B***'s baptism was really great. She is much more
quiet than her sister, but has a fun personality. She asked me if I would
give a talk on the Holy Ghost... and if I would do the Missionary Minute which
is were missionaries share the restoration. I was a little nervous
because I didn't just want to wing it. I wanted to make my talk sincere
and heartfelt. I ended up sharing about how the Holy Ghost is our
comforter and I shared the story of how I felt reassured that S**** and I*** (From Sierra Leone)
were taken care of through teaching and baptizing both her and T***.
I was pretty emotional just because I love the people in Africa so much and I
know they are in serious need. The spirit was really strong though and
that was the first time I had shared with either of them that they were an
answer to MY prayer. Before we had even met them they wanted to switch
missionaries so that they could have sisters teach them... but they were in our
area so the sisters had to pass them to us. They told me that the first
time they met us they knew and felt that they were suppose to be taught by
us rather than anyone else. It was really special to be a part of their
conversion. There are no Coincidences with God and I know he had this
planned from the very beginning.
(Just an FYI, Cody found out this morning that a family from Sierra Leone who was recently baptized has been impacted by the Ebola Virus. The mother passed away 2 weeks ago, the father on Saturday and the baby yesterday. There are still 5 children in the family who now are without parents. Cody loves the people there very much and this impacts him more than it does us because he knows these people who are all living there with this threat).
So Tuesday, while my companion was filling out some teaching
records... I was randomly flipping through the area book when I stopped on a
former that had been taught by missionaries 2+ years ago. I had a strong
feeling to write that specific name down and the address. We have over
100 formers and I only wrote that one name down. We were out doing our
thing that day when the thought came to me to go and visit that house right
now. So we drove over and found out that the address led us to a trailer
park. So we wandered around looking for Lot number 29. We had made
it all the way around the whole trailer park and it seemed as though nothing
existed after like 26. We kept wandering and finally found lot 29... The
whole time I was thinking to myself.... they taught this lady... C***
J***.... so long ago and this is a trailer park so there is nooo way she could
still be here. we could hear the Television on inside the trailer so we
yelled out Knock Knock. We were just about to leave when a hand flew out
the screen door and a man with a handle bar mustache came out. I thought
he was gonna yell at us. He asked what we wanted and we told him we were
wondering if C*** J*** still lived there. His response was a little muffled
and he said "I wish.... she died this last December....She was my wife of
15 years." After saying this we could tell he was pretty
tender. He said that she had died because doctors told her she needed to
stop smoking or her lungs were going to give out and she wouldn't stop.
He asked us if we wanted to go inside and see her ashes and the little shrine
he had put up to remember her. We went in his trailer... surprisingly...
it was completely spotless. He had an entire shelf in his bedroom dedicated
to her. He obviously hasn't been able to let her go in the least
degree. As he talked about her he began to cry quite a bit. He
showed us a pillow that he found after she had died that he had never seen
before that said "Angels are among us" and he took that as a sign
from her that she was still around. I shared a brief message about the
plan of salvation and I testified with all my strength that I knew he would see
her again. All three of us stood in the trailer together and pretty much
wept. It was so sad to me to see how a lack of gospel knowledge left this
man hopeless of ever seeing his wife again. We asked if we could come
back and share more and he told us that he wanted us to come by and be his
friend... but he needed a little more time before he wouldn't be mad at
God. As we were leaving he told us that while we had been there he was
able to feel her presence. I could feel it too. As we walked away
we could hear him bawling inside his trailer.
Please.... Please don't take this gospel for granted.
The knowledge that we carry with us is life changing. So many people live
in this world with out hope or faith of a next life. We must live in a
way that when we pass we are capable of receiving all of our Heavenly Fathers
eternal blessings.
The next incident is also pretty cool. We were out
street contacting and tracting in a neighborhood we just barely
discovered. Within the first half hour we had already taught the
restoration to the first person we met, placed 2 books of Mormon with return
appointments and gotten rejected by a Jehovah's Witness through a side window!
haha So we felt like we were on fire with missionary work! We decided to
swing down onto another street and see what was happening there. There
was a guy on the other side of the street smoking a cig and I kept having the
feeling to talk to him... but he for sure looked like the kind of guy were you
say hi and they freak out and start swearing at you so I walked by.... but I
had the same feeling again. Just then he yelled to us and asked if we
would come over. He asked us if we had ever experienced anything with
demons and if we thought they were real. We told him that satan is
definitely real. He shared an experience he had a month ago when he saw
this girl he was with pretty much get tossed around by some sort of Dark
presence. He said it scared him so bad that he hasn't been able to feel
safe in his house. He said ever since then he is a full believer in Jesus
Christ. I asked him if he wanted us to give him a blessing of comfort and
he agreed. We went into his house and I kid you not... there was a
repeating thumping sound that we had no clue were it was coming from. He
took us to his room and got a chair to sit on. He told us that this was
the room that the experience had happened to him and I could feel it because of
the erryiness that accompanied it! I gave him one of the most interesting
blessings I have ever given. My mind was blank as I spoke but words were
just flying out. I prayed that any evil spirts and dark presences would
leave this man and the house. When the blessing was over... both Elder Harper
and I noticed that the thumping had stopped and the feeling in the room
was completely different. We then chatted for a little bit and I
found out he use to be way into snowmobiling so I shared with him how boss my
mom is at snowmobiling. The feeling when we left and when we arrived were
like night and day. It was pretty intense. We also gave him a book
of Mormon and he said that 2 minutes before he saw us he was talking to his ex
wife.... who is a Mormon... and she told him he needed to go get a bible! Well,
I love being the answer to someone's prayer!!
God is real... Satan is too.... We know who will win in the end... so who's side do you want to be on?
I love following the promptings of the spirit and seeing
miracles come from it. I have never turned to my father in heaven for so
many things. He cares about the details of our lives... so make sure to
include him with everything you do!
Love you tons!!
Elder vandal the Crandall!
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