Ia
ora na!
Again, another week of really awesome progress. We
almost nailed our goal of 20 lessons, but fell just a little short because of
cancellations. But the work is progressing, and that is what's important!
First of all, things have been going great with K--- and C---. This week we had the first lesson in a while with both of them
present, and for a couple weeks we've only been able to see one or the other
because the other was working. And in talking to them last week, they've told
us that they are willing to finally get married and be baptized... next year.
Well, at least they have the desire! But this week Elder Duncan and I really
wanted to help them fix a goal worthy of their capacities to follow Christ. We
taught a great lesson with both of them on the Plan of Salvation, in talking
about how this day is the day to prepare to meet God and accomplish or works.
We then invited them to prepare for marriage and baptism in the month of March
of this year. And surprisingly enough, C--- and K--- looked at each
other and smiled. K---was totally down for it, but C--- wasn't too
sure. We testified, and as we finished C--- just said "I want you
guys to give me a blessing."
How sweet was that Spirit as we gave him the blessing
to reassure him of Heavenly Father's love for him. After the blessing, he looks
at us and says "It looks like March is gonna be good for marriage and
baptism." Who would've thought that an angry man who once would burn
copies of the Book of Mormon and mock the missionaries as they rode by would 4
months later accept to be baptized and get married. What an awesome couple!
Things are also cool with T---! He's thinking about
getting baptized soon as well, but wants to come to church a few times before
making a good decision. This week he was supposed to come by bus, but as the
bus pulled up to the chapel we were saddened to see that he wasn't there! Dang,
maybe next week!
We found a great new family this week. It was actually
a door to door contact that we made with a man named T---- at the beginning of
the month. He wanted to receive us that day, but was too occupied so we
fixed a return date later that week. And here's where Elder Ball makes a big
mistake: the day of the lesson, I decide that we really needed to see a family
of old investigators instead of going to T----'s lesson, so we did. I guess I
thought it was the Spirit? We had a good experience with that family and they
came to church that weekend, but frankly I shouldn't have made that decision to
pass up T----.
So this week, with a lesson cancelled, we decide to go
pass by T----'s again to see if he was still interested, and he was and we
fixed a return date with him for later in the week. Then this time we made sure
to really pass by to see him! And when we arrived, we were surprised to be
welcomed in by him, but also by his wife and his two daughters. This was a
whole family! We had a great first contact with them, and in speaking with
them, they revealed their desires to change their lives: to stop drinking, to
have better family relations, to pray more often. And they truly, all four of
them, had this desire and were so excited for us to come over and help them and
tell them that they could truly change thanks to Jesus Christ's atonement. If
only I had known that this family was really wanting and waiting for this, I
wouldn't have passed it up a month ago! And to make it worse, T---- talked how
he joked with his wife saying that he had a dream that two angels would come to the house that first day. So he made food and got everything ready and they
waited... and we didn't come. Again... IF ONLY! I truly repented. And I thanked
God that it still worked out and that this family still wanted to have us. They
thought nothing of it.
Well, that's the week in a nutshell. The biking is
hard, but it's worth the effort because every day brings small miracles. I love
you all and have a great week!
Elder Ball
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| Typical Bora Bora |
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| Me between Tahaa and Raiatea |
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| Matira Beach |
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