Wow. This week was full of ups and down. But I feel like
I should start out this letter with my Testimony. I know that God is our
Father, I know that His Son is Jesus Christ. I know, without a doubt that
Joseph Smith was chosen as a Prophet and Restored The Only true church onto the
face of the earth. I know that The Priesthood power that Jesus Christ has, He
has also given to us, to bless every human being that has ever lived, and will
ever live on this Earth. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet. I
know these things. And Because I know these things, I trust Heavenly Father for
the things I can't say I know yet. I have faith, and that fills in the gaps. I
know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Stone which
Daniel told us would fill the whole earth. Its happening as I'm writing this
email. No unhallowed hand could stop the missionary work that is going on in
the world. It has been prophesied about since the beginning, and I am so
grateful to be a part of it.
With that being said, some crazy things happened
this week. We got a call from a Bishop up in Anaheim, and he told us that there
was someone in the Mission Viejo hospital that needed a blessing, and he asked
my companion and I to go and administer to her. So we went on our way to go the
Hospital, and I had just assumed that she was sick or maybe had to get a
surgery and was nervous and was needing some comfort. We arrived at the
Hospital and there were about 60 or 70 people waiting there for us. Everyone
was Spanish speaking. And they had been waiting for us to arrive to give this
young girl a blessing. Apparently, She had crashed while she was mountain
biking, and was in critical condition, and she was dying. She was dying very
quickly. I felt so unprepared. I felt like I needed more time to prepare to
give this blessing, but she needed it then. So, we filed into the room where
she was hooked up to tubes and a whole bunch of stuff. And the Doctors told us
that she had slipped into a Coma and that she would probably die. My companion
and I went and said a prayer together, asking to know the will of the Lord,
whether this young girl was to live or die. We felt strongly that she would live, so we went and I
anointed the oil on the only part of her head that wasn't wrapped, and we gave
her a blessing, and it was simple blessing and my companion blessed her that
she would walk again.. And I felt a lot of peace. We left the room and the next
day, we got a text from one of the family members that she had died. We were
heartbroken. I didn't know what to do. We both felt she would live and she
didn't. I went to go say some prayers by myself looking for some sort of
comfort or answer as to why we felt that way, and why it didn't happen. And I
felt something so strong in my heart tell me that "She will walk again,
just like you said in the blessing. She will walk in a perfected, resurrected body." And
I also felt that what we did, the blessing we gave, comforted the family. I
decided that I would never, ever feel like I was not ready to give a blessing
again. I decided right then that I will live to be ready to help, and bless,
and give everything that I can to help. Although this experience didn't have a
story book ending, it made all the difference to me. I will be forever grateful
for that experience and how it made me feel, and what it helped me recognize.
Something else
that happened this week! We had been knocking doors, talking to people in the
streets, and contacting everyone we could. But we hadn't found a single person to teach. But, I kept
telling my companion, "Hey, we put in the hours walking by faith and
working hard, and the Lord will give us someone to teach, even if it doesn't
come by contacting or door knocking". And it didn't. The very next day,
the wife of one of our bishopric members called us and told us that she had a
referral for us! We were super excited to go check it out. So we did, and Her
name is Maria Figaroua. And we taught her the Restoration, and she loved it.
She had been taught about a year ago, and she said that she was ready to get
back on the Path, and we told her that the gate to that path is baptism and she
said "Baptize me"!!
My companion and I were literally skipping out of the
door and down the stairs. Haha it was the best. She is so great, and already
has tons of friends in the ward. Also, her two daughters are going to get
baptized. They are scheduled for the 9th of August. Just goes to show you that
the Lord recognizes effort.
Well, I hope that you enjoyed my email! I hope that
someone will take something out of it that will help them. :)
Con muchisimo amor,
