Marlene came to church!!!!!!!
what a great week!!!
first and foremost, in regards to the subject of the email, our investigator that we had finally was able to come to church! her name is Marlene (mar-lenn), and she has been recieving us for about 2 months. normally, we drop investigators after 3-4 weeks if they arent progressing, but i have always felt that she has so much potential, and that i knew if we trusted in the Lord, and kept on being persistent, she would come, and she did! she loved it and we have an appointment with her tomorrow. The weather has changed, and this whole last week it rained, and has become colder. We pulled out our jackets and sweaters, and are excited for the fall/christmas time weather to come. hooray for sweater weather!!
On Monday, we had an FHE with our investigator, Mario, at the Familia Holguins house. we taught him about Service, Missionary work, and Family History work. He is so excited to be baptized!! the Spirit was so strong, and I know that he is feeling it. By this day, he had been 2 days smoke free and had completely given up coffee.
Tuesday, We taught Hermana Gonzalez, a less actuve member, about the Melchizedek priesthood and how her husband (who is only a priest) can be ordained and sustained this december when we have Stake Conference. She didnt really understand the priesthood 100%, but after the lesson, she understood better the role that she and her husband play in the family, and how the Melchizedec priesthood is necessary to have in a Christ-centered home, and to be able to enter in the Celestial kingdom as families. later, we got soaked walking over to the Familia Del Real´s to eat. It rained all day!!! Also did visits with the bishop in the evening, but ended early due to the crazy rain!
Wednesday, we went to Delicias (a major city an hour away) for our training meeting with the Mission President. we learned about how to better manage our money, and more basic precautions in our house, and in terms of safety while proselyting. Also, every training meeting with president he always wants to see how we are doing with teaching, and so one missionary or companionship always goes up in front of everyone and teaches president. Guess whose turn it was this time...haha it was a little scary, just cause its president and he is just such a powerful man, but we did well. We taught him about repentance, using Mosiah 3:19 and explaining him that the Natural man is one who offends god, and when we sin, we are "natural men", but with repentance, we can change, become humble, and recieve forgiveness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. afterwards, he took us all out to eat at a restaurant (2 Zones), and it was so good! we ordered the "parrillada" ("grilled", refers to a pllate of grilled food/meat), which Elder Perez and I split. On the way back we were joined by Elder Smith, who interviewed Mario to be baptized and to spend the night to do exchanges.
Thursday, we had a few lessons with Mario, La Familia torres, and Manuel, a few of our other investigators. I felt the Spirit in each one and I know that as we were patient with our investigators, the Spirit provided us with what we needed to say.
Friday, we also had lots of lessons and visits, of which include teaching Marlene about the Spirit World, Resurrection, Judgement, and the 3 Kingdoms of Glory. she understood it all and is very excited. she even told us in this lesson that she was talking with her boss the other day, who is a member, and her boss had asked her "so you know that its all true, right? what more are you waiting for?" and she had realized "yeah, youre right!" and so that was her motive and reason for finally coming to church. She had previously recieved her answer from our Heavenly Father, and even though it wasnt the answer she was expecting, nor was it a big great and powerful manifestation, but rather a still small whisper, she humbly accepted it and knows the Church is true. She even taught her own family about the trinity, and the nature of God. AWESOME!!!
Saturday was great because we found some new investigators, Ramona and Raul, both of whom we contacted in the Plaza when we put out our table with pamphlets and copies of the Book of Mormon. excited to teach them this week. and also, Mario was Baptized this day!!! It was a small baptismal service, but we are so happy for him as he has now joined his family and is now a member of La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días!
and Sunday, He was confirmed, and also we had other investigators in sacrament meeting other than marlene. their names are andrea and andres, and they are excited to get to know more about the church. they are 14 and 10 years old, and we are planning to have 4 baptisms (Marlene, Karen, Anrea, and Andres) the 29th of november. We also spoke in Sacrament Meeting, and we got to choose our topics. Elder Perez spoke on how we should not judge one another, and I chose the topic of the difference and relation between Testimony and Conversion. It was based of David A. Bednars talk from the October 2012 General Conference. Its so neat, because its really easy to understand how a testimony will not be enough to save us when the Savior comes again, rather both a testimony and Conversion are necessary, and he uses the parable of the 10 virgins (matthew 25:1-13) to explain it. all ten virgins had lamps, but only 5 had oil supplied with their lamps. the lamps are our testimonies, and the Oil represents conversion. Knowing you cant light the lamp without oil, what good is our testimony if we are not also fully converted unto the Lord? I know that if we strive to become more like him everyday, keeping his commandments and following in his footsteps, we will be able to be converted unto the Lord, and we will "have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually". I love you all and wish you all the best week possible. Thank you so much for the part that you (the reader) have played in my life and I know that we all are truly Sons and Daughters of the Most High God. take care, everyone!
love,
Jason
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*Elder Newman*
Misión
November 2013 - 2015
Alma 26:12
