Tuesday, June 26, 2012

God is always there!



      HELLO EVERYONE!! Good morning and happy Monday to you all! Life is just a wonderful blessing. God lives and loves us all and will see us home. I have seen some wonderful and touching miracles this week that have reminded me of the power of God, for with him nothing is impossible! 
      This Sunday I was given the wonderful opportunity to speak in Sacrament Meeting, I love to speak, it's wonderful to talk of Christ my dear friend and Savior.  As I prepared the talk I was struck in awe as I studied Christ and His life and mission. I testify that Jesus Christ truly is the selfless one, He is our Redeemer and our guide through this life. I have seen His hand daily in this work. There are days when the work load, the seemingly unfixable lives of our investigators, and the challenges that other missionaries are facing, almost bring me to the ground. In those moments of pleading prayer the hand of the Lord always reaches down and reveals the path and the solution. Those answers don’t always come at once, they at times take much of the night in humble prayer for that guidance to come! But it does come. Our lives seem to become increasingly complicated, but our older Brother Jesus Christ has suffered all things. All sin, stress, and pain. Through Him we can be guided through every trial.
Brother Greg who was baptized a few weeks back, has been facing a lot of trials. He lost his job about a year ago and his wife seems to be getting less and less hours. His future seemed bleak, but he pressed on keeping the commandments of God in fullness, knowing that the Lord would provide in due time. During this time he seemed to always look outward. Although his finances were slim, he did everything he could do to help others! On Sunday he informed us that he is going to be starting a bible study this week where he is going to be inviting all of his friends and family over to teach them the gospel. He said, “What scriptures should I use? Should I use 2 Nephi 31? I just don’t want to go too heavy on baptism yet!” He is an amazing man, and literally wants the whole world to know that Christ has restored His church to the earth today! Well, this morning he received a call that he was getting hired back doing roofing! He will start working full time! What a miracle! As King Benjamin states in the Book of Mormon truly happy is the state of those that “keep the commandments of God, for they are blessed in all things…” I humbly testify that our Lord and Savior will bless and lead us through life's afflictions as we firmly keep our lives focused outward! For that is how Christ lived His life.
Douglas is doing amazing!! I am humbled by his love for life and for the gospel. He seems to yearn to learn everything he can about the gospel! Last night he attended yet another baptism and said, “I wish the days would go quicker until my baptism.” There is a family in the ward that has literally taken him in like a son! The families here are true examples of Christ. Each time we call him, he usually replies something like, “Oh I am just leaving the Wheelrights for dinner…” I love this gospel! I love to see others emulate our Savior! For in gaining the attributes of Christ can we become pure and holy! Pure and Holy to stand before God at the last day.
Yesterday we had the baptisms of Viane, Angel, and Bryan! IT WAS AMAZING! The room was literally filled to the brim, with families standing in the hallway! And besides me realizing about two minutes before the baptism started that I forgot my baptismal pants, everything went great! It only started a half hour late! Seeing these families, many who are coming back to church for the first time in years, overwhelms me! We may wander! But it seems, those that do, never will find that happiness elsewhere and always return
I testify as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the only true way of happiness is through Christ! For each of us spiritually die when we come into this life and sin, but through Christ our spirit can literally be born again! Is there a greater blessing? I love you all! Have a great week of miracles.

Love, Elder Aiken

Monday, June 18, 2012

Busy baptizing!


     Hello everyone!! I hope that all is well where ever you may be. Today has been quite exciting! We received a call last night that we would be getting a new missionary today! We just got back from picking up Elder Lovell there from the mission home. He is from Las Vegas, it will be great to have a tri-panionship for the next few weeks, he is going to be a great addition to the work.
     I am filled with excitement as I write to you today, my love for this work seems to expand almost everyday! This past week was simply miraculous! So many lives are beginning to change from this great gospel and its glad message. Often we set plans in our lives that we think should work out, but those aren’t always the Lord's plans. I have seen that as we  rely on the Lord through this life, he will show us the way. He will often make our plans happen, but through means that we didn’t understand or think of before.




