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| Happy Couple, L & J |
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| Wedding Cake! |
Dear Family,
So the pictures basically tell the whole story, and they took most of my email time anyway...
It was Saturday, the day of the wedding, which started at 3 pm. We had received a referral for a less-active family from our Bishop's wife the day before, and they lived in the very northeastern corner of our boundary, far away from the place we had prayed about harvesting. But as we left the house we prayed and decided to go visit the referral at the very beginning of our day. We got up there and the family didn't even live there anymore, nor did we feel good about staying in the area to harvest. As we turned the car around we got a text from the bride-to-be saying that she was scared. We were, providently, less than 5 minutes away from her house. So before leaving that area we stopped by the house, prayed with them, shared a hymn with them, and got her excited for the wedding. If we had gone straight to the area where we had planned to harvest, with our limited time, we wouldn't have been able to stop by. (She got married on Saturday and they both got baptized yesterday)
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| Baptism Day (November 17), with JG who baptized them! |
Overall, It has been the most wonderful experience to teach L and J They have been so open throughout, and I'm often reminded of one of my favorite scriptures in 2 Nephi 26:23 - the Lord God worketh not in darkness. As we have been very open and honest, not being shy or beating around the bush, they have been able to progress because God had prepared them and they had a willingness and desire to act. They have become so much happier as they have the hope of the gospel in their homes and in their lives.
Other cool things I learned this week! In 1 Nephi 11:17, we discover the basis of Nephi's testimony. During Zone training we were talking about getting to the true desires of our investigators. As I studied more I gained an appreciation of this idea. Yes, any true doctrine will bring the Spirit and will be true. But we all have something that we really, really believe. I saw it even more as I paid attention to the testimonies our members shared when we brought them out to multiple lessons with us. They almost always had one main, individual focus. One member talked a lot about how repentance changes your nature. A recent convert continually shared his testimony that God will bless us as we obey the commandments. Another tells us over and over that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I always testify that God is our Father, and He loves us. These core beliefs are what makes every other doctrine of the gospel make sense for us individually, so it's crucial that we know our investigators' central beliefs and desires.
Okay, some funny stuff:
We had to go round up A from singing with the other ward's primary to get her there for even part of the baptism! (plus bribe her with candy). And I'm not sure I've mentioned this thus far, but the other ward is called Doral, pronounced differently from Grandpa's name but hey :)
Also, we found out why J's family couldn't come until the 16th, aka the reason the whole wedding and baptism were pushed back. The Brazil-Honduras soccer game was on the 16th. So all of the men went to the game, which was nearby, right after the wedding.
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| Hermanas Houghton & Ware with the couple! |
The whole week was crazy. Life is going well though. Hopefully you got the pic from Elder Thompson of R's baptism - yay for not having a camera charger! (P.S. Would you mind sending that pic to me please?)
The world is wonderful, the work is wonderful, and the Lord is even more so!!
I love you all!!!
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| L&J with the sisters from the ward who put the wedding together. |
HH
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