Tuesday, May 12, 2015
On Mother´s Day, we went to the far side of the mission to the zone called Los
Reyes, and the ward called Chicoloapan. We had to attend there for a few
reasons, one of which was to interview a disobedient Elder, and the other was
to interview an investigator who wants to be baptized, but had a special
circumstance that I´ll tell about later.
Every time we attend Church, we get asked to sit on the stand, and to give a talk.
I don´t really have many “prepared” talks to use, but I usually try to let the
Spirit guide me, use a few scriptures, and just build upon it.
I had the impression to talk about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, which we celebrate on May 15th. (restored on May 15, 1829 by
John the Baptist). Then, I wanted to tie in the ministration of
angels, which was a gift restored to the earth by the restoration of the
Aaronic Priesthood.
I talked about how deeply I believed that this gift is true, and that angels
are working around us. I quoted Alma 13:24 where it says that angels are
here preparing the hearts of those we teach. I mentioned the experience I
had of the Spirit telling me to tell my missionaries that their very own families
who have passed away, are here serving. I told them how I was told to
specifically tell on of my missionaries who lost his brother the week before,
that his brother was here working with him.
I
further talked about how Susan and I pray everyday before we drive that angels
can be on our right and left D&C 84:88. We feel much protection every
day with this promise.
Then I transitioned my talk to tell them about the “angels” in this very
chapel….the moms!! That´s how I tied Mother´s Day into it. I felt
grateful that I could share with them how important they were, and for the
positive impact that Mom´s who lived by the principles of the Savior can have
on their families.
I ended by telling them that Susan was the angel
by my side, and that my Mom was my guardian angel who I have felt many times
her presence.
Well, after Church, we always like to greet the saints and visit. The
hermanas (sisters) always hug Susan and press right cheeks to her and “air kiss.”.
They love her.
Out in the hallway, a sister came up to me and asked to have her family´s
picture taken with us. We, of course, were glad to grant that.
After the picture, the Hermana, with tears in her eyes, said that she rejoiced
when she heard me talk about angels. She said that at home, before
Church, she prayed, felt the presence of angels, and felt the Spirit tell her
that she would receive many blessings and answers at Church.
She explained that her family had been going through some financial struggles
(her husband is an unemployed accountant) who has been looking for work for
over a year. The next day, she explained, her husband had a job
interview. She said that I was the person the Lord placed in her path,
and that whatever I said was what would be the result of her husband´s
interview and job search!
TALK ABOUT PRESSURE!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, the Spirit whispered to me to take the family into an
empty classroom and visit with them, and give the hermano (brother) a blessing. I
was prompted to have Susan offer a prayer before hand. You guys, you
should have heard her prayer!!! It was all in Spanish, and beautiful and
very touching. Tears abounded!!
I then placed my hands on his head and as I felt inspired, gave him a
priesthood blessing, in which he was blessed that he could be calm and
collected and present himself well in the interview. Many other things
were mentioned in the blessing as I spoke. So nice to serve in the Church
and help affect the lives of others.
So, I am “holding my breathe”, hoping that he will soon be employed!!
Maybe we can all pray for this hermano (brother) and his family who live in
“Chicoloapan”.
It was a very rich experience, especially being humbled by understanding that
Heavenly Father uses all of us in many ways to bless others.
So, on another note….after that experience, the Elders had me interview about a
50 year old Hermana (sister) who was wanting to be baptized. Sometimes in
the baptismal interview that the district leaders make, they come across
situations that require them to have a “special interview” with me.
She told me her story. Her husband (well, they like most, many people,
were never married) moved to the United States for work about 8 years
ago. They have two children, a girl around 16, and another younger
daughter.
She explained in the interview that her “spouse” contacted her less and less
over the years, and that he rarely sent any money. Her daughter was
becoming a little rebellious, and she was struggling to be a single mom,
working, and wondering what to do to keep on going.
In her own way, she told me that she prayed and prayed for help. One day,
she heard a knock on the door, and yelled rudely for them to go away.
They kept knocking. She yelled. Then something told her to open the door.
She did, and she saw the wonderful smiling faces of my missionaries!!!!
She was totally surprised that she invited them in, and within moments she felt
the peace of Savior in her home. Her daughter started to feel that
she loved their message, and quickly wanted to be baptized. In a few
weeks, she, indeed, was baptized.
This
Hermana, however, had a different situation. If she got baptized, and her
“spouse” ever returned, he would want to live with her and her children.
She, in fact, hoped that he would return and marry her. She explained that that
hope had always been inside her!! The missionaries told her that they
would have to talk to me about the possibility of her getting baptized with the
situation of him returning, even though it has been 8 years.
When they told her she may not be able to get baptized and would have to have
an interview with their “president” (me) she became very discouraged.
The missionaries made an appointment for her to see me. During the week
she was waiting for the interview from me, she received a text on her phone
from her “husband”. Upon reading it, it was very evident to her that the
text from him was intended for another woman, and was sent accidentally by him to
her!!
She said it was an answer to her prayers, because now she can concentrate on
the Savior and do what He wants her to do, and forget about this man in the USA
who is never coming back.
It was very sweet as tears of joy came into her eyes when I gave her permission
to be baptized. She was ecstatic!! She talked of the great change
in her family as they have learned to know the living resurrected Christ.
She was very sweet as she shared her testimony with me with her tears rolling
down her cheeks.
Man, I love this
mission! It is so great to be on the Lord´s errand!!!
So, now, my last event to
share, was my interview that day with one of my missionaries! It is kind
of a down and upper of an experience.
He called me on Saturday crying because of a mistake he made. He and his
companion were helping a family pack up their belongings to get ready to
move. My two Elders arrived and started helping. They got separated into
two different rooms, when one Elder ended up in a room with a 17 year old
girl….and ended up kind of passionately kissing her (his companion's words as
he caught them!!!) What a knucklehead!!! His companion
was really affected by what he saw, and he could barely talk. They were
all stunned!!!
He wanted to talk to me immediately in person, but I decided it was
better to spend the night going through a repentance process and spend some
time on his knees. He was terrified that I would send him home!!!
In cases like this, I have to consider all things. Many times I have to
call a member of the Area Presidency (who are all general authorities), call
the Stake President, and make decisions as to what to do. They usually
follow my recommendations.
This Elder has been a marginally effective missionary. When I met with
him Sunday, he was in tears and very distressed and repentant. We talked
about obedience, about how companions should always stay together, even in the
same rooms in a house or Church. We talked about temptation, the Atonement,
repentance, forgiveness, the effect of his inappropriate actions on others
around him, etc.
After a long time visiting, the Spirit told me to keep him on his mission, and
that I should not involve others in consult. I was surprised, but I
listened.
The best part was that the Spirit prompted me to give him a
blessing. I never deny the prompting to bless a missionary. It
really is a tender mercy.
Well, so…this missionary will remain, for now, on the mission, but he is now a
junior companion, and in another area far away from where he was.
