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| La Pared de Gozo Navideno (The Wall of Christmas Joy) |
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| My feet are big...... |
Sent: Monday, December 26, 2011 9:01 AM
I feel like I am cheating the system right now. You got to hear me yesterday (uncensored), and now you get an email!
Fortunately there still are a few things to report. I don't know if I have ever mentioned our investigator Juan de Dios (John of God), but we had a sweet lesson with him. This week was full of days where lessons fell through. We kept trying to make the best of each situation by knocking, or seeing someone nearby. This time the thought came to go see Juan. It was around 8:10 when we got it, but the lesson lasted until 9:30. It was an intense situation. We hadn't taught the second half of the Plan of Salvation. So, that was our game plan. I must also preface that Juan has exceeded my expectations thus far in his reading of the Book of Mormon. He has read 1 Nephi Through Jacob, and he has also read the Book of Moroni. He has told us that he loves The Book of Mormon, so he is certainly progressing, and willing to listen to the scriptures that come from the Book of Mormon.
We began the lesson by stepping back to the first part of the lesson. Namely the Premortal-existance, Adam and Eve, and our purpose here on Earth. Doing this was vital to what this lesson would lead into. It led to him having questions, and us to invite the Spirit and answer them. His first question was", If we are to have the Gospel how can it be fair to all. Not all people will be able to hear it, right?" That question, and the Scripture that Elder Garner would show him from Moroni 8:22. That all children, and all without the law live in Christ. We explain the spirit world, that people would be taught there. That after the Savior's Death he himself would proselyte within that realm. We then proceeded to the Kingdoms of Glory, and where we might be able to reside after we have passed on. The countenance of his understanding intensified. The Spirit was at its climax, and we extended the commitment of baptism. He accepted! Elder Garner, and I with the help of the Spirit hope to teach him again and give him his date for the 14th of January. Getting to that point still had it's struggle though. At the initial point of the invitation to be baptized, he gave us the "I was baptized as a Child" response. We were rather bold, and asked if he had chose that, and if he knew the law, the Gospel, when he was baptized.
These moments were the most crucial for Juan. He looked back down at the Scripture in Moroni 8. He read it out loud again, again, and again. Then paused... He, "replied, my baptism was not valid, was it? Wow...." Then silence... That is where we extended again, and he accepted. More and more I realize how much the Spirit is needed in teaching a person. More than that, how the person must truly want to know what he must do. It has been there with Cynthia, Alma, Daniel, and even Juan. I'm learning more and more, that it's not a matter of how many doors you knock, how many lessons you teach, but rather who you teach. To be a successful missionary you must be more in tune to find those who are ready to listen, not just those who "will" listen. Now knowing that I pray, more and more to find people like Juan, who will listen to the promptings of the Spirit, and learn.
Thank You all for all you do! I've never had so much candy to my name, and I never expected to have so much under a tree at Christmas. Not to mention the tree, I was expecting a Charlie Brown sort of tree! I thank you all so much for the love you send (in chocolaty Fudgey goodness), and I hope you can find my love in a glass of Chicha-Morada!
Con Amor
Para Siempre,
Elder A. Ipson
The Great Ohio Columbus Mission
