Our New Mission Preident------
This week we met our new Mission President (President Turner ) and his wife (Sister Turner). They are amazing! They are so down to earth and very easy to talk toI was blessed to have gotten to spend a lot of time with them this week, they even came to Ft. Jackson. I am so grateful to have them here in South Carolina to guide us. When I was talking to them, I was trying to think what I could share with them that would help them with this new transition from living in SLC to now living in South Carolina. I decided to gently warn them of the danger of going outside with out bug spray or hand sanitizer, so I feel like I have done my duty now.
Happy Days!-------
I just love it when our investigators give us their coffee and coffee pots. It always makes me so happy to be able to throw them away. This week, Floyd commited to keep the word of wisdom and gave us his coffee. I am so proud of him, he is 80 and has been drinking coffee his whole life! It was so hard for him to give it up! He came to church again on Sunday (this is his 4 or 5th time) and said while leaving "I'll be back!" quoting Arnold Schwendaduer. We just smiled. Yes he will. He also comes with his wife Clara. We just love them. She is so funny!
More Prayers Answered-----
I had been praying all week to have a certain number of people prepare to be baptized by a specific date. I knew that we could do it, we could find these souls. As the week progressed, we found more and more people who wanted to be baptized. Finally, I shared my goal with my companion that I had secretly been praying for. She was exited, but it was the night before the deadline I had set and we only had 20 minutes left to work and still one more person to find. We said and earnest prayer and went to check on a refferal, and met a lady along the way. She wasn't super inerested. Then we went to the refferal's house, and she wasn't feeling good and could talk. Time was ticking by, but our faith was only increasing. We had a few minutes left and we were surrounded by houses. Which house to knock on? We decided on one and que pasa (guess what) ? That was the house!!
We met a family and the father, Richard, had never been baptized before. We taught him about Jesus Christ and what we do as missionaries, what we teach. He loved it and committed to work towards baptism in three weeks. It was amazing! We left with excitment and gratitude in our hearts. We knew that we would find someone, we just knew. We were so grateful to Heavenly Father, for him answering our earnest plea.
I set this goal internally to stretch us, becuase I knew that we could do more. We could help more people to come unto Christ, if only we could find them. I am grateful we did
The Miracles Keep Coming------------
Pvt. Green and Stewart were baptized this week at Ft. Jackson! It was such a miracle. We had about 5 people who were very excited to and ready to be baptized this week, but they had an issue with the bus schedule and they all missed church. It was so sad becuase they graduated this week, but we were still blessed regardless.
So I have taught Pvt. Green for 3 week now. The first time I taught him, he sat in on a lesson where I was focusing on teaching a few other investigators. The second time, he sat in a class of 15-20 or so of people, of which I was was teaching. So both times, he kind of flew under the radar. I knew he was there, but I knew he was graudating soon and there were other people who were more excited and ready to move forward.
Well this week sat down at a table to teach 3 soilders, all of whom needed different lessons, so I decided to just teach Lesson One and Three together to best help them. As I was teaching, I felt like I needed to ask Pvt. Green to be baptized. When I did, he explained to me that he had been reading the BOM (Book of Mormon) all week and praying to know if he should be baptzied and join this church. He wasn't quite sure, but he felt it was what God wanted him to do. I invited him to say a prayer on the spot and ask God. He did and felt "something different" then he explained to me how excited he always was to read the BOM. I then bodly testified that this is truly Christ's church and that it would bless him immensly. He said yes I want to be baptized. Then knowing that he graudated on Thursday, I invited him to be baptized today and took a moment to think and said yes! It was so amazing. The baptism was beautiful. Pvt. Hill and Ashby, who had been teaching him through out the week, were the ones to baptized and confir the Holy Ghost on him.
I share this story becuase no one, I mean no one expected Green to be baptized today. He flew under the radar, he never expressed much interest. He actually was invited in a group to be baptized last week and never really responded. BUT, Heavenly Father knew he was ready. Green had done the work, he had prayed and read the Book of Mormon and when the time came that I asked him if it was true, Heavenly Father confirmed the answer to him.
I know that there are many peole whom y'all have shared the gospel with, who may have not responded much the first or second time, but don't give up! Heavenly Father doesn't ever give up on us or others, so we should not give up on others also. Sometimes, we just need time. I know that this gospel is meant for everyone and that if we just share it that it will make a difference. We never know when someone will be ready to accept it, so we must never give up.
My weekly committment, is to rethink the people you have shared the gospel with, who didn't respond as desired. Or to rethink the people you tried to be kind and befriend, who didn't respond super friendly and give them another chance. Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of that. So we as his followers, should be good examples too. I can promise you that if you do that, that miracles will happen as hearts are changed. "Courage, not compersmise , brings the smile of God's approval." -President Monson.
Yo se que es la verdad. I know that is the truth.
Love Ya!
Sister Susan Anderson
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