Week 78: Saving Souls
Well this was one rollercoaster of a week. Stress and emotions were high but I also had many powerful experiences with the Spirit.
Monday afternoon we were walking around a little town called Leming and we began talking with a guy outside his house. Then just a minute or so later his cousin pulled up and joined the conversation. Somehow Joseph of Egypt became the topic of discussion and we had to clear up that story because they had it very wrong haha (I think they were on drugs). Then Nick (the first guy we started talking to) told us he had oil from Jerusalem and asked if we anoint and bless others. We told him we do but that we only use oil for those that are physically sick/hurt and that the oil would need to be consecrated and we didn't have oil on us. He really wanted us to use his oil but we told him if he wanted a blessing we could do it without the oil. So then we gave these two guys priesthood blessings right then and there. I've never given a random person a blessing in public so that was odd but I guess it's cool they trusted us to give them blessings. Definitely an interesting experience.
On Tuesday Elder and Sister Dunn visited with part of our mission and they really inspired me to be a better missionary! The Spirit was so strong in the room while they spoke. Then later on that day they visited the Johnson family with us. The Johnson boys haven't been baptized due to their mom. She was at work when we visited with them but it went pretty well. We asked our mission president if we needed to prepare a lesson and he said no. Then while we're visiting with them Sister Dunn turns to us and says, "Well we would really like to hear what the missionaries wanted to share!" I was taken a little off guard cause we hadn't prepared anything so I panicked and shared a Christmas message that we've been sharing with all the members. Our mission president really did us dirty hahaha. Anyways, the Dunns ended up inviting the boys to express to their mom their desire to be baptized instead of the dad doing it for them. We're going over there on Saturday to do service as well so hopefully that softens the mom's heart.
Michael (our friend who recently got baptized) has been struggling and it's been very stressful for us to say the least. It started off with us racing down from San Antonio to save his life to not being able to go inside to him never wanting to talk to us again to hugging it out to having our intentions questioned to testifing of the power of Christ's Atonement to members asking about him and not being able to say much because it's personal and it's not our place to share. I've truly been put through the ringer this week but I've also been able to feel the pure love of Christ flow through me in magnificent ways.
Last night we had a lesson with a lady named Noelda who referred herself online. We've been talking with her for a couple weeks now. She has a crazy life story and is going through so much right now. We were able to teach her and two of her daughters the plan of salvation in their backyard (where apparently her husband got shot not too long ago... but that's besides the point). It was amazing to be able to testify of Jesus Christ's love and mercy, especially to her daughters because they don't have much knowledge about Jesus Christ. Noelda really wants to come closer to Jesus Christ and come to church but she's dealing with a lot of family and legal issues so keep her in your prayers!
Mosiah 16:9 says, "He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."
Jesus Christ is the light in the darkness. On my mission I have had the opportunity to bring this light into people's lives and see how it changes them. There is so much darkness in this world but you can make it a better place by sharing the light of Christ that is within you! This Christmas season, let your light shine so that others may see.
Use this link to find ideas on how you can light the world all month long!
- Elder Christensen
Pictures
☆ Trainers and trainees at the temple from the other week
☆ Elder and Sister Dunn!!
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