Oh, Mom & Dad!
I sent that little letter [invitation] from Heidi with the elders so they could give it to German and Francisca. The elders reported back that German and Francisca were SO EXCITED! They literally can't think about anything else. People at work and in the ward who find out that they are going to utah get them so excited too! To every member of the church here in California, taking a trip to Utah is like taking a trip to the celestial kingdom. People talk about how clean and calm and nice and beautiful utah is. They praise it up. Haha someone at work talked to German and found out he was going to utah on a trip (that is the reason he got work off) (Which, by the way NEVER HAPPENS!) and he told him "you have to make sure you go to the mormon temple!!" And german is thinking, "I am mormon! :)" People have been telling them to make sure they take lots of pictures and.....SO GREAT!
Our investigators are doing well. Mauricio is a champ. I am just going to tell you about him for a second. He is probably one of my favorite people I have taught my whole mission. Talk about someone that has the light of Christ and has been being prepared.
We had this wonderful lesson with Mauricio right before we had to go to Santa Clarita for the sister training leader meeting.
Before we even started teaching the lesson, Mauricio told us that he'd just finished listening to the saturday conferences and was about to start listening to sunday morning. This is because we texted the day or so before and told him to find general conference online. Well, he found it. And then started listening to it. :D He told us that he'd gotten home the night before at 2:00 am so that'd thrown his reading off, but that if he kept on schedule, he'd finish all the sessions by the next morning. WHAT?!?! WHO IS THIS GUY!?!? I'm trying not to grin so largely that it's creepy! Hna. Rodriguez and I both want to jump and shout! Then he told us that he really liked the talk that is "what way do you face?" Toward the people or toward God. Then he told us that it was true that so many people think it is about pleasing other people, but we have to be more concerned about pleasing God.
We taught him about the Word of Wisdom. You just have to see him learning because it is so incredible. He displays all the book (PMG) symptoms of someone that has the light of Christ and has been prepared by angels to hear this message. He nods and verbally affirms that, "yes, this is true". I watch him try to contain really big smiles when he realizes that he is reading something that falls so perfectly in line with what his spirit feels like must be true but is not a known standard from anywhere. It's incredible to see the faith light up his face. After we tell him something, either what we should or shouldn't do or the blessings that come from obeying that, he will say, "es certo" (It's certain) and then he will make a very insightful comment about that and tell us why that point is true.
After explaining the substances that the Word of Wisdom prohibits, we asked Mauricio if he had a problem with any of the substances. He said he used to, but then he realized that those things weren't good for him and so he overcame his addictions and has no problems. WOW. PREPARED. We told him that he had been prepared and that this was an obstacle that keeps a lot of people from being able to be baptized as soon as they'd like, but that his baptism can happen in December because God saw it fit to prepare him. He responded, yes. :)
jaja this is really cute. There is a really old, cheesy picture in the Word of Wisdom foyetto where the mom is helping her son cut a banana with a butter knife and the dad is trying to see the excitement and laughing with the whole family. As soon as Mauricio saw this (jaja) he said something along the lines of, "oh, if I live this law, I will have a family JUST like this!" Haha! So wholesome of him! Maybe he realized it sounded a little silly after it came out of his mouth, but....how sweet, right? He is about 28 and would be such a good dad of such a good family.
Sometimes missionaries hesitate to ask really good investigators questions right out because they are afraid that the investigators won't be able to answer confidently in the affirmative. We are over that! We asked Mauricio:
Do you believe the Book of Mormon is true?
Yes.
Do you believe that Joseph Smith is a profet?
Oh, yes.
Do you believe that the Word of Wisdom was revealed to Joseph Smith?
Yes.
Do you believe it is a true law?
Yes.
Conviction with no hesitation. Incredible.
At the end of the lesson, he laughingly said, "I always wondered why you guys didn't drink coffee, jaja, and now I know" He said it with such joy because it now was clear as day to him that the Mormons knew something that everyone else didn't. It is simple to see why the mormons don't drink coffee. It is because God revealed the law to Joseph Smith and therefore, we follow it. He really gets it. I don't know what I did to be so privileged to be able to watch this from up close.
Oh, the other best part of this lesson is that when we asked him about his work schedule (this has been causing a problem because he works Sundays), he told us that he'd talked to his boss again. His boss is thinking about it. He told us that if his boss said no that his plan B was just to quit and stick with his evening job and request more hours there. Then HE told US that people need to understand that church is more important. If you know me, then yes, my heart was exploding!!!!
We got a text from Mauricio last night that says he thinks......................wait for it..................He'll be able to come to church next Sunday!
I love you so much! Thanks for listening to all that! It is hard for me because If I tell a story, I really want to do it justice.
I'll talk to you guys so soon :)
Love, Hermana Christensen
No comments:
Post a Comment