I
LOVE CHRISTMAS! I love the feel of Christmas. I love the Spirit of
Christmas. I love how everyone is nice and happy. It is so great. It is
definitely a perfect proselyting time.
I do not even know where to start with what happened this week. So much happened...
District
Christmas was the best thing in the world. And Zone Christmas was pretty great too. It was White Elephant and
I made a Shave-With-Me Barbie and let's just say, no one wanted to have
to take that home. The sister who ended up with it will be here with me
next Christmas and will bring it back to put in the mix. Sister
Pendleton would be so proud of me for that present.
But
none of that matters. What really matters is what happened yesterday at
church and right afterwards! Kevin Rico has been confirmed and has
joined us in Israel! Yay! He was beaming as he stood next to President
Olsen as we all raised our hands to support him. His mother, Maria is so
proud. His brothers are jealous as well. I cannot wait to see the rest
of the family enter the waters of baptism. We are working very closely
with that family.
After church the branch had
another baptism! Changa got baptized! He was one of the elders'
investigators. He is so great and quite hilarious. His friend, Larry
Park, baptized him. Let's just say it was just another day in the ASL
program when we had to baptize Changa four times before he actually went
completely under the water. If that doesn't describe this program, I
don't know what does. I love this place. There is nowhere else I'd
rather be.
This week I have been struggling
with our investigator, Cliff. He has been taught by missionaries for a
very long time. He knows everything there is to know. He teaches his
member wife, Michelle, about the gospel. He practically taught
Priesthood yesterday at church. He is following the Word of Wisdom, Law
of Chastity, Church Attendance, read scriptures, say prayers... All he's
missing is a dunk in the font! But he still refuses to admit he has a
testimony. So Sister Stucki and I have been doing a lot of praying on
what to do. I had a great discussion with Elder Peck yesterday about the
need to have desire in the gospel. If you look in the first vision
scriptures, in two verses alone, Joseph Smith says three times he was
going to ask God in only two verses. And then he says it again in the
next verse. Because Joseph had that desire to ask of God, he was able to
overcome that "unseen power". We HAVE to have a desire to move forward
in the gospel. If we don't, there is no progression. With Cliff, he does
not have that desire, so he is not progressing. Our job at this point
is to help give him the desire to move forward in the gospel. It will
not be an easy job; he is as stubborn as me. However, I know with God,
all things are possible.
I love you all! Have a great New Year! Make a great goal and stick with it!
Sister Smyly Crawford
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