Dear Family and Friends!!
Ah my joy is completely full
for the strength that the Lord has given our amazing mission to complete
our goal of 150 baptisms this month! We finished with 153 baptisms as a
mission which is somethings that has never been done before! This was
absolutely the whitest Christmas I have ever been a part of! We saw so
many miracles here in Cypress Creek as well as throughout the district
this past month it was amazing!
This week I gained a HUGE testimony on how revelation is recieved
at church to those who have open hearts to the Spirit of God. We have
this investigator who we have been teaching for a while now and knows
everything is true just won't act upon it. We had an amazing lesson with
her Saturday night with a recent convert that came with us but she was
still having doubts about being baptized so we testified to her if she
listens to the Spirit at church the next day, she will feel God needs
this for her right now. So the next day at church right before Young
Womens I got a chance to testify to her and challenge her to be baptized
that day. She still didn't feel quite ready. But she went to young
womens and after the block she came out and was super pumped and filled
with the Spirit of God. They were talking about New Years Resolutions
and she announced that her's would be getting baptized next Sunday!
Miracles happen as those we love come to church and we are able to allow
the Spirit to do the teaching. I truly cannot wait for her baptism next
Sunday! Another experience that we had was with two new investigators
that came to church this Sunday as well. After the block they explained
how much of the Spirit sent from God that they felt at church. We then
followed up with them Sunday after church with a member and you could
tell they were on a spiritual high! The Sister explained how she came
home and had no desire to drink any alcohol. We then challenged her to
get rid off all the alcohol in her house so she can prepare more for her
baptism on Sunday. She went inside the house and came back with an
entire case of beer saying, "I don't need this anymore. I'm DONE!" The
Spirit that they felt at Christ's true and living Church gave them so
much strength to continue to prepare for their baptism next Sunday!
We also had two amazing experiences while harvesting this week! We
stopped to contact this guy on the street on Wednesday and went to go
bless his home. He accepted baptism immediately and that fulfilled our
eight blessings by Wednesday! Then the Lord blessed us because of our
obedience! We were walking out of this house and someone who was
checking their mail asked us what we do. We explained that we baptize
people and help them feel peace from God. Immediately she beckoned us to
come and bless her home. She accepted baptism immediately talked about
how she knows we were sent from Christ because she was praying for more
peace for her family and then God sent us! Another experience harvesting
was we were walking on the streets once again and this lady was walking
towards us. So we contacted her and she took us inside her home to
bless her entire family. The Spirit was undeniably strong after the
blessing and they all accepted baptism. Then we invited them to church
and the mom explained how they have their church. Then we basically
said, "We know this is an invitation from Christ himself to come to
Church with us. You must come and listen to the Saviors voice!" After
much testifing we left and they were still set on going to their church
on Sunday. But that Spirit from our testimony stayed with them and they
all came to church on Sunday! This is God's work, I know it!!
This month was amazing here in Cypress Creek we gave six souls the
Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ! The District ended with fifteen
baptisms all together which was amazing I was extremely happy!
This
gospel is a gospel of change! If we truly sit back and evaluate how
much this gospel has changed our lives we will not even be able to
measure it. This is the way back to the Father! So follow the gospel
with all your heart, might, mind, and soul and strive to share that with
others and behold thus saith the Father, "Ye shall have eternal life"!
So lets go get eternal life ya'll!!
Love ya!!
Elder Pond
