Dear family and friends,
What a week it has been! I feel as though I have experienced every experience a mission has in ONE week!
To update you on the family Gomilla, they are doing well. Jean-Denis wasnt at church yesterday, so that was too bad, but Josette and Léa were both there. Josette talked to the bishop and is beginning to set up a date to be baptized mid-March!!! Bishop Bamy is very involved in her conversion process and is such a support. As we continue to get through the lessons, we hope that Josette and Léa will be baptized on the same day, March 15. Please keep them in your prayers, especially Josette, that they will make habits to pray and read the Book of Mormon every day and that we can schedule appointments with them frequently enough that they may be ready for this date. 
The biggest miracle of the week happened on Saturday night. Soeur Barton and I were about home but were somewhat dreading the fact we had to plan for the next day when we knew we had NOTHING planned. However, to our greatest surprize, a woman called us at 8:59 and identified herself as having met us several weeks ago. To be honest, I didnt recognize her name, Priscile, but I played along a little bit.:) haha. The longer I talked, however, I began to remember that Priscile and her boyfriend had walked up to us on the train and asked us about our badges. They were both very believing in Christ and converted to their religion, yet they wanted to know what we were all about. On the fly, very flustered by the time, Soeur Barton and I retold the story of Joseph Smith and testified of him being called as a prophet. Both Priscile and her boyfriend looked pretty shocked at the story, and when we tried to exchange information, they only accepted a brochure with our name on the back and said they would call us. Having never truly thought they would call back, Saturaday, there I was on the phone with Priscile. As I got my senses knocked into me, she asked if we were free the next day and if we could come share more of our message with her and her boyfriend, Philip. Of course, we agreed. 
The next afternoon, after our Sunday meetings, we met Priscile and Philip at the train station, and they accompanied us to their home. Turns out they had read the entire brochure and wanted to know more about Joseph Smith. Although they had already heard and read the story, they asked to hear it again, and as we did, the Spirit filled the room. Looking into their eyes and testifying from the bottom of my heart, I felt, more than ever before, that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God to restore the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. I got a little emotional and so did Priscile. Afterwards, Philip looked at us and said, "I can feel it is true. I can see the truth of it in your eyes as you speak." The rest of the rendez-vous was filled with heavenly promises and godly light. Towards the end, Philip and Priscile asked about marriage, and as we promised them the blessings of the temple, my heart was filled with peace. The love they have for each other is piercing, and nothing could have made them happier than hearing they could be sealed together for time and all eternity. How grateful I am for the Gospel, for the love our Heavenly Father has for us, and for the promise we recieve of eternal life in the presence of God and Jesus Christ and our families. No other church can promise these blessings.
What a blessing it is to serve as a missionary in the Lord's vinyard. He loves all of His children and so desires their return to Him. To make that possible, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for the sins and suffering of all mankind. Because of this sacrifice, God is both just and merciful. Let us all take part in the work of salvation. Let us increase the charity we have for God and the charity we have for those around us. I testify that as we pray with a fervent heart, God WILL bestow upon us this love we call charity.
Remember that you can make a difference, wherever you are. Find someone to help. And always, always remember to smile.:)
I love you with all of my heart, Soeur Laura Lee Judd
No comments:
Post a Comment