Ia ora na!
Ill be quick this week. We haven't had too much excitement,
but on a mission its impossible to have nothing to talk about so inaha te parau
api!
P------- and C------- are doing fine. Still hurting a
ton, but doing fine. We had a lesson with them this week, and in the beginning
it was hard, because C------- expressed her hate and how she's pretty much
lost her faith in God, asking why He would take her daughter when they've
believed in Him all their life. We were able to explain the Plan of Salvation
again, and that trials and tragedies are just a part of this mortal life that
happens to everyone, not just the wicked. In explaining the atonement of Jesus
Christ and how He makes up for the wrong in life, the Holy Ghost came and
testified and calmed things down a little bit. These kinds of lessons are just
difficult. It takes seriously careful listening to the investigator and to the
Spirit to say the right things in a sensitive situation. But by the end of the
lesson, we were all at peace. I love this family so much, and desire their
happiness above all.
We had a cool contact experience as well. We felt prompted
to go see an old investigator after P------ and C-------'s lesson. We get
there to find her nephew who said that she moved to France... well we talk to
the nephew, his name's T-------. We explain a little bit what we do and he
agreed to meet with us the following day. And the next day during our lesson,
we talk with him and just his style and his character totally reminds us of
N----, another investigator of ours. We ask him what his last name is, and he
tells us. Hmm, same last name as N----. We ask him if he's related to N----,
and he says "yeah... hes my bro!" What are the chances, honestly! We
had a good first contact with him and left him a brochure on the Restoration,
and he totally loved what we taught.
Things are also going well with T------. Shes down to be
baptized as soon as possible, she just needs her father's permission since shes
only 16. She's been doing her best to be a good example in the family and
changing her adolescent behavior (you know how teens are. I was there!) We also
explained the Word of Wisdom this week. She explained to us that she drinks
coffee every morning and that shes willing and able to stop completely, but
only if she has something else in the house to drink every morning. So the next
day at church, Elder Millett and I bring over our tin of Milo and happily give
it to her. She has no excuse now!
Sadly, despite our little miracle last week, we lost I--,
one of our prime investigators. She told us at the beginning of our lesson that
she was more attracted to the Adventist church, and was pretty set on being
baptized. There wasn't much else that we could do, so we left our final
testimony saying that despite the attractiveness of a church, nothing matters
as much as being cleansed of our sins through proper ordinances performed
through priesthood authority, and that the Book of Mormon is proof that these
proper ordinances and this priesthood authority exist in the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. But we respected her choice, and said we'd always
be there if she wanted to know more. It was sad, but we did our job, and we
wont stand guilty before God at the last day for not doing our best!
That's the dealio for this week. We've been working hard, and
shall continue to work hard. I love you all, have yourselves a great week!
Elder Ball
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