September 12, 2011

Hey evrybody!

Miracles are starting to land down here in Cardston. We found 6 new investigators this week and found 2 through our own efforts! We knew it was possible! Elder Harris gave a very specific prayer where he asked Heavenly Father for a person who knew about the doctrine of Christ that we could baptize. 2 hours later, we got a phone call from a member whose son had passed away a couple of years ago and was having a hard time dealing with it. She wanted to meet with us. So we taught Sheryl Byrd and her common law Ryan Healy and Sheryl's daughter Jasmine on Wednesday. It was cool that we had that training on lesson 2 just a couple of hours before because it really helped them to feel the Spirit during the lesson. We firmed them and Sheryl wants to be baptized but wants the rest of the family to join her as well. Ryan and Jasmine were unsure but they prayed at the end speicfically if Heavenly Father wanted them to be baptized. The Spirit was strong and you could she was literally talking to God, not just giving a rote recitation, it was from the heart.

We taught Kendall again and he is progressing! He came to church and he is in the Book of Alma. We asked him if he knew the Book of Mormon was true. He has been praying about it but has also been having dreams about the church as well. He's had dreams that have let him know the book is true. He's given up alcohol and is working on giving up smoking. I know he's going to do it espeically as the branch is getting more and more involved with daily contact, it is going to be a huge boost.

In Glenwood, a family told us about their neighbors that they've been friendly with. So Elder Harris and I stopped by and met the Anderson's. Laura is Native and beleives in a lot of their traditions but also has a strong belief in Christ. Trevor is Christian but his parents are very against the church. We taught them the restoration and Laura was able to feel the Spirit very strongly but I don't think either of them fully understood what it meant. Trevor is very skeptical and wants physical evidence of the Book of Mormon which obviously destroys our faith. We explained to them very clearly about prophets and the authority that is needed for us to return and live with God. Trevor said, "so what you're saying is we need to read this book, pray about it, then we'll know that it's true?" Why can't every investigator say and understand that?

Our last investigator is Jen Van Braida. Her husband is getting back into activity. She basically told us she isn't ready to find out if the church is true. Elder Harris and I struggled to get her to have the desire to learn if this is true but simply the desire is not there. I'm not sure how we can help someone gain a desire other than giving them the vision of what they can become. She is really stubborn but I know that if she reads the Book of Mormon with a desire to know that it is true, she'll know right away.

The work is going great, we just need to get people baptized, which will happen.

Love,
Elder Madsen