Sunday, August 14, 2011

It's a Beautiful Day in My Neighborhood

We have had more miracles this week than I think I deserve. The Lord opened the windows of heaven on us. One of those miracles was that six investigators came to church, and a seventh came after sacrament meeting. It was truly miraculous because yesterday was a big bai-bai holiday (see below, when I talk about Ghost Month) and these people still came to church. One of them was an investigator from a month ago who just came of his own accord. I am truly humbled and overjoyed that the Lord worked this miracle. Two of these people now have week B goals, and several of the others can probably set week C goals when we meet with them later in the week.

Brother (name) is one of those week B investigators. He's really changed and he's developed a testimony of the truth. On Saturday we were going to teach him the law of chastity--something we were really worried about--but it turned out that he hadn't really read the Book of Mormon, so we read about the gospel of Christ instead, and the next day after church he said he was willing to be baptized on the 27th. The law of chastity also turned out to be no problem, because he's planning on proposing to his girlfriend (a member) next Sunday. I love this man, and he really desires the chance to build an eternal family through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The other person with a week B goal is (name), who has recently started to progress and gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. When Elder Harris was with us on exchanges he invited (name) to be baptized on September 3, which he accepted, but this week we invited him to be baptized earlier and he is willing to do so. He has really changed a lot as well. I want to really make sure that he has member friends, though, and I'm a little worried about that. He has a sort of eccentric personality and not a lot of members will really go up and talk to him. We worked things out during correlation, though, so the main focus this week will be to make certain that he is ready to pass a baptismal interview and endure to the end.

We've had many other wonderful blessings, including a guy who has been coming to church with his girlfriend who suddenly just told her he wanted to start meeting with us. We met on Sunday and he seems really willing to seek the truth. He's currently unsure about a quick baptism, so he set a week E goal, but I feel as we continue to meet and he keeps commitments we'll be able to help him be baptized sooner. He is really a good brother, and I look forward to working with him. We also have a family who came to English class for the last two weeks, and the dad came to church on Sunday. I'm really excited for this family because the dad told us his father and grandfather were Christian and he wants him and his family to get back in touch with their roots and make new friends at church. I just gotta say, when I think of how badly I want to baptize this family, my gut hurts. They are an incredibly cute, nice family. He has a twelve-year-old son (*cough*DEACON*cough*) and a nine-year-old daughter. I don't want to be the least bit prideful or anything, I just want this family to be able to be together forever in the Celestial Kingdom of God.

Finally, something of a more personal miracle--one of my recent converts from Tainan, (name), wrote me to tell me his daughter got baptized. Now if the mom will get baptized they can set a goal to be sealed in the temple. This is what missionary work is all about. Seeing and feeling the joy of all these people, helping them prepare for eternal life...I'm so happy right now. I, like Ammon, just feel like boasting of my God, because He's truly been showing forth his almighty arm. I love Brother (name) so much. He's one of the most humble people I've ever met in my life, and to tell you the truth I'm surprised his daughter got baptized. I only ever taught her once, and the whole time she was stifling laughs and rolling her eyes (she's like 23 or something). That made me so happy to hear that news, because if there was ever a family I'd be willing to fly back to Taiwan to see them sealed in the temple, it's this Chen family.

Quick culture bit, this month is the Ghost Month on the lunar calendar. People sacrifice a lot of food to the ghosts. I'm out of time!

Love you all!

Carter

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