This was one of our best weeks in Receda 4to
Hi mom,
This week was really good. We had a lot of appointments, and only a few fell through. We taught two new people, and they are really cool. One, we ran by last week. He was there, but we couldn't teach him due to the fact that we didn't have the supplies, so we set it up for the next week (also known as this week) and he was there. We were on exchanges at the time and Elder Flores and I taught him very simply what is the restoration and why it's important.
Right after this, we ran to Familia G*. We planed this lesson out really well. We wanted to invite them to be baptized on the 13th of December, so we planed to teach them Baptism and Conformation. It went PERFECTLY. At the end, everyone committed to baptism on the 13th. I was most worried about I* because he sometimes doesn't seem to take it seriously (I think because God is new to him and he's scared of looking stupid and not being Dad anymore), but he accepted and they're all making progress to baptism. They even read a little of the Book of Mormon this week!
We then had a giant party on Saturday night. Proselyting ended at 6 and then we all went to a church building to watch Joseph Smith; Prophet of the Restoration and eat pizza. (This was on Mission Presidents orders). While we were there, I got a missionary handbook in Tongan from a sister in our zone who's from Tonga. I'm going to try and learn a little Tongan from it during our meal times and hopefully I won't sound like a complete fool.
Sunday was Stake conference and it was really nice. The G* didn't show up because they were in Bakersfield, but both of our menos activos were there, so that was cool. After, we did some knocking and then we went to Dinner at the hemana C* (one of the menos activas) where we taught her friend, A*, the plan of Salvation. She prayed to start the lesson and it was so cool. It was only her second time praying ever and she did it perfectly. We hope that they can come to church this week.
Good news from all of this. All of our investigators made a little progress towards baptism! we know that this will improve as we do what we are asked to by President Henrie and by the Lord.
I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort that knowledge is. I know that Joseph Smith is His prophet of the Restoration and that Thomas S. Monson is his successor to that mantle. I know that that Book of Mormon is true and that it has a power to bring the spirit into your life, no matter what language. I just finished reading it in Spanish for the first time and I felt the spirit guide and teach me things about God and Spanish the whole time I read. Trust the Scriptures and trust the Spirit. They will never lead you wrong (see 2 Nephi 32:3,5) I love this work and all that I've learned about my Heavenly Father, my Savior, and myself. If you are scared to talk to your friends about what you know to be true, I encourage you to plan out a none threatening way to introduce them to the missionaries and then be there with them throughout the long investigation process. They will thank you for it and you will learn and grow with them. I write these things in the name of Jesucristo, Amen.
Con amor
Elder Michael Blanding
Called to Serve my King.