Doctrine and Covenants 123:12

From 6/2/14

Hey everyone! Things have been going really well! This week I was able to see a couple of really cool miracles! 

12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.

From Monday night until Tuesday night I was able to go on exchanges with one of the district leaders who has been out just a little longer than I have. And while we were on exchanges we saw some very cool miracles! So that day was great because of how many lessons we were able to teach! They had a lot of set appointments, and we just went from investigator to investigator. Now there was one or two that ended up falling through, but we came up with a good back up plan for what we would do it that happened. Well one of them included going to one of the complexes in there area and trying to meet with one of there investigators while we were there. 

Well we went there and actually ended up talking with someone else they have been trying to teach for a while! Well we started to share the plan of salvation with him, (Eric) and his wife came over and was going to listen. And like 2 min in she stopped us and said " how do you guys know what to teach?" And we explained how we have different lessons we will usually teach, but we go by the spirit. She then asked us to go inside and teach her teenager. So we went in and we began to talk about how God blesses us when we are obedient, and the spirit was there, and they started to asked some very inspired questions. Those questions we used to lead right into the restoration. 

Because me and Elder Nygard have been out about a year we both are very comfortable with teaching the doctrine, and we were able to teach very well with each other. The spirit was so strong and we were able to bare powerful testimonies! It was such a miracle to see how the conversation both ways was directed by the spirit! Well this family was getting ready to move and they wanted the Elders to come back one more time before they move, and they said that they want to find missionaries in Washington to continue to teach them! I know that God has prepared this family for the gospel, and I know they will be blessed as they continue to follow the promptings of the holy ghost. That was just one of the great miracles we have been able to see this week!

We also recently got a referral  this last week, and went over to teach a guy named Alberto. He didn't have a lot of time so we left him with a copy of the Book of Mormon. And some pamphlets that he wanted. And we were then biking around his house a couple days later and we thought we saw him in his garage so we went up and began to talk with the guy! Well it wasn't Alberto, but it turned out to be his brother. So we began to teach him the restoration because he was very interested in learning what we believed. We taught him and he was very receptive! He said he wants us to come back and teach him more, and he also said he is going to read and to pray to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true!!

Had another lesson this week with a kid name Kyshi! He is way cool, we started to talk with him, and he had a couple mins. He said he would talk to us and wanted us to teach something to him. He said he had seen missionaries before, and they had taught him just a little bit. But we asked him if there was anything in particular he wanted to learn about. We we started to say different gospel principles that he could choose from. He said he wanted to learn about life before we were here on earth, and about Jesus Christ, and about life after death. And so we decided to just teach the plan of salvation. 

Again it was a great lesson! We were able to teach him powerfully! He had different questions, and we answered them and we able to help him understand! By the end of the lesson he said, I feel so weird right now! I feel as though I was asleep. But now I feel like after you taught me this that I am beginning to awaken. The spirit truly taught him about the plan of salvation and touched his heart was able to help him see and understand it. We also gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon to read. He seems very interested and  we will get to meet with him again tomorrow hopefully!

It has been a great week, and I have been so blessed to be able to serve this mission and to meet so many different people! I know that Jesus is the Christ and that as we learn about him and his plan that we will draw closer to our Father in Heaven! I know we have a purpose here on the earth, and it is to prepare our selves to return to live with Him someday.  We all have the same goal, and I know as we look for people who are prepared then we will be led to them! Many don't know the truth because they know not where to find them! 

You hold the responsibility to show them where that truth is. Pray for opportunities and you will be given them.  I know as you do yo will be blessed, and you will be able to strengthen your commitment to follow Christ, and strengthen your family relationships. ! I testify of the truthfulness of that and I say that in the name of Jesus Christ amen. 

I hope y'all have a wonderful week! 

Elder Joshua V. Christensen