Softening Even the Hardest Heart

From Jonah Bench

Teaching in New York, USA

So we had a lesson with a guy last night named Billy Jack. He ran up to us while we were getting in the car to go home at around nine at night and asked us to teach him. Not many people more prepared than that! He wants to quit drinking and wants to fix up his life.  He has tattoos all over him and looks like he has had a rough past, but the Atonement of Christ will fix that. He wants to be clean, and to be free from addiction and from Satan. 

The greatest miracle I have seen on my mission is the softening of even the hardest heart to hear the word of the Lord and to change. Change is not easy for people! Billy Jack is super sincere! He accepted a baptismal date [during] the first lesson! So we have him down hesitantly for July 11th! He is a funny guy! But he said the closing prayer and it was super genuine! He is ready to change! He said after the prayer, "Yep,this is my church!" 

A Desire To Do Good

From Cambree King

Teaching in Honduras 

This week, we found a new investigator named Rosa. She is 14 years old, and like I have always said, there is power in children. She basically invited herself to church before we even mentioned anything and she showed up in a cute black and white dress and was so happy to be there. More than anything, I can tell that there is something extremely special about her. When you look at her, you can just feel the desire she has to do good. Her family is pretty wild and her mom is absolutely hilarious. She is so sweet and she is now preparing to be baptized. For some reason I feel like I know her, but really know her. They always say that sometimes that comes from friends we had in the pre-existence and I feel like it goes back to then. And like I said... poderoso ninos... it’s the way to go. Five of the investigators we brought to church are under the age of 18. Finally, Jeimy Astrid and Ivan came to church. We have been teaching them for several weeks now, but they finally came with us yesterday. They sure walked as slow as possible as they followed us there and walked in with forced smiles, but I know that they felt the spirit there. They are so sweet and I have come to love them so much.

....little funny story to make you laugh as you imagine it. We have to wash our clothes downstairs in a pila outside. On Saturday, we noticed a whole herd of giant ants. I have seen them before, but  I didnt think much of it. As I went over to start to wash, the ants attacked me...  literally attacked... I got bit a good 20 times and then we just ran. My companion went to get a chair so she could sit while I washed but as soon as she set it down we were both on top. In the middle of the night with only a flashlight surrounded by attacking ants. I’m sure it looked quite funny... the problem is I still had to rinse my clothes or rescue them. With both of us on the chair we hopped a couple yards over to the pila and iI  I quickly dumped a few buckets on my clothes and we headed out. It was quite a night of experiences but something fun to remember about life here in Honduras! Haha!

We Want Everyone to Participate in the Work of Salvation

From Karsten Hinckley

Teaching in Thailand 

This past week was really good. Jade, a recent convert, was able to baptize someone! The baptism was for the sisters in our district and Jade was asked to give the baptism. Why? He holds the Aaronic Priesthood. Jade has been improving so much! He is only been a member for about a month now and he is reading the Book of Mormon like a champ. He is helping others with their questions. He will just pull out a scripture and, I swear, it fixes the problem or their question. He was really nervous to give or perform the baptism. He did great! I was so happy for him. It was great! We want everyone to participate in the Work of Salvation! 

The Power to Change Lives

From Federico Llanos

Teaching in Tampico, Mexico

This last Saturday I had the amazing opportunity to witness ten people enter into the baptismal waters and make their first covenant with our Heavenly Father. I am so happy and my heart has so much joy. It is amazing to me how the hand of the Lord works in so many ways. After four months of hard work, prayer, patience, and so much more, these people have truly changed their lives and are so happy to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know this Church is true and I know the message we contain has the power to change any person’s life. 

He Changes Hearts and Lives

 From Rachel Weeks

Teaching in Georgia, USA

Well, this week we had some pretty amazing miracles with our investigators and their hearts softening. God is so good in the miracles that He shows us. Our investigator, Mary, talked about how she likes what she is hearing.  She  just wants peace in making her decision, because when she gets baptized she wants to keep that promise forever. It was such a good thing to hear. She really just gets it.  I love to look at her and see how she changes and the questions that she has and her willingness to align her will with God’s will. In church last Sunday we had a lesson on Priesthood blessings and she asked us if she would be able to get one to help her make her decision. Like I said, she really just gets it. 

Also Debbie this week told us that she knows that the Church is true, that The Book of Mormon is true and that..... SHE WANTS TO GET BAPTIZED. [The baptism] will be in a few months because she really wants her daughter to be baptized with her and she feels that that is a good time table. It is amazing how far she has come in just six short months - from being Jewish and not even believing in Christ, to accepting him into her life and believing His Gospel is true. If that isn't a testament that He changes hearts and lives and that this is His Gospel, I don't know what is.

A Simple Act that Lead to a Big Change

From Karsten Hinckley

Teaching in Thailand 

So yesterday a girl named Dung May ( ตังเม ) was baptized. She is 19 years old and was a referral from her friend from another area. She met with us about two weeks ago and I will tell you what we almost didn’t have this baptism. We took care of the program the night before and we thought all was well…Then the most important thing we forgot to do was FILL THE FONT!! The baptism was going to start in 30 minutes and we forgot to fill it. So we turned on the water and it wasn’t filling fast enough, so we started to get buckets of water and pour them in. That wasn’t going to do it, so we got the hose from outside and that saved our butts! It got done and filled in about 45 min. Without the hose we would have had to wait a long while to have it. It all went well. 

After the baptism,  Sister Dung May had the opportunity to share her testimony. She told of her conversion story. The only reason we found her is because her friend from another area was in our area for church. Her friend really wanted Dung May to learn. So we met with her and one of the first things she told us is that every religion teaches a person to be good. Our response was, “That is not enough!” As we taught over the next two weeks, she helped us teach. We taught three girls and we asked if they believed and they said no. Dung May found a scripture during the lesson that she wanted to use but didn’t. It was a great scripture. It talked about how some people don’t know truth because they harden their hearts. After the lesson she said, “I wish they would just open their hearts to this!” At that point she new that this was true. She talked about how she was thankful for her friend who brought her here, for the missionaries who taught her, and for the people in the ward who accepted her. At this point she was bawling and I could just feel the Spirit from her testimony! 

Dung May is a great person! She now knows about the Light of Christ! I am so thankful to help another one of Gods children learn about His Son. I can tell you one thing: all it took was a friend who loved her friend enough to take her to church. All it took was a small simple act that led to a big change in someone’s life! It was a miracle that we had the baptism. So much stuff has happened this week it is too much to write, but I am thankful that I am a mission at this time for the Lord!