Selva, who I mentioned last
week, is progressing. Elder Jessop was sick, so Elder Moffett worked
with him that day, and they were able to work for a few hours. One of
the lessons was with Selva, who realized she needs to be an example for
her son, not wait 3 months to get baptized with him. The other good news
is that we taught Paola´s mom (Paola is a convert of mine here, not
sure if you remember). She attended church for THREE years as a teenager
and never got baptized because she almost drowned as a child and is
afraid of water. She really likes our church, and we just need to help
her recognize that there can only be one true church.
We also had a miracle with the parents of a former
branch president here. They were very nice, but talked a lot. I was able
to squeeze in Moroni 8:10
(I use that chapter A LOT) when they mentioned the responsibility of
parents to baptize their babies, and then something amazing happened.
The next time I tried to say something, the old lady said, "Wait, that
makes sense. It should be the child´s own decision to get baptized.
Christ said ´suffer the chilrden to come unto me´, so they are already
saved. I think God just told that to me. Now I see why our son always
wanted to us to be a part of his religion." I was shocked. She received
an answer in the middle of a lesson just by talking herself through it!
The husband also realized they need to get baptized again, but he says
he´ll do it in their own church. So we have a little work, but we are
going to visit them today.
Once again, I don´t have much more to say about
other people we have visited. I don´t know why people are never in their
houses. It is frustrating because I don´t like taking the members with
us when all of our plans fall. And we still haven´t had anyone in
church. I was assigned to give a talk, and as I was thinking about how
to react to this, I realized that the most important part of my
testimony is that I am a child of God. No challenge or earthly power can
change that, or destroy God´s eternal plan for me. I had prepared a
talk about the Book of Mormon, which I was so excited to give, but the
Spirit prompted me to talk about that inspiration I had received. So I
read Romans 8:16-18, 35-38 and winged it.
I really am learning to follow the Spirit a lot in
this area. I don´t know if there are just more bad people in this area
or I am more Spiritually sensitive, but I have had several promptings
not to go down certain roads or talk to certain people. I am grateful
for the Lord´s protection. As always, I have had occasions when I was
prompted to teach something or visit someone and ignored it, which never
goes well. The mission is a great learning process.
In the Zone training we focused on inviting people
to be baptized, read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and come to
church, in every first lesson. It is more direct and simpler--I don´t
have to worry about deciding which lesson to teach. Still, as always, I
try to teach to the needs of the person. I avoid extending an invitation
or teaching a principle that I feel they are not ready for (like
inviting people to be baptized in contacts--only when we feel prompted
to). Tomorrow in my district meeting I will try to help my district
focus on applying what we learned in the training to the needs of the
investigators.
My district is improving a lot, including the
obedience. I did exchanges twice this week. Like I said, one was because
Elder Jessop was sick. He stayed in the area both times, so I feel like
I didn´t work as much, but it is good to know he is learning the area
well.
We are eating well. We have appointments with
members almost every day this week, most of whom are people we have
never eaten with. Like yesterday, we ate with a less active member who
hadn´t received visits from the missionaries in a year. They won a
drawing for a large quantity of steak and sausage, which they say was a
blessing for offering us lunch. It was sooo good. We are also buying new
foods (like bacon!) and eating well the few times we cook at home.
Sometimes the members´ food doesn´t agree with our digestive system, but
it´s a necessary sacrifice.
The weather is
crazy. Freezing one day, hot the next. That´s kind of how I am
emotionally sometimes, haha. Luckily today I am feeling very happy to be
a missionary. I know I am creating unforgettable memories. I am always
trying to enjoy the moment, while looking for even more ways to improve.
We´ll see what the Lord has in store for me this week. Please keep
praying for me, as I always do for you.
Love,
Elder Wesley Morgan
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