4 Baptisms!

Beautiful Fall in Issaquah!

      Hello Everyone! Happy Halloween!! I hope that you all have a wonderful day and are able to spend it with friends and family. This week was truly amazing AND humbling.  It was life changing.  

      In life we struggle at times going forth with faith.  It takes stength to stand tall and be strong. Our hope is built from prior faith building experiences. Gaining faith and hope in this life is essential!  I feel that this past week has built my faith and hope for a lifetime!

     We have been teaching Lisa, the school teacher all this week, and it has just been incredible. On Monday, we watched the restoration dvd with Lisa and her kids!  It was so powerful, the spirit is truly the confirmation of all truth and it was there in abundance!  Halfway through the video her son whispered, “Mom is this true!?” At the end of the video we asked him how he felt and he just started to cry. What a blessing God has given us to have the Holy Ghost to guide us in this life!  

     Our lesson on Friday was somehow even better!  When we sat down she said, “I have had an interesting week, after our lesson on Wednesday I couldn’t sleep!  I wanted to know more, and know why this is changing my life!  I almost called you guys in the middle of the night but I felt bad!” She added, “I can't get the Book of Mormon off my mind, it's all I think about and I just don’t know why!” 

     After we talked we read Alma 32 vs 28: Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. 

     After reading this verse she looked up at us and just began to cry.  She said “This is what has happened to me.”  This is the power of the Book of Mormon!  It is the word of God and it will teach us all things. There is a power in this book that we can't find anywhere else.  It's no wonder that we are asked to read of its pages daily! The words of Christ simply will teach us all that we should do in this life.  During that lesson Lisa chose her own date for baptism and is doing amazing.  God is a God of miracles!

Nieto Family Baptism!

     The other experience was with the Nieto family.  This was an experience I will never forget. As a ward we had a goal to baptize four souls in the month of October. As of last week we had only baptized one person and our goal seemed impossible.  On Tuesday night we were planning and we felt inpsired to go by and visit Chelsie, a young mom we had found two weeks prior but had no luck in getting back in contact with for days! When we knocked on her door it was as if words filled my mouth, “Chelsie we have been sent by God to tell you that He loves you and that His gospel has been restored to bless your family.” We said that we were busy now but wondered if we could come back later.  She started to cry and said I would love that. We came back later that night and wondered why she cried at the door!  She said, “My husband is no longer allowed to live here, I am raising this family alone.  I got on my knees this morning and told God I couldn’t do it anymore and I needed help and needed to know what to do next.”  We felt inspired to tell her that we had a baptismal service this Sunday if her family wanted to be baptized. She said “I would love that, we want to be closer to God and want a new start in life, I know you were sent by God.” For the next few days we taught the whole family twice a day! They soaked up the gospel.  Katielynn, her daughter said “ I prayed about the Book of Mormon and I felt my heart sparkle!” Haha she is too cute. The family was baptized yesterday and was the most spiritual day of my life.  It was amazing to see this young family enter the fold of Christ, to join his fold. They were placed in our path for a reason! God knows us and guides us back to Him.

Lisa's baptism!

     We also baptized Emma, Lisa's daughter.  We baptized Lisa at the beginning of the month!

      I just simply testify that God is a God of miracles. We see them everyday in our lives but we must choose whether we notice them or not. 

     I learned three things from this experience. 1: We must begin with a spiritual experience. We prayed as a ward and strongly felt that we could find four souls! That was the anchor that kept us going! My favorite example is that of Enos!  His faith became strong after he felt the power of God!  “And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord…” We must seek the spirit of the Lord which will allow us to stay strong no matter the circumstance. 

     2:  Remain in righteousness. As we live our lives righteously as to allow the spirit of the Lord to guide us, we will not be led astray! We will accomplish our goals and dreams! 

     3: And lastly, we must rely on Christ. At the beginning of the week I just decided I had to turn it all to the Lord! Christ said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Why not then rely soley on Christ!? We must have pure faith in Him. That it truly is all up to Him and He will light the way. As we combine all of these things in our lives, miracles happen! It's amazing how God works. We found this family two weeks ago! We could have started to teach them then and reached our goal. But instead it came down to the last week! As we endure our trials, we gain hope! That’s why God tests us and tries us! This family of three was placed in our path, as a tender mercy from God! We did nothing.  He prepared them and guided them and led them to the truth! Christ has redeemed this family!  He has guided them to His church. The Savior will do the same for us daily as we turn it all over to Him and walk each step in faith, following after his righteousness. 

     I love My Father in Heaven and My Savior.  I will forever live my life as to be guided by them. They love us! They are teaching us daily, They always are, we just have to decide to learn from our experiences.  I will be forever grateful for this week.  I love you all! This is the Truth!  I share my own witness, that Christ lives.  He loves us all!  He is the only way to happiness.  Let's rely on Him, especially in these troubled times. Be safe this holiday. 

Love,

Elder Aiken