The Lord has truly blessed us this week. We have met 7 new people that want to learn about the gospel! A family of five came to church with us on Sunday and a great man named Jeff! All are searching for the truth and felt so loved there! There are two brief experiences from this past week that I would like to share. The first happen on Wednesday. There is a woman in our congregation that is from China named Shalmay. She joined the church about two years ago! She has three young children, and I was honored to bless her last baby. Her mother, Sister Song has moved here for a time to help her with the kids but knows no english. The Wans, a senior couple, just returned to the ward from serving a mission in Taiwan! They went over to Shalmays home to visit and introduce themselves and as they talked with her mother, she wanted to come to church with them! We talked to her at church that Sunday and she asked that we come over and teach her! So on Wednesday we went over with the Wans so they could translate! After we said the opeing prayer I asked Sister Song what God meant to her, and how He has helped her in her life. She told the Wans that she doesn’t really know God! She has worked for the Chinese government for many years and as she was interviewed she had to say that she didn’t believe in God. So all her life she has grown up not being aloud to talk to God or believe that He lives. After we asked her this question the Wans taught her for about 5 minutes! I had no clue what was going on or being said but the spirit was so strong! My heart was just burning. After we left I asked Sister Wan what they were talking about and she said “Elder Aiken, we were teaching her how we know that God lives and that he loves us!” I was so touched! The spirit confirmed to all of us that day that God lives! Although Elder Berry and I didn’t understand what was being said, we felt the confirming truth through the power of the Holy Ghost!
The other experience happened on Friday. We are teaching a Lady named Lisa (not her real name). Lisa has been taught for about two months now and really struggles with addictions. She lived on the streets for many years addicted to cocaine and other drugs. She has finally been able to kick those habits. She is the neatest lady with a few young children. She seems to not be able to succeed in the things she hopes because of her prior problems. We really have struggled getting her to progress. On Friday we went over there and just had no clue what to teach, no clue what would help her. We said “Lisa, when you were young and you had dreams of growing up and being a mom, are you where you dreamed you would be?” Lisa just broke down. She said no I am not her! Not at all, I can't afford any thing, I can't even take my kids to McDonalds when they ask, because my money is going to drugs. She said “I want to change, I need to do this!” The spirit of peace was so powerful! I know that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can truly be happy! No other way! Deep, true, lasting happiness comes from following the teaching of Jesus Christ! As we make Him the center, the rock, nothing will fail us! I know that Lisa can make it and will through the gospel of Jesus Christ! I love you all so much!! Have a great week!! Love, Elder Aiken.
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