This week was super solid. We have been seeing so many miracles as we have been obedient and working hard. We have definitely had a lot of progress these past few weeks and I was so scared that I would be getting transferred and that I would not be able to see the fruits of our labors. But. We got transfer calls last night and I have been blessed to stay in the Brookside ward in Stockton with Elder Payne. Just now I was thinking about it and my favorite hymn keeps coming to my mind. It is, 219 "Because I Have Been Given Much." Last night I had some negative thoughts about who my companion is this transfer and why it was set up the way it is. Well, I decided to take it to The Lord. I opened my scriptures up to D&C 123:14-17. When I read that I felt the spirit so much. I did not feel like The Lord was chastening me, but I felt like he was telling me to be happy. Verse 17 stuck out to me the most. And this can apply to any situation or trial that anyone is going through. So apply it to you:
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
The thoughts that came to my mind are somewhat personal, but basically what God asks of us is for us to have good attitudes. Even through the rough times and he will reveal his arm in our lives. This applied to the work we have been doing in the Brookside ward and it applied to my personal trials at this time. I am thankful for Jesus Christ and the things he does to comfort us. I hope and pray that if anyone back home is going through a hard trial that they will look to the enabling power of the Atonement.
So investigators-wise this week we have picked up two new investigators. Grace Gaea and Jonathan Payne. They are both on baptism dates. Grace will be baptized on May 14 and Jonathan will be baptized on April 22. These two have both been prepared for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Grace was a member referral from Washington. Her son had joined the church and told his mom, Grace, how he really enjoyed it and how he would like to send us there. Grace's Mom had just had a stroke and has not been healthy. This has really effected Grace and she is in a time in her life where the gospel can really bring peace to her mind. We went over and shared the message of the Restoration. She was so receptive. We asked if she wanted a blessing of comfort and she said that we would be more than welcome to do that. We gave her a blessing than asked her if she wanted to be baptized on May 14. She said, "Well if I don't do it now, I will never do it." Haha So we will be getting her ready for that date. Now for Jonathan. We were biking and ran into him. He was walking home from high school. He had told us how his previous church kicked him out because he professed to have a spiritual experience. He has been working to become an exorcist. We told him how the priesthood worked and we will be explaining that we don't need to perform exorcism. He accepted a baptismal date and we will be getting him ready for the 22nd!
Funny story, so our investigator Larry, the one that we had to pray over his house... Well he is a gangster haha. But really he is just a massive dude. And he called us the other night and told us about how he had just gone to the hospital because some guys and his old girlfriend came over to beat him up.. but this was his narration, "So Sophia told these guys where I lived and they came over and told me they were gonna shoot me and do this stuff to me. So I went outside to meet them and the first guy threw a punch, but I socked him and knocked him out. Then his little buddy tried to come get me, but I picked him up and threw him on his head. But... While that was happening Sophia came and whacked me in the head with a stick. So I had to go to the hospital." Hahah. This was nuts. Larry acted like it was just another walk in the park. I mean... he is from Compton. The cool thing about Larry is that he is Muslim and now he is starting to believe in Jesus Christ. He says that he is gaining faith. We will be extending a baptismal date to him here pretty soon. He definitely has to let go of the eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth logic haha. We will get him there.
Update on Andi. She is doing awesome and still progressing. She prayed that Elder Payne and I would stay and we did so her prayers were answered. She is doing so good! I am so excited about the work that is going on here.
I love the work.
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Love,
Elder Willden
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