Temple Open House and Monday Miracles: So last Monday was absolutely amazing. The first cool thing that happened was just talking to people about the gospel while we were shopping in Walmart. Then we met up at the North Stake Center to go on the temple open house tour. It was VIP tour that someone we met invited us to go on with a lot of Hispanics that he knows. The tour started with a 10 minute video explaining about each of the different rooms in the temple and giving an overview about what goes on in a Mormon Temple. Then we went through each of the major rooms.
The group that we were with, one of the people was a pastor of the local catholic church, and the rest were active in their faiths, and they all had a lot of questions. The spirit that was there was very very strong. It testified that it was the House of the Lord and that families are made eternal ones in that holy house. After we went through the entire tour we all went to reed's dairy for some ice cream, which was nice. The night was even more interesting. Our dinner appointment cancelled, as did our other appointments for the night, so we changed around all of our plans. The first person that we visited was George, and it was an amazing lesson. He admitted that he shouldn't let his circumstances stop him from quiting smoking, and that for too long he has tried to accept God as he wants Him to be, not as He is. Our Heavenly Father is a God of Mercy and Justice, Love and Righteousness, and does not tolerate any degree of sin. That night George read in the Book of Mormon and was able to apply it directly to him. Directly after that, after some unsuccessful knocking in a trailer park, we went by 2 less-active families in one of our wards. One's prayer was answered and we were able to teach her to turn to Christ for peace and balance in her life, and the other's committed themselves to full activity in the church and re-earning their temple recommends, just because we asked a few simple questions about priorities. It was one of the best P-day's that I've ever had.
Rusty and Julio: With Rusty and Julio, even though they are very different people, they have very similar stories. Each one is an investigator, that doesn't like to commit to do things. Each one does not have, but wants to have a purpose for the rest of their lives. God has a purpose for each one of us, a plan. One of the best tools to learn about the Plan of Salvation, or the Plan of Happiness, is the Book of Mormon. It lays out the Plan of God for each one of us, and also testifies of Jesus Christ, and his restored gospel. Each one, after emphasizing that every lies on the fact of whether or not the Book of Mormon is true, committed to read and pray about it. This whole work rests on that one book, and if anyone reads with an open heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, and asks God after reading it, will receive an answer from God pertaining to its truthfulness.
Oliva's: During the middle of the week we got a call from someone telling us that their friend, who is a less-active, wants to come back to activity and wants to take the missionary lessons. So on Saturday night, we head over to the friends home, and it is not only a less-active women, but a part-member family who are all interested and want more for their family. We taught the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the father accepted an invitation to be baptized. They have lived in Idaho for many years, and have seen the families of active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Because of the Gospel and it's focus on families, and that families can be eternal, there are stronger bonds and relationship and love. One of the wonderful teachings that we have comes from Prophets and Apostles about the family and is entitled, The Family: A Proclamation to the World. They have an open heart and both committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, and if this is the true Church of Jesus Christ.
Sunday: Yesterday was a very busy, crazy day, and it started at 5:30 in the morning. At 6:30 we had a meeting with all of the ward mission leaders and the stake presidency for the eagle rock stake. We discussed and planned over topics such as the open house, on our progress reports, and how to work together as members and missionaries to best accomplish the Lord's work. After that meeting, we had another meeting with the Bishop and a Ward Mission Leader for one of our wards about how we can pick up the Non-member work in the ward. We now have a lot of plans and we are going to implement them this week, it will be great. Then we had church, and the entire Oliva family came! Their kids went to primary, and the parents made friends quickly and enjoyed all of the meetings. They are amazing! After that we met with a High Priest Group Leadership in another one of our English wards, and moved forward with the Work of Salvation and the Oval chart with them. We then ran over to the branch, because it was Branch Conference today. Our branch president spoke, along with the 2nd Counselor of the Stake Presidency, and the Stake President. It was an amazing meeting and I'm grateful that we can partake of the sacrament. We then ran home and quickly got some lunch, before meeting with a bishop and ward mission leader in the West Stake on Spanish work, and we have a couple of families that we can visit to see if they are interested. We then had correlation with the sisters in the branch, followed by dinner which we had to pick up and eat at home. We had a cancelled appointment , followed by an okay appointment with a less-active family about the temple (we are going with them this Wednesday), our appointment with Julio, and an appointment with the Aviles family. It was a crazy night, and it was a wonderful day full of meetings and appointments. phew.
Studies: One of the things that really stuck out to me from my reading in the Book of Mormon this week was about Alma the Younger. This is after he has ended his service as a missionary, taught his sons all that they needed to know, and was resting after his service. But something was different.
1 And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not arest, and he also went forth.
2 Now awe shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the bholy order of God by which they were called.
This is something that is great for me to see. After I get done as a full-time missionary, I can still serve God and my fellow men by sharing the gospel and teaching fellow sons and daughters of God. Never stop, but keep on going.
Pictures: A good view.
Love you all and hope that you have a wonderful week!
Elder Carson Baker
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