Monday, March 12, 2012

Will you trust in God and be baptized this coming Sunday?


Hola Familia,
 
So as I said in my letter last week we planned to do tons of exchanges and that is what we did this week!!  It turned out to be a wonderful week where we saw many miracles.  Some of the companionships in the Zone hadn't baptized and after doing exchanges we were able to let them see miracles and almost everyone baptized this last week!
 
One of my favorite moments was when a companionship made an appointment for me to interview a guy who told them he wasn't going to get baptized anytime soon.  He was the only hope they had to baptize this week and so I decided to go ahead and give the guy an opportunity in the interview.  It turned out to be one of the most spiritual interviews I have ever had in my entire life!  I think what he really needed was someone that would listen to him and that's exactly what I had the opportunity to do.  He told me about the problems he was recently facing and about dreams he had had and many other things.  Usually we try to make the interviews short and powerful but I felt impressed to just let him go at it.  When I had the chance I would relate anything he had said to baptism and the blessings that it would bring to his life.  I testfied and felt my mouth filled as to know just what to say and to promise him.  In the end he agreed to be baptized but did not want to do it for a couple of weeks.  I shared with him a couple scriptures about not waiting to act upon things such as this and then felt impressed to have him pray.  That is exactly what we did and in that moment he prayed and asked God.  There was a powerful feeling of peace and assurance that felt as if we were both in a bonfire.  I think of it as something like in Helaman 5.  I then told him "As a Representative of Jesus Christ, I testify that we both just felt the will of God.  You must get baptized this coming Sunday.  Will you trust in God and be baptized this coming Sunday?"   He looked at me as we both felt the intense peace and looking me right in the eyes said "I will."  WOW, I will never forget that moment.  What was equally special was see the faces of the Elders for whom I had done the interview.  They were so surprised and SOOO happy.  There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the other Elders in my zone have success, see miracles, and prayers answered!
 
Wow, so I actually don't have anymore time to write anything else.  I am doing great and loving the experience of being a Zone Leader.  I am looking forward to another week full of exchanges!  I hope you all have a great week and I really appreciate the letters you are all sending me!
 
LOVE,
Elder Janis