Hola familia!
Como estan? I hope you are all doing fantastic!! Can you believe that in 12 days I will be in Costa Rica I can't! I should be getting my travel plans sometime this week if my visa comes through.
So, lots has happened this past week. I have had many spiritual experiences that I would like to share with you (obviously I can't share them all but I will pick out the best)
So, last week my district did a group investigator. This is when you all are in the same room and everyone acts like one big companionship so if you have something to share you just jump right in. Well, Hermana Pacheco, one of our two teachers, was the investigator. She gave us the goal to commit her to baptism on the first visit...WHAT!!!!??? I know, sounds terrifying right? But amazingly it does work. Anyways, all in Spanish the lesson began. I was just listening and I really didn't feel as though I had anything in particular to share. After much of the lesson went by some of the elders had already asked her to be baptized but she turned them down. Getting discouraged because they had felt as though they poured out their hearts and souls they didn't know what to do. It was then that I was hit with the burning impression to share a thought. I asked the investigator, her name was Ana, what faith was to her and she gave me a rather weak definition. I shared with her a scripture on faith in Ether 12:6. Again I asked her what faith was to her and her description improved significantly from the previous one she gave me. Then I told her faith isn't easy but that if she exercised it the spirit would guide her where to go and what to do and testify of the truth. I told her that sometimes the spirit prompts us to do things that we are unsure of, that we are even afraid of, and perhaps even skeptical, but that no matter where or what the spirit pushes us to do we can be sure that we will never be led astray. We need to have faith, trusting in the Lord, to do the things He desires us to do even if it seems as though we are leaping off the edge of a spiritual cliff. I ashed her, "Do you have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ?" o "Ana, tien fe en El Senor Jesucrito?" she gave me a solemn yet firm yes. So I asked her, "Seguira el ejemplo de Jesucrito al ser bautizada por alguien que posea la autoridad del sacerdocio de Dios? Usted, tenera fe en Jesucrito?" o, in English, "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the proper priesthood authority of God? Will you have faith in Jesus Christ?" Guess what....she said yes! It was truly exhilarating.
Here is yet another very spiritual experience that I had last week, its from my journal....
My companion and I just had the most amazing experience. After teaching Jared for several weeks, an investigator that many dread because he can be mean (he's fallen asleep during some elders lessons, had arguments, even been on the verge of fighting) (though he never has done anything like that to us, never)), we were able to commit him to baptism and are the first companionship to do so. I just feel as though it is the pure love of our Savior Jesus Christ that has converted Jared to this Gospel, it was not us by any means. We are but messengers, representatives, and carriers of the light and truth of Christ and we were able to SHOW this to Jared. I love Jared!! Today we had such a powerful lesson that helped him see the true importance of having the Gospel in his life and his need to be baptized. We didn't get there though without truly witnessing through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I will tell you it was there!! The Savior was there! And He himself bore witness to Jared of the truthfulness of His Gospel.
Our lesson was centered on prophets and how prophets allow us to come closer to Christ through their sure and unshaking testimonies and witnesses of the Savior. We asked him how his life and relationship with the Savior would change if he had a prophet he could follow. We also asked him if he would choose to follow the prophet if he knew who he was. All of his answers were so positive and spiritually correct. We then watched a Mormon message called "We have living prophets today". The movie was very powerful and after it we continued our discussions. We told him that we have a prophet of God on the earth today and that his name is Thomas S. Monson. Hna Johnson shared a very personal experience of when she received a witness herself of Thomas S. Monson, it brought tears to everyones eyes. We then asked him if he believed Thomas S. Monson was a true prophet, he said he wasn't sure and that he felt as though he should hear him speak before he could decide. Fortunately, we were prepared for this. We had another Mormon message called, "He Lives" its a great video of all of the testimonies of the apostles and it ends with firm words of Pres. Monson. After the video we asked him if he wanted to know for himself if Pres. Monson is a true prophet and if this church was true. He said yes. So, I asked him to pray right then and therein order to receive a witness. We kneeled on the floor and he offered up the most sincere and humble plea to the Lord. When his prayer was finished we all just sat there kneeling on the floor in a small circle. There was silence for several minutes, but not awkward or uncomfortable silence. It was the golden silence that comes when words lose there meaning as they are incapable of conveying the beauty of the Lord and this Gospel. We kneeled there for so long, ignoring the pain in our knees and because we wanted to bask in the spirit that was there. After what must have been ten minutes I broke the silence I asked him how he felt and he said good. Hermana Johnson testified that this was the spirit giving him his answer. She then bore her testimony and then looked at me. Then, with firmness and faith I asked, "Seguira el ejemplo de Jeuscristo al ser bautizada por alguien que posea la autoridad del sacerdocio de Dios?" He responded that if we truly had the authority of God he would be baptized. Without hesitation or even deep explanation I said, "we do have the authority" (Jared has given other companionships a ton of grief over this subject so the fact that I felt impressed just to say that we did and not describe it is amazing and terrifying. Part of me worried he would start asking questions and turn baptism down. Yet, I felt impressed to only so that simple yet strong phrase) and he said yes, he said yes to being baptized. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had while being here at the MTC!! I will never forget it!
Well I love you family! I miss you all but I'm doing well. I will talk to you again soon. By the way, did you get my package? Let me know. Look out for some letters as well that I am sending off today. I love you!!
Love, Hermana Kimmy Ann
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