A New Start

This week, we had ups and downs and just a lot of hard work.

Now with us working with members more, we are recieving a bit more references. It is still not enough, but more is better than nothing. Monday we recieved a reference from the mission offices. We went to her house and we sat down and she just opened up to us.

Her name is Mery Chappi. She is a 38 year old mom with 3 kids. She is looking for answers because her husband commited suicide two months ago. She doesnt belong to any church but she believes in Christ and God. 

We have now taught her three times last week. She read the entire pamphlet for the Plan of Salvation and she loved it. 

We taught about the Spirit World and the hope that we have to see our loved ones and that the true gospel is being preached there in the Spirit World. Mery started to cry. She told us we gave her hope and that now she is a lot more relaxed and things. 

Last night, we taught her and her three kids (2 girls 20 and 18 years old, and one boy, almost 16 years old) We taught about the Book of Mormon. They had tons of questions and things, but they said they would read and would pray to know if it is true.

Wednesday, we had a mini-conference with President Willard. We listened to him and his wife talk about things, and then we had interviews with President Willard. He is seriously the best. The Lord knew that I would need President Willard to become better. Basically, he talked to us about the Priesthood Keys that he has and that through the keys, the Lord will give him guidance on how to help us. 

So, when we got in my interview, he hugged me and just asked me one question, ¨How can I help you with the keys I hold?¨ 

Honestly, it is that moment when you know you have to say something to him, and you can feel the Holy Ghost impelling you to say what you feel. Ya, that happened with me.

I told him that now that I passed my year mark that I have been feeling weird and that I have just been trying to relax and not take things too seriously (like I always do) We just talked and together we figured out what I was feeling and why. Basically he told me exactly what I needed to hear. We talked about how sometimes we are trying to give everything to the Lord but we save a tiny part of our heart for ourselves... Sometimes we are afraid to give everything. We talked about how in Mathew 14, Peter walks on the water with Christ, and then begins to sink and the Lord reaches out to save him. 

President Willard told me that is what we have to do, we have to have a broken heart (we have to give all of our heart... We have to take our heart and throw it on the ground in the hopes that Christ will take the pieces and make us into something better) and we have to reach out to Christ fully, so he can take us by the hand and guide us.

I honestly have always had problems with this and it was so amazing to see the Lord communicate through President Willard to tell me what I needed and wanted to hear. I left that interview feeling more refreshed and more committed to be better and to give my ENTIRE heart to Christ (Omni 1:26) maybe that doesnt mean I am prefect, but it means I am trying to be better. I truly felt like it is time for a new start.

Sunday, we had a breakthrough with our ward council. The bishop, the councilers, and the elders quorum president were the only ones there at the ward council meeting. Basically, we just taught the bishop and everything the new way that we need to work as a ward council. They understood and we are going to begin to see a difference.

Also, yesterday was the Primary Program here in my ward. There were only about 15 little kids, but they bore their testimonies of the simple truths of the Gospel, that we are truly children of God. That He loves us more than anything and that we can truly return to live with Him with our families in complete happiness. The kids were all there in the front, with bowties and electric blue pants, not sure why they gave the kids a uniform to wear, but ya. Haha.

Also, sadly, Felipe Brito told us that he knows the church is true, but without the support of his family, he just wants to go back to his regular church and just wants to live his regular life. We told him that he will always be welcome in the church and that we will always be his friends. It was sad and we tried so hard to listen to him and try to get him to stay in the church, but he decided and we couldnt make him change his mind. But I know one day, he will listen again and be baptized... Maybe with his family too.

That is it for this week.... UNTIL NEXT WEEK!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

-Elder Jensen