Sorry to get this email in a day late... the library was closed yesterday due to the Labor day holiday. On the plus side, that gave us time to golf. One of the priests in our ward was willing to pay for me and Elder Simmons to go golfing with him. It was my first time ever. Apparently my first hit was really good for never having even held a driver before... but it went downhill from there. I stopped after the 4th hole because I didn't have any golf balls left! Whoops. We walked all 9 holes and it was super hot and really humid out, so I got a half-decent sunburn, a few more mosquito/gnat/ant bites, and after 27 days of constantly sweating (yep... our A/C is still out) I finally stopped sweating at about 3:00 because I had no more water to sweat! When we got back to the little place where you pay to golf, I got a drink of water from the water fountain and all of a sudden I started sweating again. It was the weirdest feeling. I think I may have got a little bit of heat exhaustion because I was down and out for the count last night... especially cause it was still 92 degrees in our apartment at 10:30, our bedtime. All in all, it was a great day.
Physically, besides the sunburn and bug bites, nothing has improved nor worsened. Thanks to everyone who has been continuing to keep me in their prayers. I testify that the Lord hears you.
I got to go over to Raeford on an exchange with one of our district leaders. It was a Spanish-speaking area, so that was interesting. I tried really hard to help out but I really didn't do too much. I was able to understand most of what was said in the lesson we had that day, but all I knew how to say was "hola" and "buenos tardes". I actually tried to pray in Spanish at the request of the investigator, so I went gringo-style and opened in Spanish ("Padre Celestial..."), spoke the body of the prayer in English, and closed en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen! It was rough and I think I embarrassed the missionary, but the investigator smiled so I guess it was ok. We also got to teach English to a woman at the literary center to help her prepare to become a citizen, and that was pretty interesting.
We have had an incredible week. Let me tell you about some more miracles:
Remember Lynette, the lady who didn't want to get baptized but changed her mind when the Spirit prompted her that we were teaching the truth? Well, she came to Church on Sunday and loved it! That night, we taught her in a member-family's home again and had an experience really similar to last time. She told us that she knew that the Book of Mormon was the word of God and that she believed that God called Joseph Smith as a Prophet to restore His church, but she admitted that she felt torn between our church and her previous one. We read 3 Nephi 11:1-11 with her, which has nothing to do with that concern. The Spirit was so strong that by herself, before even asking her about it, she said that she knew she needed to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it offered more and could bring her closer to God than any other church she had been affiliated with. She also invited her daughter to attend church, a great example that when we feel ourselves being converted we have desires to help others find the truth as well. She is excited to be baptized in mid-October.
Another great miracle. We've been working with a part-member family and it's been going great. Nitza (19), Katrina (14), and Jerome (12) are less-active members who have started to read the Book of Mormon and pray daily and both we and they have seen drastic changes in them already. Their little brother, Trevaughn (10) is not a member and he is progressing really well. He reads better than any 10-year old I have ever seen and he comprehends it all, too. We've kind of been focusing on all 4 of them, because even though most of them are members they don't really know that much about the doctrine because their fathers are out of the picture and their mom, despite her membership in the Church, is almost not supportive at all. On Sunday, Jerome received the Aaronic priesthood and was ordained a deacon. We weren't able to make it to the ordination, which we were really sad about, so we called them later that night to congratulate Jerome. Angie, their 14-year old Jehovah's Witness half-sister, answered the phone and told us that she wants to join the church! We were speechless because we thought that it would be nearly impossible to convince her to even sit in on a lesson. But apparently, she has been listening in another room and has felt the Spirit as we've taught her siblings, and she wants to learn more and get baptized! If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is!
Right now, every single one of our investigators is progressing towards a date to be baptized and I feel SO so blessed to be a part of this great work. We need to keep working hard so we can find more, but I am grateful to be working with these seven individuals. What an amazing blessing it is to watch each of these great people embrace the restored gospel of the Savior and metamorphose as they allow the Atonement of Jesus Christ to fill them. I feel such great happiness to be able to help my brothers and sisters do this and I am so, so proud of the decisions they are making and the battles they are fighting.
It is amazing to me that all of these 7 people have Christian backgrounds. While they are all unique, they do have that in common: they all have gained at some point in their lives a testimony that Christ is their Savior previous to the time that we first came in contact with them. Something else they all have in common is that, despite their various Christian backgrounds, each one of them has found more through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. To me, that is a testimony that there was in the past a great falling away from truth and that the authority of Christ was gone. But I testify that it is back, and the fulness of the gospel is here today to help transform all people, Christian and non-, to grow closer to God and become who He wants them to be.
I also testify of the reality of miracles today. I've shared this scripture once, and I'll share it again:
"And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth."(Mormon 9:15-21, 25.)
I know that God is a God of miracles, and He works those miracles every day. I KNOW that God has restored His church, and that it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Why would so many miracles occur if it weren't? Some people I talk with might think that all these great things are just coincidences or that I just call them miracles because it's fun to think that; but I testify that these truly are miracles and that only God could work such incredible works.
I know the Book of Mormon is true and that Christ is the Savior. God loves us! :)
I hope you are all doing fantastic! It would be great to hear from you!
With love,
Elder Schank