     Tuesday night we had the baptism of Greg! It was just amazing. As he and I walked out of the font I asked him how he felt and he said, “I feel different. I just feel like a huge burden has left me!” He smiled all the week long. Everyday we called and asked him after he was doing following his baptism and he always replies, “I am doing great!” Greg is someone I look up to so dearly. He has done so much in his life to get his family on the right track. His daughter Ashley attended the baptism and said that as she watched her father come out of the water, “Something overwhelmed me. A feeling that I have never felt before, I want that in my life.” Ashley and her son are both on date to be baptized. Greg continues to show us new people to teach quite often. His friend Dwayne came to his baptism on Tuesday and was changed forever. He committed to stop smoking and is working towards being baptized next month. Greg continutes to tell us we need to start bringing more people to the church!  It's great to see the change that has come upon him since accepting Christ in his life.



     We had another miracle baptism. Kayleigh, who also came to Greg's baptism, decided that she wanted to be baptized on Saturday! Her baptism on Saturday was something I will never forget. My dear friends and family, the gospel of Jesus Christ has an ability to change the lives of people, it's something that is tangible and real. Why wouldn’t we all run from person to person and tell them of this message? That God has reached down in love and again called a Prophet to restore the fullness of His gospel again to the earth! And because he loves us He knew there would be confusion, so He gave us the Book of Mormon, the physical evidence that we can literally hold in our own hands, and seek Heaven's help to know of its truthfulness. The Church of Jesus Christ is again on the earth and is sweeping the earth with joy. It was powerful to see Kayleigh’s smile as she was confirmed on Sunday! Her appearance just beams with joy.               .
     There was another great miracle that I wish to end with today. His name is Douglas. We knocked into him a few weeks back soon after he had arrived here from Kenya! He is a very shy man and dearly misses his wife and young children that are back home. In Kenya he had a stroke, and lay sick in bed in a rundown hospital in Kenya for sometime. He was finally given the opportunity to come to the United States where he could have his open-heart surgery! He received the treatment that saved his life! He now has recovered and is looking for a job here in Federal Way. Friday we went to teach him and could tell that he seemed very down. As we ended the lesson, I just knew something wasn’t right. So I looked at him and asked what was wrong. He said that he hadn’t heard from his wife in weeks and that he finally talked to her that morning and the conversation didn’t go well. He humbly just said, “I miss them, and I miss my kids. I hope everything is alright.” We felt prompted to offer him a priesthood blessing. He gladly accepted. After the blessing, he looked up at us with the biggest smile. He said, “I have never felt that before, I feel complete and total peace.” I will never forget leaving his home and feeling the joy from his countenance. Saturday night he came to the baptism of Kayleigh. After the service ended I walked towards him and could just see his excitement. He said, “I feel like I'm home. I have always been looking for this. I will come here every Sunday. I want to be baptized!” We took him on a tour of the church and sat in awe as he slowly looked at every portion of the church. Just happily looking at everything and enjoying every minute of it. His spirit is so strong, it's something I will never forget! The first thing he asked after we showed him a picture of the Book of Mormon on a pamphlet, he pointed to it and then asked “When can I get one of these?” We gave him one that night in Swahili and asked last night about how his reading was coming. He said, “I want to read it all day. I didn’t leave my room very much the last two days. It’s the word of God! I will read it when I get home!”  Douglas is literally enveloped by the gospel! We haven’t been able to communicate the best, he has literally only been influenced by a priesthood blessing, the church building, and the Book of Mormon. What more evidence need have we of the truthfulness? The truthfulness beams from the face of this Kenyan man as he happily asks each time, can we meet tomorrow? His youthfulness and joy for the gospel has changed me.
     It's amazing to see the world and its attacks on Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. For if those two things are discredited, the whole church goes along with it. The world is filled with evil, and lies about both subjects. Just as Christ was mocked, and lies were spread of Him, the same has happened today when Christ has restored His church to the earth today. I humbly testify that the Lord has revealed the truthfulness of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That answer came in a powerful way, one that I will never be able to deny. For each of us in search for truth, or greater knowledge, the Lord stands readily waiting to guide us. Although the answers don’t always come at once, if we truly intend to follow the answers we receive to our fullest, they do come! It’s a joy to know that God has again called a man to the earth, to be his Voice in troubled times. God is a God of miracles, His power and glory is spreading the earth. I love this Gospel. I am humbled by it daily. The Book of Mormon contains many precious and simple truths that can guide us safely home. Tears come to my eyes each time I read the precious words of the Book of Mormon, those prophets truly wrote it for our day! For their future generations to guide them to Christ. We must never take lightly the things we have been given for they truly contain the words of life. 
     I love you all. I testify that God lives and that Christ suffered for each of us! Don’t despair, for the gospel of Jesus Christ is again on the earth. Seeing Kayleigh, Greg, and Karleanne confirmed on Sunday filled my soul with inexpressible joy. I wish the whole earth could see the joy that comes from the truths restored to the earth today!

