Week 23: A very spiritual Sunday

This week we had two baptisms. Zola and Francisco. They were both so ready for baptism and you knew they had a testimony. I had the privilege to baptize Francisco. This young man has been waiting for over a year now for that day. He began meeting with missionaries exactly a year ago but his father would not allow him to be baptized. He has been faithfully coming to church ever since. About a month ago Elder Blow and I were driving by his house and saw his father pull up. We quickly turned around to go talk to him. His father said he would allow him to be baptized. He was so excited to finally make those covenants and receive the blessings of baptism. Zola has been preparing since September last year. When I first got here she didn't really seem to have a strong testimony of the gospel. Over the past month or two she has truly gained a strong testimony of this gospel.

Also the past couple weeks we have been working with a less active member that recently returned home from his mission. He returned home December of 2016. Another Sister in our ward who recently returned home from a mission actually served in the same mission with him and he was a huge part of her own conversion to the gospel before they both went on mission. From everything we had heard about him he was an outstanding missionary and highly talked about by members. He hadn't been to church since May 2017. Two weeks ago we were able to meet with him and had a good lesson with him but he didn't come to church after saying he would. This last Saturday we met with him again. He opened the meeting with a prayer and the spirit was immediately felt and present in the lesson. Over the next hour we had a powerful discussion with him. We each shared personal experiences with him as prompted by the spirit. He expressed the fear of disappointment and being judged by members if he were to come back to church. I immediately thought back to my first Sunday after coming back home from my mission. I expressed to him how I had fears of disappointment, shame, and being judged. But, however, the amount of hugs that I received from ward members was innumerable. After the lesson he committed to coming to church the next day. We asked if it would be alright if one of us walked with him to church, (a 45 min walk), and he accepted. Yesterday morning we showed up to his home to find him anxiously waiting to start the walk. As he entered the chapel, every single person that saw him gave him the biggest hug and had the biggest smile on their faces. You could tell he was at home. This is where he belonged. He stood at the door with Elder Blow and I greeting people as they arrived. Each person's face, as well as his, lit up as they saw him. The entire sacrament meeting you could tell there was an extra special spirit during the meeting. I truly know it was because Bro. Pastor was there. As sacrament meeting began, I saw that we didn't have many investigators at church. For a second I was a bit bummed, but would then look over and see Pastor there and find so much joy. You can tell that the void that was once in his life had been filled. I truly, now, have a testimony of leaving the 99 to find the 1. Elder Blow and I have found so much joy in seeing Pastor come unto Christ. As well as seeing the change in his life now. I would take the feeling I had seeing Pastor at church once again, over the feeling I receive by seeing one baptized, any day. They are both amazing, don't get me wrong.

This week we had 16 investigators at sacrament (they began showing up during the sacrament meeting), as well as 14 on date for baptism. The work is progressing rapidly. We are excited to start bringing Pastor along with us to teach. He is very powerful and has a strong testimony. I love this gospel and know it is true.

Love,

Elder Rash