Ola mundo!
This week was pretty
crazy, but with lots of blessings. Elder Lima and I have been trying to prepare
a few people for baptism, while also opening another part of our area called
"denjahey". When we looked at the map we saw it's actually called
Danjareux, so people just don't know how to pronounce French words here.
Danjareux is pretty far, so we did a lot of walking this week. Most of the time
one of our members, 18-year-old Jose tagged along. He went to so many lessons
and gave us so many of his friends to teach, we call him the third missionary
in our companionship, he's super awesome and has such a strong testimony. I
remember how hard it was for me to share my testimony and talk about the church
in high school, these members here are great examples.
The micas, or teenage
girls in our ward are amazing as well. They invited Eli (another investigator) to
multiple events and stayed with her when she came to church. Eli told us that
she wants to keep coming to church, and wants to be baptized, even though she's
afraid of water. Felizardo is someone that we've been teaching,
although he works a lot so it's a little tough. He told us he loved when he
went to our church because he was so warmly welcomed, and that everyone is
treated as equals. He remembered the Bishop of our ward sitting next to
him during bible study, and that really impressed him. That's something I
really love in this church, no member is greater than another, we're all called
to serve and to love others, especially during this Christmas season as we focus
on Jesus Christ.
This week Elder Lima and
I had the opportunity to teach the most amazing family, but we then realized
they live in another area, so other missionaries will continue teaching them.
Franklin and his family are so prepared for the gospel, the spirit was palpable
as we testified of the Restoration of Christ's church and how families can be
together forever. Franklin said families can be together forever was the phrase
that really got his attention and made him feel something different. I'll be
sad to not continue teaching them but I'm super happy we had that opportunity
to teach them and to help them find this happiness as a family.
During that lesson,
Elder Lima was able to share his amazing conversion story. When he was younger,
his family went to other churches. His cousin started meeting with the
missionaries and Elder Lima said he never paid attention in the lessons until a
missionary said, "I know families can be together forever". That was
the only reason Elder Lima got baptized. Because his testimony of other things
wasn't as strong, he stopped going to church for many years, until he finally
decided to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. The Book of Mormon is
what brought Elder Lima back to the church, and when his family and friends saw
how much happier he had become, they were interested, and he ended up being
able to baptize 2 of his friends and his mom as well, more than 10 years after
he was originally baptized.
Elder Lima is such a
great example to me, of a great missionary and how this gospel brings so much
happiness into our lives, especially in our families. A scripture that he loves
to share from the Book of Mormon is
2
Nephi 25:26 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that
our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their
sins."
That was the scripture
that caused Elder Lima to stop and pray about the Book of Mormon. It was what
led him to his testimony of the Book of Mormon and refunding this church. I
love this scripture too, it shows us the purpose of the Book of Mormon, to
testify of Jesus Christ and help us to learn more about him and to follow his
example and to experience his atoning love for. This Christmas season is a
great time to focus on Jesus and live like he did "walking among men,
doing good." I'm so grateful for this opportunity that I have to testify
of our savior and his restored gospel and his restored church on earth here again,
with Prophets and Apostles that continue to guide us in these latter days. I
know that as we focus on our Savior and Redeemer, we will be able to find true
joy in lives.
Eu amo voces!
Ate proxima semana! Boas festas!
Elder Madsen
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