Sunday, August 8, 2010

"Living and Dying in 3/4 Time"


We have had a super great week this last week. Finishing with an incredible fast and testimony on Sunday, where despite some crazy events, the spirit filled our hearts.

Cayenne is now starting to flourish. I was grateful for the president's decision not to send me to zone leader council, because I was able to have a solid week of wonderful work in our area! There is nothing better than that, too. Our goal for the week was to give out many baptismal dates! And we were turned down many times by many of our investigators that filled our teaching pool...but that did not discourage us. We were still able to weed out those that are not ready for the restored gospel and fine the amis (friends) like Nelson who are prepared and ready to receive the fullness of Gods gospel! Nelson is a young man of 17 years old. He is much more mature than his years however, he understands the divine significance of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith...after receiving an answer to his prayer to know if the Book of Mormon was true(which took some time to teach him how to recognize his answer) he tried to teach his mother about this wonderful book! After church Sunday he called us wondering about which verses it is that Jesus teaches his disciples that there are other sheep not of this fold! We have another investigator John Robert who was intrigued and touched by our message....at first we were not sure how much he understood, but the next day we went by he had already talked to his cousin about how great it was and gave us a referral. We fixed 2 baptismal dates with them. Me and Elder Lunt are trying to adapt our teachings based on the needs on our investigators. We are trying to listen to their needs, and then make it more personal. Elder Butler is doing a great job at implementing what he learned at zone leader council and turning us into the teachers the first presidency wants us to be.

Unfortunately, our only investigator in church this week was Nelson, but he is a stud!!!! I'm almost sure he is going to be baptized to and go on a mission soon. The crazy thing is we just met him 10 days ago, but already he is in love with the Book of Mormon. He has read a lot of First Nephi and has already received an answer to his prayer. It was actually interesting because we came by for the second lesson and we asked him if he had received an answer when he prayed about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith...he sort of disappointingly said not yet. He then said he wasn't sure if he had even had an answer to a prayer. We had planned to teach him the plan of salvation and to fix a baptismal date with him. But as we listened to the Holy Ghost, Elder Lunt and I felt to teach about the Holy Ghost and the way he answers prayers. We taught Nelson how to recognize the spirit in his life. As we taught him and he began to understand that the answers from God do not always come in visions, or big dreams, but more normally through a still small voice and through feelings that we might have in our heart, the light of understanding came across his face and he told us that not only had he felt those feelings in answer to prayers in his life, but that was how he felt as he read from and prayed about the Book of Mormon! He is just great, and the only prevention might be his parents...they are actually very supportive but his mom wants his dad to be there when he chooses a church to be baptised in and for now he is in Haiti...we don't know when he will be back...so I hope soon.

Wouldn't that be so wonderful to see a baptism! How wonderful it is to be part of that sacred covenant or promise in which we have so graciously been given. I pray with all my heart that one of our investigators may be baptized before I leave. At this moment Nelson looks to be the closest. We actually dropped Jose Ca this last week because he was no longer progressing....I think if it was a language barrier we would have overcame it, but I think it just wasn't the right time for him. I don't know if I told you but a family me and Elder Cottam taught in Lamentin was finally baptized. It was George that actually gave them as a referral and for the longest time the mom would not get baptised because she had a boyfriend. She knew the church was true but she couldn't bring herself to let go of the father of her 3 kids. Well I guess the missionaries there finally got a hold of the boyfriend who loved the gospel. They have now been living separately for a few months and just got baptised!

Elder Lunt is motivated, and he is one that has an uncanny ability to achieve when he is motivated. Its funny he doesn't do it in the normal ways that I have been used to, so its been hard getting used to that. I love my companion and he teaches me so much. It's sad to see that while he is just starting this wonderful adventure that will surely be filled with trials, obstacles, success, and achievements, mine is coming to a close. I hope to be the best example for him so that he can continue to convert others and himself more fully to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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