Ia ora na!
Yeah, not a bad week!
Definitely some great accomplishments for me and Elder Firuu, some fun things
and good personal strides of success.
First of all, two new baptisms
fixed for November! We got it for Tatu, November 16th, and Keali for the week
after. The lesson with Tatu... That was such a great lesson! We went in with
President Noel, the Branch President of Mahu, with nothing planned because he
had already received every lesson. We wanted to just talk with him and see what
his worries were. He ended up wanting to learn about baptism again, so we
taught him and explained it to him. He then said he was afraid of it, and that
he didn’t want to sin and fall again. Perhaps a great moment of spiritual worth
for me, was when I really felt prompted to share a scripture that I had read a
week earlier, Alma 7:14-15 I believe? I didn’t really remember it; all I knew
is that it talked about baptism. It ended up talking about fearing not, and
trusting in the atoning sacrifice of Christ to cleanse us of our sins,
through repentance and baptism. Man was that perfect! Elder Firuu and I worked
together so well to testify in that lesson as well, the Spirit was strong, and
all in all it convinced Tatu to go with it, and fear not. I’m so happy that I
was just able to be an instrument in the Lords hands, and be guided by the
Spirit to say what needed to be said.
Keali is the 9 year old son of an inactive member, M, who we've been working on to come back, and he’s been doing pretty good coming to Church. We're hoping to help him get ready and worthy to baptize his son, and bring the family back into full activity. That would be awesome, and definitely a blessing to see. It’s such a blessing now to have these baptisms fixed, it’s amazing!
Keali is the 9 year old son of an inactive member, M, who we've been working on to come back, and he’s been doing pretty good coming to Church. We're hoping to help him get ready and worthy to baptize his son, and bring the family back into full activity. That would be awesome, and definitely a blessing to see. It’s such a blessing now to have these baptisms fixed, it’s amazing!
We're finding a lot of
potential here, thanks to the references we're receiving! We found the F family, F and his wife H, and we started the lessons with them last
week. Such humble, nice people, who let two funny-dressed kids into their home
to teach them about God. We have hope for them, they aren’t too familiar with
the LDS church, but that a good thing that we're there right?
The Tahitian is coming, slowly
but surely. I’m starting to understand a little bit more if I listen super
carefully. The speaking is getting better as well, still miles ahead of my
understanding. Eventually it’ll even out.
 |
| Sleeping Man Mountain in Tubuai. |
This week I had the time to
read the book Our Search For Happiness by M. Russell Ballard. Reading that book
was excellent. From such a point of view, it made me realize how much of a
blessing this restored gospel is. The true priesthood of God, which is the
heavenly power held by prophets of old and Christ and his apostles to perform
sacred ordinances, like baptism for instance; it is on Earth again! It’s thanks
to this restoration that we have the knowledge that God has not ceased to
communicate with His children. He loves us, and has from the beginning of time.
It was man, not God, who decided that no one could communicate with Him after
the death of Christ and the apostles; that all changed with the humble prayer
of a 14 year old boy, who truly believed that he would receive an answer, and
did. This gospel brings comfort, joy, and an eternal perspective on things. It
helps us understand why we are here, where we come from and where we are going.
It gives us a greater sense of self-worth and of our true potential. It helps
us avoid danger and the heartache of bad decisions. I am so happy to be part of
this Church, and to share the truth with everyone as a servant of the Lord. I
know this Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ, restored to the Earth by a
prophet.
Well, that it for this week! I
love you all and whether you are a member of the Church or not, I encourage you
all to read the Book of Mormon.
If you want to understand who God is, what Christ has done for us, or find
guidance to make life better, read it. Plain and simple, it’s through reading
that book that you can find answers.
A faaitoito!
Elder Ball
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