As always I hope that you all have had a super amazing week and that you can always find a way to share this amazing message of the restored gospel with those that we encounter.
This week has been another awesome week. We've been having a lot of success with teaching lessons and finding new investigators to teach in this area. I know without a doubt it's because the Lord's hand is in our work here. The only thing holding us back from baptisms is that the investigators have such a hard time wanting to go to church because it's just not something they're used to. It doesn't help when we invite them and tell them it's at 8:00 in the morning. But, we all know that with sacrifices comes blessings. Anyways, I want to share an experience or two I had this week.
So one of the most interesting things that I've encountered in the mission happened this week. We received this referral from the Church Headquarters. So I was really excited to contact this person. We went and contacted him and he had been in the United States for awhile accepting lessons from the sister missionaries in the United States. We talked to him about why we're here and a little bit about our missions. Then we taught him the restoration and left him with a Book of Mormon. Before we left, we invited him to read it and ponder in his heart and ask God the Eternal Father in the name of Jesus Christ if the book is true. And this is what he told us. He said, "I know without a doubt that the book is true." My jaw just about hit the floor when I heard that. So I asked him if he had prayed to come to know that it was true. And he told us that he believes with all his heart that it's true, but he's scared to ask God because he believes he will receive an answer that the Book of Mormon is true and that our church is the only true church on the earth. I was a bit shocked with his answer. He's scared to get baptized and to fully engage himself in the church, but we will keep working with him and I have a lot of confidence that he will be baptized.
We had another super strong experience this week. After sacrament the old Bishop of our ward grabbed us and we got in his car and took off to one of the referrals he had for us. We entered the house and he was super straight forward with this guy telling him that he wants him to be baptized. He asked the guy if he would accept lessons from the missionaries and the guy said yes!! We left that house and the Bishop looked me straight in the eyes and said, "There's three baptisms. I've done my part and it's in your hands now." I felt the spirit hit me very, very strongly. And I looked him right back in the face and told him that we will do our part and those three people will be baptized. It was one of those moments where I had the opportunity to feel the spirit so strong and another opportunity to just motivate the heck out of me to work even harder than we are because we're not doing good enough.
Anyways I'm so dang grateful for the experiences I've been able to have in the mission field. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's hands are in their work in these last days. What JOY I have felt to truly have the opportunity to teach my brothers and sisters here in Oaxaca. My heart is full of love and joy and peace - especially when I get to teach the gospel. Have an amazing week everyone and share the gospel every chance you get.
A special shout out to good ol' Grandpa Balch. Happy, happy birthday, gramps. Sure hope you have an amazing day and week. And don't stop exercising just because you have another year under ya. Ha ha. Love you, Gramps!!
This church is so true. I'm so amazed looking back on all the sacrifices that many amazing people have made to take part in this church. The question I want to leave with you all is how much are you willing to do and sacrifice to take part in this church and to truly live the gospel? I sure do love all you guys so dang much. Have an amazing week.
Elder Blake
Amapolas Stake Conference 25 Feb 2018 (Thank you Facebook!)
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