Fam in the really freezing 208!!
Whats happening?!?!
Sounds like you are having heaps of fun with all the snow!!
I'm not even going to go back into how hot it is over here...cause it's hotter
than burnt pancakes in the Sahara...that's hot.
SO! This week was full of trials, but that's just how the
work goes...but a very special experience I want to share. So at the beginning
of the transfer my comp and I talked about our goal of 10 baptisms...and we've
been going over it ever week, yet the 2 bapt dates we have set with Chelley and
Moaga keep getting pushed back because it seems as though church isn't there
first priority...its really a bummer cause the ward is already struggling, but
we're trying our best. We've just been praying for a miracle, working for a
miracle, and striving to have exact obedience for our miracle. It's just been a
struggle because the whole week, great things happen, great lessons with the
strong Spirit, investigators keeping commitments, and then Sunday comes and
we're thinking by the works of the week, almost everyone will come, but sacrament
starts no one shows up, not even the other half of the ward. My comp and I
talked, and we feel as though we're doing everything in our power to help these
people but nothing seems to be moving forward. But we had our weekly planning
yesterday, and we talked about what's going down...our conclusion, and may we
always remember..."When we go through trials and the tribulations with the
thought that seems to jump at certain times, "Where is you Lord?"Let us always remember, The Teacher is always silent during tests!"
But one particular special experience that I will never
forget. We are literally going all over our erea to find new people to teach,
and we came to the house of the old woman that lives at the Mcdonald's colored
house, and her name is Lolofi. We went to visit her on Thur, and she quickly
hustled us into her house after she said she had been waiting for us to come
visit. You have to remember this lady is almost 9, but she's moving around
like she's 55! We sat down and just began getting to know her and her fam. So
her husband passed away, leaving her and her 13 kids, who are spread all over
the Pacific..New Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Apia, everywhere! And some of her
kids are even Mormon! The whole time we just had in the back of our mind, she
might be our miracle. And then we introduced the Restoration of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. We were just praying she was ready to except it, so I explained a
bit about the Love of God and it has come time to restore His gospel upon the
earth, and then my comp brought up Joseph Smith and how God has now called
another prophet to lead his church today....and this is the first time this has
ever happened on my mission, and might be the last...she seemed kind of
receptive, just kept nodding her head, and then we told her we had a small gift
for her, and then we gave her the pamphlet of the Restoration with Christ on the
front holding the lost sheep. My comp stood up to give it to her and she met
him halfway, took the book and then just stood there looking at the picture of
Christ. Then she began to cry, and kissed the picture three times while
saying Iesu, Iesu, Iesu...and as she sat down she held the book to her chest
and then went into thanking us for bringing this book of Christ and just crying
as she thanked us for this blessing. And then my companion and I just kept
looking at each other not really knowing what to do, and then he asked me if we could share the BoM. It wasn't part of what we planned but I knew he was being
led by the spirit, so he went into a small explanation about the Book of Mormon
Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and then we gave her a copy. And almost the
same thing happened, she took the book, held it close, and thanked us for these
blessings and before we could even invite her to read it, she said she won't
stop till she finishes both of them!!! The Holy Ghost was so powerful because
her heart was ready and she was prepared, and I thank my Heavenly Father for
trusting us to find her through our work! And then it was over just as fast as
it had started. We set up to visit with her Tues and we are praying that she
will remember through the spirit, that this was the plan from the beginning,
God giving us this gospel to bless us and our families, restored to earth
through the work of a young prophet named Joseph Smith! So just an amazing
experience that we had this week and we are praying that the miracles that are
promised through exact obedience are around the corner!
So that's us! Love you all and hope you are having a great
week!! Love you!!
Elder Larson
Taro Root peeling!! Sooo fun !!! |
In our busy lives, sometimes you need to stop and smell the flowers!! |
I have a hard working, cool comp!! |