The truth is it was just a lot of walking around all week. Continuing our work on the ward list and contacting. ¡vaya tarea! What an assignment! But its coming along. Just about done. Kind of. haha. We didn't have many things set this week. We taught A LOT in the street, but didn't feel like we saw a ton of progress with investigators. Until Sunday. Lolo told us he would come to church and he did! He LOVED it!! He told me afterwards, "I just feel good, I feel peace, I feel amazing, I can't describe it. Thank you so much. I can only say thank you." He was so happy. He should be getting baptized within the next three weeks. Pray your hearts out for him!!
As well, Vanesa and Vilma (our two investigators from the Philippines) showed up! They even brought with them a less active lady. It was so cool! They really enjoyed it, and they are really enjoying our visits. They are slowly but surely progressing. Pray for them as well.
We also went to go help the daughter of the man we met last week when we went and blessed the sacrament. (Julian, and Kati the daughter) We helped the daughter with English, and then at the end, the mom, whose name is Gladis came in and we began to talk, and we ended up being able to share the Book of Mormon with her and she invited over to eat on Tuesday during mediodía. Now why is this such a miracle? It began with priesthood service, we got the invite, and we were going on Saturday. As we got there Saturday we didn't have a member with us and there was no man in the house so we couldn't go in. They were not happy at all because the daughter had an exam on Monday and she needed help. It was a messy situation. We were not on the mom's nor the dad's good side (we come to find out later on the phone) and we said we´d come back the next day to help. But we left knowing that exact obedience brings miracles. We left the piso on Sunday, and in our prayer we begged for a miracle, for a chance to talk about the gospel and to soften their hearts and the Lord answered our prayers. I've said it many times on my mission but its true, Our God is a God of miracles. We are so excited!
Its been a week of bearing testimony and I've come to realize that we have the two biggest weapons on our side. 1. The Book of Mormon and 2. Our Personal Testimonies. As we have done a lot of contacting, we have come in contact with mostly atheists, or skeptical Christians, and the testimony we have borne has been some of the most powerful testimony ever. Testimony borne with the spirit is what softens people's hearts, or at least touches them. It's allowed us to be able to plan to return to people. A lot of missionaries think we have to be cool, be their best friends, that the gospel is secondary to the relationship we can build with them in the street. This is false. When the missionaries of the Book of Mormon taught with power and authority, it came from pure testimony. And it worked! So my brothers, all of you, since you are all in the preparation to serve missions, I have a question for you to ask yourselves. What do I do to strengthen my testimony daily? Think about what you do and think about what you can do. The answer is found in Alma 17:2-3. Look it up! and do it! You will have countless opportunities to bear the witness you have received from the spirit, so strengthen this testimony in it's preparatory stages now and it will bless the lives of all you meet.
Love you all!!
Love,
Elder Jarrett Anderson
¡Hurah por Isreal!
¡El reino de Dios o nada!
