Monday, August 18, 2014

Having some amazing experiences. Fransisco is getting baptized and Raul is also accepting baptism ~ Hurstbourne Week 2 ~ Mission Week 7

Hello from Kentucky!!

Wow, this week has been crazy!! I am happy to say that since I have been out that our numbers have doubled this week and haven't been that high in a long time!! My companion and I, Hermana Adams, are working so hard out here and it is starting to show!

This week has been crazy and filled with some amazing experiences. On Thursday, every single person that we contacted had either received news that someone close to them had passed away or someone close to them had passed away within the last couple weeks. It was so bizarre, but such an amazing way to contact. Bringing these distraught people the message of the plan of happiness and life after death was so incredible. We said prayers with them and were able to testify about baptism, the atonement, and that through this amazing message that we can see our families again. It was such an incredible day. I have found that I have an ability to feel the pains of the people that I come in contact with. At times it can be hard because I feel for them so deeply and want them to experience happiness and have joy. Somehow I have been able to do this through the spirit.

Next, I want to talk about Francisco!! This was an amazing experience!! We randomly found him outside his apartment complex and he invited us to come talk to him. He has been taught by the Hermanas before, but couldn't find the will to stop drinking. He told us about how hard of a time he was having. This lesson was the most spiritual lesson I have had thus far. We were able to testify to him that his is never alone, and that God is holding his hand through all of the struggles he has in his life. He said that he had been reading the Book of Mormon, and couldn't stop and was drawn to it. We asked him if he believed in the restored gospel, and he said yes. We challenged him to baptism, and he asked when the soonest time could be that he could. We challenged him to baptism in three weeks!! He is so ready for this, it is insane. He is willing to meet with us three times a week. We told him that he had to stop drinking, smoking, no coffee, and all of that. He accepted this and told us that he was ready. I have never felt the spirit more strong. Testifying of baptism to him was so incredible. He said that he wants to be on the front lines when Christ comes, and that he wants to tell him that he did everything he could. And we know that he will get there. It was incredible. I am so excited for him to have this amazing gospel in his life!!

I also want to talk about Raul. Raul has also struggled with drinking, but expressed that he truly wants to stop. We talked to him about baptism and the atonement and how all these things can help him. He said that he believed that he couldn't overcome these things. We were able to talk to him about the atonement and that he could only use it if he asked for it. As we were talking to him, he paused and just stared at me. He looked me in the eyes and asked me why I was looking at him the way I was looking at him. He asked, "why do you see me the way you see me? Why?" This really struck me. After a long pause, I told him that my Spanish wasn't perfect and that I could sometimes only understand the important parts of what he was saying. But that I would continue working hard and fighting until I understood him completely. I told him that I knew God loved him, that I cared about him, and that he needed to know that. He then told me that through me, he could feel that God loved him, and at that moment he knew it. It was so incredible. The gift of tongues is powerful. Raul has taught me to really listen and to understand, even though my Spanish is terrible and sometimes I don't understand what the people are telling me. But in that moment with Raul, I understood him completely, and I know that he felt it. He has really motivated me to learn Spanish, and to completely understand the people I am teaching. That I have the ability to understand my investigators through the spirit. The spirit is the perfect teacher, and understands all. We just have to listen.

Lastly, I want to talk about Pablo, a Latino that I contacted completely on my own, my crappy Spanish and all! He started to talking to me about how he wants to repent, and that he is in the process of stopping his drinking. He asked me about repentance, I didn't ask him! It was a perfect way to talk about how the only true way you can utilize the atonement is through baptism. He said that he wanted that more than anything in the world. He wants to be baptized. It was an incredible moment. Somehow with my horrible Spanish, I was able to understand him. He told me about his life. How all of his family was dead, and how he wanted to feel cleansed in his life. He bore his entire soul to me. The amount of love I felt for him and the desire for him to have the gospel in his life was indescribable. He asked me for contact information and asked when we could meet again. It was amazing. He is so ready for this in his life. This experience has showed me that it doesn't matter how horrible my Spanish is, that through the spirit, I can somehow understand the intents and thoughts of the people's hearts that I come in contact with.

This week has been incredible. I know that this gospel is true. I have really come to understanding of what my purpose is as a missionary. It is to challenge people to baptism. To let them know that the only way they can make the necessary changes in their lives and to use the atonement to its fullest is through baptism. I have learned that I need to include that in everything that I teach, because it is my purpose. To bring people to this knowledge.

I hope you all have a good week. Thank you for all of the love and support I have received! I love you all, the gospel is true!

Hermana Failner


No comments:

Post a Comment