LIKE DAISIES!!!
WOW! This week has been amazing!
Recently we've been meeting with Tonks' Father. He's struggling with alcohol problems. We knocked on the door last week and asked if Tonks was there but she wasn't. So, we asked if we could do anything to help, and he said in Spanish, Yes come in. We sat down and he explained that he wanted to quit drinking. So we've been going by. On Monday he said, "When you are here I feel good. I don't know your names, but that doesn't matter. You bring the love of God into this home." And then after the closing prayer, I looked up and his hand was resting on the scriptures. He read the title very slowly, "The Book of Mormon." Then he asked, "You are Mormons?" -yes. "God Bless you! Thank you my brothers for coming into my home! You are always welcome here."
Tuesday we watched The Lamb of God with Ski Cap. It helped to clear up some questions he had about Christ. Then we met with a guy who I'm going to call, Lucky Charms--cause he had a leprechaun tattooed to his arm. It was an interesting meeting. He was very hospitable, and listened... a bit--mostly he was smoking cigarettes and taking a hit on his Bong. He had an interesting view on life: "I'm going to live my life to the fullest and have as much fun as I can--not at the expense of others of course. And the way I see it, when we die it's just a deep sleep. And If there is something after then I got a 50/50 chance of going to Heaven or Hell." Hmmm... It's sad to see what one's mind comes up with when the knowledge of God's Plan of Happiness isn't there. He'd know that his odds are sooooo much better than 50/50 for one thing.
Then we met with Tonks' dad, and when we knocked on the door he asked, "Quien es?" -los Mormones! "Ah- esperaba." I have been waiting. By the end of our evening he said in Spanish, "I only can use one eye, but I will use it--to read the Book of Mormon." Later in the evening we got a call from some missionaries passing the information of a man to us so we could meet with him. He is from Iraq and he was forced to leave because he was interested in learning more about Christianity. The government was going to kill him. And now, because of some unique spiritual experiences, he is interested in learning about the Book of Mormon and joining the church! Wow. I will call him B.
Wed we met with B outside his apartment, he is such a nice man and he is so sincere. We told him that we had to set up an interview with one of the mission presidency for him to be taught. (It's for safety reasons: Too many times a Muslim has joined the church and then they are never heard from again.) But WOW! B is so excited to read and he already received and answer that the Book of Mormon is true! How exciting!
Thursday I was on exchanges and we had some amazing experiences. We talked this one couple on the street who really tried to avoid talking to us: "Oh, no hablamos espanol." -Esta bien. Hablamos! Podamos dar les un- "Oh... Parlez vous Francias?" -Oui! C'a va? ha ha! My four years of French did pay off! And while I was out of the area on these exchanges, B got interviewed!
Fri we got word that B could be taught! And we got a hold of a copy of the Book of Mormon in Arabic! He was so excited to get it! He was like, "The way this is written looks like the Koran!" He was so stoked! Then we were able to get him to an activity and the Branch members did a wonderful job fellowshipping him, and making him feel at home.
Sat I was baby sitting a sick elder. But B made it to a baptismal service and he got so excited to be baptized!
Sunday B made it to church! And he loved it! It was really great! And that's all for this week!
HAPPY VALENTI E'S DAY!!!
I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOO MUCH!!!
WAAAA HOOOO!!!
Life is great!
Catch you next time.
-Elder Barker
No comments:
Post a Comment