ALEX OUR GREAT
COLOMBIAN MAN WHO WE LOVE GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So
here's how it happened because we were not planning on having a baptism
last Saturday haha. So on Wednesday we met with him and taught him about
the Priesthood. And then we had planned to reset a baptismal date for
him to work towards again. So I pulled out my calendar and Hermana
Sperry asked him to chose a date that he would like to be baptized on.
And he told us he wanted to be baptized that Saturday! So we did it! And
it was the MOST beautiful baptism I've ever seen. He went under the
water and came back up and just kind of paused, standing there, with his
eyes closed, just taking it all in. The spirit was SO strong and it
really hit me that Alex, our alcohol drinking, cigarette/weed smoking,
women loving hombre was completely clean and washed away from all of
that. And he felt it too. He experienced the joy of true repentance and
told us that he feels like a new person. It was so beautiful. AND his
daughter came! And he told us that he owes a part of his life to the
Book of Mormon. It's incredible what that book can do. He is a
completely changed man and it is so humbling to hear the things he says
and the testimony that he has.
So here's Alex's back story:
Hermana
Sperry contacted him on the street, cigarette in hand (his hand),
before I got to Palma and had been teaching him for about a month with
the companion that she had before me. And then I came to Palma and
jumped right in. At that point we were working with him to quit smokig.
His biggest trial was understanding the Atonement and understanding how
he can feel joy in his life despite the hard things that happen. And
then it's just been up and down. We lost him for two weeks, then he came
back, then he stopped reading the Book of Mormon, and then we had a
REALLY good lesson on the Book of Mormon where we committed him to read
that book every day for the rest of his life. That was about 2 weeks ago
and since then he has read the Book of Mormon every single day! And he
has completely quit smoking! His biggest thing has been that he can tell
the difference in his life when he is reading the Book of Mormon and
when he isn't and because of that, his testimony is STRONG of that book
and then, in turn, of the church. It's incredible!
In
other news, we met ANOTHER Bolivian chica named Mariel who is 19 years
old! She's the CUTEST I love her already. We've only taught her once so
far, but she is also committed to be baptized!!!! So excited for her!
ALSO
today is transfer day. So that means my wonderful companion Hermana
Sperry, who I love, left this morning to go to Valencia and I am getting
my new companion in 30 min! Her name is Hermana McConkie and she has
beautiful Ariel red hair! I already love her and have heard AMAZING
things about her. She's been on her mission for a year and, so I've
heard, is just an incredible missionary. So I'm pumped!
So
this week we've been spending A LOT of time with the members over here
and all the people who wanted to have us over to say goodbye to Hermana
Sperry. It was so cute, Saturday night the branch had a bbq for her and I
LOVE Spain because they were all dancing and being cute and loud and
loving. These people are just the greatest.
We also
went over to Ricardo's house so that he could say goodbye to Hermana
Sperry and celebrate his birthday at the same time! It was just a funny
time haha he thinks he's hilarious. It was another BBQ so I've been
eating well hahah. So yeah that's been us this week!
I
continue to love the work! There is NOTHING better in my mind than
being a missionary. The growth that I have experienced and the love that
I feel for people is just incredible. I'd recommend this to anyone and
everyone. :) Also read the Book of Mormon!!!!!!
Alright
I love you all tons and tons. Hope you're all having the happiest of
summers! And I'm so excited for all my mission friends who are all about
to leave! Praying for yall!!!!
Love!
Hermana Johnson
No comments:
Post a Comment