This has been a crazy week!
I guess I'll start with some cool miracles. At the moment, we have two investigators set for baptism - Barbara is getting baptized this Saturday (heck yeah!) and Brendan (otherwise known as Subway Guy) is working towards the 13th October! It's really exciting to see both of them progressing towards that covenant with Heavenly Father and, we've had some experiences which have really affirmed my testimony that God is willing to do everything in order to guide them towards the baptism font!
For example, we've been visiting Barbara a lot recently to help her quit smoking! She's been doing great but her body isn't liking the change so much and she's got pretty ill. It got so bad on Friday that she fainted four times! So, at 11.30pm, Elder Bernfeld and I are called over by another investigator to give Barbara a blessing (even though she didn't know what they were ha!). It was amazing - I was drugged up on sleeping medication but I could still feel the Spirit really strong as we used our priesthood to bless her. She was even well enough to come to church the next day! The priesthood is pretty cool!
As for Brendan - he's been progressing really well. He works A LOT so we've been meeting him at work ha! We spend more time in Subway at the moment then anywhere else. Anyway, we had a really cool experience at the chapel the other day. We walked round the building, explaining the various pictures of the Book of Mormon that were on the wall until we reached the picture of Christ in the New World. As we stopped and looked at it, I felt prompted to bear my testimony of the reality of the scene that the picture depicts - that Jesus Christ did indeed visit the Nephites and establish His church to the 'other sheep that were not of [His] fold' (John 10:16) in Jerusalem. There was then a silence and Brendan just looked at the picture and said 'I just got goosebumps' ha! We then took him to the baptismal font and read Mosiah 18:8-10 with him and invited him to be baptized! It was so cool - he's working really hard to be ready for then! Missionary work is awesome!
One of my favourite experiences so far happened with the Zambranas this week - I LOVE that family! We had dinner with them during my first week on my mission and they've just been so welcoming - it's great! We've been teaching Christian the past few weeks but it hasn't really changed anything - he's very happy for us to come round and teach but I don't think he's felt the Spirit yet. Well, that was until Saturday evening anyway! We went round for a FHE (it's basically an excuse to play with their kids ha!) and we asked Vanessa to share a spiritual thought. It was fantastic - she gave a very simple message about gratitude and the Spirit was intense and she bore her testimony of all the blessings she has received. And then, out of nowhere, I felt we should ask Christian to pray... and he did! It was crazy! After he prayed, we asked him how he felt and he just said 'I feel better'! That might seem small but to see someone pray to God for the first time and feel an answer is incredible - I love my job ha! I'm really excited to help him progress - he's an awesome guy and his family are such a blessing to Elder Bernfeld and myself!
We've also had some cool finding experiences - we do service at a local charity shop every week and, normally, we just talk to people about the area ect. Well, this week, we met two 18 year old girls - Brooke and Bri! And they are so legit! It's weird - I felt like I could be myself around them and still by a missionary (that may sound obvious but it's been difficult to find that balance). We instantly got on and we're teaching them this week so we're hoping they're interested in the Gospel and not just my accent ha! We'll see... I definitely feel there's potential there! :)
There's many more miracles I could share - we see them all the time! I could spend a whole afternoon talking about all the cool times we've spent with the members but I don't have time ha! But that's what my journal is for right?! It's sufficient to say this - I feel very loved! We are fed everyday, we get regular cookie drops and the members are always keen to drive us places or come on lessons with us! Poquoson will definitely be the place to be soon - it's a place of miracles!
Just one last thought (and this is a quote from my weekly letter to Mama Susu) - 'This week, prayer has been my anchor! I've always struggled with the idea that, if I speak my inner-most thoughts out loud, then God will hear them. But that's changing quickly - I can't wait to get on my knees each night and thank Heavenly Father for the miracles He's allowing us to work. I'm praying for twenty minutes at a time and I can actually feel myself having a conversation with God! I have had peace 'whispered to my soul' on a number of occasions now and it never ceases to amaze me... God hears my prayers Mum!'.
I know God hears prayers - it makes perfect sense. He is our Father so He wants to hear from us! So, speak to Him!
Love
Elder Pelham
ps. I'm allowed to have e-mails from anyone now! So, e-mail me at marcus.pelham@myldsmail.net please! I'd love to hear from y'all
No comments:
Post a Comment