Dear Family and Friends!!
So last night we got a transfer call and the news
was shocking! I am
leaving Fort Laud South.. I am excited for whatever the
Lord has in
store for me for sure, but can't help but to be sad because of
all the
people I have grown very close to here in the amazing city of
Fort
Lauderdale. I know that wherever the Lord sends me there are some
of
His children waiting for the Lord to guide me to bring the Gospel
of
Jesus Christ to!
President Anderson gave us an amazing announcement in
our email this
week. "We just got word last week that the Florida Fort
Lauderdale
Mission is the highest baptizing Mission in the United States
and
Canada. This hasn’t happened out of the Utah Missions in a long time
I
am told. What an honor to know that you missionaries are working so
hard
and reaping such great miracles in finding the elect of God. I
wasn’t going
to announce this because we shouldn’t compare with
others, but General
Authorities are telling other leaders and I rather
you hear it from me.
Remember God’s hand is in this work and he has
poured out his Spirit to make
us instruments in His hands. You are
amazing missionaries and I couldn’t be
prouder to be a part of your
Mission." Once again I was reminded of Ammon in
Alma 26:12 when I read
that we are the highest baptizing mission in the US
and Canada
missions. It is only because of the Lord and our faith that this
has
been made possible. But it truly is a mighty miracle which we
have
received from God! I am eternally grateful for the blessings from
God
in this work. It has truly shown me that with him ALL things
are
possible!
This week I definitely learned how much revelation comes
threw church
attendance and how we must never give up on God's children. When
I
first got to Fort Lauderdale South we found an amazing man who had
heavy
troubles with the Word of Wisdom. We helped him overcome those
problems and
he was preparing to be baptized but two days before his
baptism we lost
contact with him for about four weeks. Those four
weeks were extremely hard
because I knew that our friend needed the
blessings of baptism in his life.
So every day for those four weeks we
called him and went to knock on his door
at least twice a week. He
just ignored us time and time again. Then about a
week ago we finally
got back in contact with him and the reason he was
ignoring us was
because he relapsed with drinking and smoking and felt very
guilty. We
testified to him that there was hope ahead and that no matter
what
happened or will happen we will always love him. This week we got
this
child of God to come to church to see his daughters baptism
even
though he was drinking the night before. It was amazing to see
the
change in this man just in a mere couple of hours. He was
overcome
with the love and happiness that he felt during Stake Conference
and
then after when he saw his daughter get baptized he said that he
saw
his life flash before his eyes. He saw all those mistakes he had
made
and he felt God speak to him that he NEEDS to be baptized. Then
he
envisioned himself dressed in white on his baptism day and announced
to
us that he will be quitting drinking and baptized next Sunday!
We also saw a
miracle happen with one of our baptisms this week. She
came to Stake
Conference all ready for her baptism and for some reason
got very afraid and
started making excuses on how she isn't ready for
baptism. So we took the
training into action and kept our faith and
began testifying to this daughter
of God on how much God needs her to
be baptized and follow Jesus Christ.
While we were testifying she
finally brought up her true concern and we
overcame that and she was
baptized. We must keep faith with everyone and
testify boldly always!
There was another miracle that we saw this week with
the Book of
Mormon! We were eating dinner with a member family and she
invited her
nonmember sister who we have been teaching. The member invited
her to
read Moroni 10:4 and this nonmember got half way threw and then
began
weeping. She said that a feeling involuntarily came into her from
God
and that she knew it was the Spirit. The Book of Mormon carries
the
Spirit like nothing else.
I am very excited for transfers and can't
wait for what lies ahead. I
know that the Lord has even bigger things in
store for our mission
just as we trust in him fully! I absolutely know that
this is the
Lords work! Miracles happen every single day! I love ya'll
and
continue to send letters to the mission office!
With Love,
Elder
Pond
