7/15

wow time sure flies! This past week was interesting and exciting for many reasons. On wed. we took our investigator, Jennifer, to Temple Square. We brought along Lizzeth our recent convert to help us out. When we watched the video "God's Plan for His Families" everyone started to cry. Lizzeth testified of the temple and gospel and how she is working together with her husband to be able to enter the temple and be sealed this January. All in all it was a good trip if you take away the fact that it was about 100 degrees and we had to wear suit coats.

Thursday we went on exchanges with one of the district leaders Elder Bowers (my comp from last summer). I went into his area with him and his new missionary went with Elder Vela. If I told you we went to bed at 10:30 that would be a lie because we didn't. We found ourselves talking about the people we have taught in the mission until 2:30 am. It was nice to look back at the past 22 months and see how we have each changed and grown to embrace the gospel more. Elder Bowers expressed to me a little of his fear of going home (he finishes the mission in 3 weeks) and how more than anything he is going to miss the people. The next day we were tired but we were able to teach 5 lessons and set up the baptismal interview for one of his investigators.

Friday was a crazy day and to make it all better it was raining most of the day. We went out in search for Hispanics and around 4pm we were knocking doors when a kid names Carlos opened the door. He invited us in and we began to teach him. About 2 min into the lesson his parents came in the door having just finished a trip to Walmart. They sat down along with another brother and we began to teach the Restoration. They were all glued to the lesson as we talked about eternal families. The dad at the end said that he would really like for us to come back and that when he saw us here teaching his son for some reason he was really happy. As we walked out of that lesson all happy we got a call from Rachel the non-member wife of a recent convert. Rachel was not baptized with her husband because she made a promise with her mother on her death bed that she would never stop being Baptist. So when the missionaries started teaching her and her husband she told them "I will NEVER get baptized". Then slowly it changed to a maybe and finally a "well when I finish getting my tattoos maybe I will be baptized". Anyway she called and asked us to come over so we did. When we got to her house she asked Elder Vela how many days he had left in his mission, he responded "27", she then said "well can you get me baptized in the next 27 days then?" We were super excited and a little shocked so I asked her what had changed. She told us that her husband who had just gotten a job paid his tithing for the first time and when he did that he told her that he felt as if something was lifted off his back. She felt what he said was true and decided to be baptized. So she will be baptized July 29th.

After we left Rachel's house we headed over to do the interview for Elder Bower's investigator Ricardo. I was the one doing the interview so Ricardo and I went into a backroom and sat down and began to talk. We went through all the questions and he had a testimony of every single one of them. At the end I asked him if he had any questions and he brought up one. He said that he knew it was all true but was wondering if he could wait and learn more and then be baptized with his son who is 11. I talked to him for a little bit about it and then brought in Elder Bowers. We told him that it was up to him and we gave him 2 options. Option 1: wait and be baptized with you son. Option 2: be baptized now and work to get the Priesthood so you can baptized your son. Before he decided asked if we could kneel down and pray about it. So Ricardo, Elder Bowers and I knelt down and Ricardo began to pray. In his prayer he expressed his sincere desire to follow Christ and help his kids follow Christ too. He then asked if he should be baptized that Sunday and BOOM..... it hit us like a wall! The Spirit was testifying that he needed to baptized that Sunday. My hairs were standing on end and my heart racing but yet calm. He finished his prayer and then began to say a personal prayer. He sat there kneeling in prayer for at least 5 min and the Spirit continued to testify. Elder Bowers looked up at me and I just put my hands to my lips and motioned for his to not say anything, just let him pray and think. After about what seemed like 10 min Ricardo opened his eyes and said "Tell me what will go on at my baptism". We explained a little and then I asked him "So Ricardo will you be baptized this Sunday?" He just smiled and said "Si". It had been awhile since the Spirit hit me so hard but it was a beautiful experience in the which we learned how important the covenant of baptism is and how we need not procrastinate the day of our repentance. Sunday night Ricardo was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and next week will be confirmed a member. It is so important that we follow the Spirit as we do this work and as we bring God's children back to Him.

On Sunday both Jennifer and Rachel came to church. Jennifer had to work Saturday night from 6pm to 7:30 am Sunday morning but still manage to come to church at 9am and she stayed for all 3 hours. Rachel has a cracked hip but came to church being pushed in a wheel chair by her husband, it was quite a cute experience. I was extremely tired though by the end of Sunday after having attended 5 hours of church. Covering a Spanish ward and an English stakes is hard because you have try to check up on each ward to see who came but it is a good experience.

Coming up this week... Interviews with President Miller. While interviews are going on Elder McKinney (the Assistant to the President and I will be training all the district leaders. Then we will train all the missionaries training new missionaries while Elder Vela and Elder Hess train the new missionaries, then we have to all give a zone training so tomorrow will be a crazy day. Pray for me! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Jolly