be going home in February.
The
mission devotional was on Sunday but we couldn't go because we didn't
have any investigators going. I was sad because I knew Sister Walker
would be there but she gave me the cutest elephant necklace and 3
elephant sculptures that are now on my desk. It was a late birthday
present! :) Sister Loeak also gave me some elephant earrings for my
birthday because she knows I like them too. It was so sweet!
Our
investigators R and L also came to church this Sunday! I
love them so much! They are supposed to be coming to a family home
evening with us tonight so hopefully everything works out and they can
still do it! R knows a lot about religion and he always makes
comments in class! It's so cool to see!
In
sacrament meeting we were able hear from two people in the Stake so I
had to translate from English to Spanish. I translated the first talk
and it wasn't perfect but I think it went pretty well! Luckily, they
gave me copies of their talks so it was easier to follow along. After
the first talk Hemano R offered to help me so he translated the
second talk which was such a blessing because there was words I didn't
know how to say and it was a way longer talk! I'm so glad he offered to
help!
Here are some scriptures I read this past week!
This is counsel to Joseph Smith but we can all apply it to our own lives.
D&C
3:5-10 "Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but how
strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were
made to you, if you did not transgress them.
And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
For,
behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set
at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words—
Yet
you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and
supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would
have been with you in every time of trouble.
Behold,
thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but
because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall.
But
remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast
done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art
still chosen, and art again called to the work;"
I
also love 3 Nephi 9:13-14 "O all ye that are spared because ye were
more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of
your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
Yea,
verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal
life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever
will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."
We
as children of God are entitled to blessings from our loving Heavenly
Father and He is a always ready and willing to bless us! We just need to
do our part. I love these scriptures because they remind me that there
is hope and that even thought we may fall sometimes we can be made clean
through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Even though we make mistakes
every day because we are human God still loves us and wants us to return
to Him! He still chooses us! It doesn't matter how bad we think our
situation is we can turn to God and Jesus Christ and be made whole.
This
quote stood out to me this past week and it is so true! "Justification
is the lubrication to damnation."- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Also here is a link to a 3 minute video I love!
Love you all!
Hermana Soliz :)
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