Milagritos and Big Miracles
We had another miracle. Add this onto the huge stack of miracles that I've seen these past 13 months of my life. We went to visit Josque and taught him about baptism. The Spirit was so strong you could slip in another dimension. I can't explain how happy everyone was in that room. I asked about baptism and he said yeah! He accepted a baptismal date for the 2nd of September, the date that my companion and I both felt that he would accept.
It is like I know things through the Spirit now. I knew that he would accept before going. It's like the Spirit of Prophecy. I can't even explain it. I just know some things now that help me with the work. I guess, well no, I know, that it is--because of what Moroni 10:5 says--the power of the Spirit can tell us the truth of all things.
When something is borne of the Spirit I can feel it and recognize it and I know it is true. It happens with my testimony and in my life with every day decisions. Like, should I take this bus? I just pray and I feel like I should or shouldn't.
Is this person prepared to hear us? If yes, I turn around in the street, walk up to him and say, "I felt like I should ask you to church--can you come this week?" He says, "Yes, I'd love to. In fact, just before my brother died, we visited the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I'd like to come again.” Countless events like that have happened throughout my whole mission. I've also seen people get completely healed.
I can't explain how many straight up miracles I have seen this week. From people just walking up to us asking, "Can you teach me about the gospel?" to complete healings of the sick. We've seen little miracles, or milagritos, and big miracles. It all depends on the faith. I'll share some...
We found a guy named Angel because we were walking down the street and I had a strong strong impression that I needed to talk to a teenager across the street at the end of a walkway. I shrugged it off and kept walking, thinking it would be weird to just approach him after already having passed by and how far away he was, but then I decided to be obedient and follow the prompting.
I said, "Hey, I felt like I should talk to you. Would you like to go to church with us tomorrow?" He said, "Yeah I'd love to, let me ask my mom though." So he asked his mom and it turns out they are members who were baptized many years before but have recently fallen out of activity due to severe family problems.
We went to look for Angel today and the mom told us that she was looking for a sign that God was inviting her back to activity. I felt very strongly to say these words, "You have the Gift of the Holy Ghost. That means you can feel and know if what I'm saying is true. Hermana, I know without doubt, that God is calling you." Her countenance changed vividly and she thanked us for all that we had done and invited us to a family night activity for this week. She said she'd try to be active again and that God was calling her back. How cool was that.
We were walking home and I felt a powerful impression to talk to a man in his store. I did. He said he is really interested in this message. I felt strongly to give him a Book of Mormon. I did and he thanked us. We came back today and he had already read it. He invited us in and accepted a baptismal date for the 23rd of September. He is 18 years old and is going to take off work to go to church next Sunday. Such a great guy. We met only two days ago.
That stuff happens all the time. We'll get an impression, "You need to stop here and contact these people." We'll do it and something awesome will happen that results in me being filled with immense love and happiness, and in people hearing and believing a little bit more in Jesus Christ.
Today we were walking through a neighborhood that the missionaries before had already contacted a lot and we felt like we should go back and knock on a door. We did, nobody answered. I was confused. I knew that we followed a prompting to turn back and wondered why nobody was there. Then I felt an even stronger impression to knock on the door of the law firm that I didn't notice before returning back the second time. I thought to myself, "No, come on, you don't want to knock on the door of a law firm to preach the gospel, it's a business for goodness sake." But I knew it was a prompting so we knocked anyways.
A 24-year-old man answered the door. I said what I felt prompted to say, "We share a message about the meaning of life, would you like to hear it?" He said, "Yeah," and let us right in.
It was the easiest contact I've ever had in the WHOLE MISSION. He sat us down, we offered a prayer, explained everything. He was extremely interested in our message and the Spirit was powerful in that room. He agreed to be baptized next month. Just like that.
It was the easiest lesson I've ever given. He just accepted us, brought us right on in to a little part of the law firm office, and agreed to be baptized after feeling the Spirit. I mean these things happen all the time now. It's awesome.
I'm so happy I chose to listen to these promptings. I'm learning to recognize the voice of my Savior more and more. I've learned that the Spirit brings us to believe in Christ and Christ brings us to believe in Heavenly Father. I've found great peace as I've tried to trust more in the Spirit and consequently feel the abundant love that God has for me.
It's interesting. I've never felt so much love for ordinary people as I have here in Guatemala. How I love these people. I cannot tell you. When we are in God's service, truly, we get Godlike love. And wow. Does He sure love His children!
We had seven investigators come to church, including a man we found yesterday who wanted to change his life. He said he would keep coming and asked if he should start wearing a white shirt. The Sunday School lesson was so good today. It was about the Book of Mormon.
Everyone likes the piano and they talk about it in their talks in Sacrament meeting. I've learned the importance of just playing from the heart instead of just the music. It's important for the Spirit, I think.
Side note. Another little miracle happened. I went to a thrift store and found an electronic chess board which I bought for seven bucks. It had no batteries nor pieces, but I bought it. It turns out that it teaches you how to play chess with computers. It shows the best move to make and senses when you move and shows what to do. I love it so much. I bought chess pieces for a buck and I can play against the chess computer by myself when I can. It's a tender mercy of the Lord that I want to take the time to recognize. It's like God saying, "Hey Blake, thanks for what you've done this last year, keep up the good work." ha ha.
Anyways, that's all.
Love,
Elder Young
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