Dear Family and Friends!
Another
week full of miracles here in Opa-Locka and the amazing Hialeah Zone!
Ya'll definitely have to look up Opa-Locka on Google it probably one of
the most ghetto places in the US.. I love it! But just reflected upon
this past week reminds me of how much I love missionary work. It is an
amazing opportunity to step away from the world and focus on what is
eternally important. My mission has molded my life already and I am
definitely going to make sure that the rest of it is even more life
changing than it has been so far! This past week changed my life with
the miracles that we saw:
This week we
saw many miracles harvesting. As we were out working hard a lady stopped
us in her car to tell her that her neighbor, our investigator, is not
home right now. So we contacted her and blessed her. Immediately she
opened up talking about things she was struggling with and accepted
baptism without hesitation. The next day when we saw her again she
thanked God for sending us there to her side. Another was a door next to
our recent convert family. Every time we passed by that door the spirit
told me to knock it but unfortunately I kept ignoring it. Until the
other day I listened, we knocked, and a lady answered. After the
blessing she was so extremely happy and talked about how she needs to
come to church. We invited her to be baptized and after she pondered on
it for a couple of seconds, she gave a resounding yes! God always guides
us in many different ways we just must listen! So this week when ya
write me, will you send me one experience that you had with listening to
the spirit and the results of you being obedient? Thanks!!
Another huge
miracle we saw was with a lady that came to church on Sunday and is set
with a hard baptismal date for this upcoming Sunday. It all came out
yesterday as we were teaching her a lady walked past and asked about us.
We got her information and told her we would stop by later to pray for
her because we were teaching one of our baptismal dates. But then our
date jumped up and said, "Elders, we need to go pray for her now!" She
then led us down the stairs and we prayed for the lady. After we
finished the pray our baptismal date began to testify. She talked about
how we are one of the greatest things God has sent to her. How she was
in darkness, she prayed for God to send her someone, and then we came.
She then began to testify of church and baptism and invited the lady to
come to church. By the end of the lesson the lady was set with a date
and for church, as well our baptismal date was even more solidified as
she bore her testimony. So with that being said, will you share your
testimony with one non-member this week and write me about that as well?
Thanks again!!
Also last night
we got the transfer calls from the Assistants and I will be staying in
the beautiful land of Opa-Locka and Elder Rugg will be leaving already! I
am pumped for this upcoming transfer and for HUGE miracles to come in
Opa-Locka and the Hialeah Zone!
This week I
also was pondering a lot on conversion and how to create lasting
conversion. A huge principle of lasting conversion comes from a talk by
Elder Bednar and is learning by faith. In this life we learn the most
when we act upon the testimony we receive, this is whereby conversion
comes!
But I don't have mucho time so I'll talk with ya'll next week!
With Love,
Elder Pond
