Bah! Que coisa maravilhosa! Here in the mission, there's truly nothing greater than the opportunity to listen to the prophet and apostles during general conference. Even when it's in a foreign language, you can feel the power of their words, and the strength of their message. I've heard many stories of people who'd been entirely converted just listening to the conference, and I do not doubt the likeliness of that story. I just hope that some of our investigators felt the same.
Anyway, this week's adventures were pretty interesting. This week we've been changing our game. One technique being contacts. Normally we don't do a lot, but this week we've been talking to practically everyone. I'll be talking to one person, my companion jumps over to talk to the next, and then we begin to leap frog. But, the best part about it is the contact itself. We don't cover our purpose with fancy doctrines or comforting words. We speak frankly and to the point. "Hello! Pleasure to meet you! My name is ... and I've been commissioned of Christ to baptize his brethren. Would you like to be baptized?" >:P What I think is more impressive is the number of people that accept.
Anyway, Just like the Lord taught, we should always speak simply and with clarity. This way, no one should misinterpret our purpose, nor misunderstand the truths we carry. Unfortunately, this is a lot harder than it sounds. However, I've already been witness time and time again that you don't need a lot of detail to be converted. In fact, sometime a simple truth such as that of the Book of Mormon or that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God is sufficient to help us know where God wants us to go and in whom he wants us to trust. Over the past month, we've been struggling with an older woman who's been fighting against baptism for quite some time. She's a great person, for sure, but she'd always had fear that she'll sin afterward, and that she'd disrespect God by being baptized. For many weeks we'd taught her about the purposes of baptism and all of the commandments, but it wasn't until two simple truths were stated that she finally made up her mind. 1. God is our father and 2.He only wants the best for us. Maria was baptized yesterday, between the two sessions of conference.
Many times we begin to have fears and doubts, questioning the things we've learned simply because our minds have been stuffed so full of info that our mind is beginning to explode. When a house is built, it needs a good foundation. If we try to build an enormous mansion if we don't lay the foundation first, nothing will work out right, and the house would likely collapse. Likewise, if we don't have a firm testimony or belief in the simplest of doctrines, that God is our Father and that Jesus Christ, his Son, was sent to save us from our sins, no other doctrine will make sense, and it'll all fall into ruin.
I know that God is our Father. I know that Christ suffered for our sins. I know that he lives and loves us all. I know the book of Mormon is true, and I know that Christ visited that young man, Joseph Smith, to restore his only true church to the earth. And of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Well, I guess that's about it for now. Thanks for all the prayers and the love/candy.
I'd give you all chocolate if I had any still.
Elder Angus
Bom de mais (bong gee my-s) Direct translation is "good of more," but the closest phrase we'd have to this would probably be "gooder than good."
Pics:
- Baptisim of Maria
- A Lovely Nutella Meal (I just had to post it) >:P
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