Love,
Elder Aiken

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

The Work rolls on!




    Hello everyone! Good afternoon! The Lord has spared me another transfer and I will be staying here for six more weeks with Elder Lindeman! I can't wait. This truly has been a miraculous transfer and this upcoming one will be amazing. My dear friends, God lives and loves us! How powerful it is to know of their plan for us here, and that all will be well in time!
     Tears come to my eyes as I recall this past week. The miracles that were seen were literally from the heavens. I owe everything to my all merciful Father in Heaven. As Elder Lindeman and I knelt to pray last night, we were in awe, speechless recalling all that happened. We feel that we have done nothing to deserve this, and completely humbled by the Lord's willingness to be with us.
     Sunday, as I mentioned last week, a woman came up to us and notified us that her children wanted to be baptized! Monday we went and taught this wonderful family. We walked into the garage to see that all of them sitting reverently on the couch with hymn books ready to learn. It was a powerful thing to feel of their spirit and see their excitement! Vianne, Bryan, and Angel will all be baptized on June 24th! We can't wait. We have been teaching them for a week now, but their less-active mothers wouldn’t join. Last night the mother of Bryan and Angel, and Vianne's mother both joined the lesson. We watched the video of the Restoration. I couldn’t help but hold back tears as I looked across the room at this family. The mothers were hit so deeply by the Spirit that they broke down in tears. Both haven’t attended church for years. Carol, the mother of Angel and Bryan, said the closing prayer. She became very emotional as she expressed her desire to come nearer to Christ. It's amazing to see this whole family beginning to come back to church! That is how God works.
     For the past few weeks we have been teaching Kaylee, the single mother I have spoken of a few times. This week as we entered her home, her face beamed with joy. She literally looked like a different person, the spirit felt so different in that home. She said, “I have prayed, and I feel this is true! I feel this is what God wants for my family!” She read the talk from Elder Baxter last General Conference to single mothers and was changed forever by it. She says that every single mom should have it posted upon the walls of their homes. I'll never forget looking at this family as they sat on the couch together, and picturing all of the steps that were put in place for her to be in this ward at this time. What a miracle! She will be baptized next weekend.
     Thursday we had yet another miracle! That morning we felt prompted to go do a blitz with a set of Sisters in the zone, and as we began knocking the doors of the spot they sent us, it just didn’t feel right. This was actually the same area I served in last summer!  I bowed my head to seek the Lord's help in where we should be, and the face of a man I talked to once popped into my head, soon followed by the picture of the street. We ran to the car, and headed to the area. We ran up to the door and knocked. Soon Brody answered. The very man I taught once last year, and he looked so happy to see us. We taught him briefly about Christ and he said, “I still really want to be baptized!” He accepted an invitation to be baptized next month! I have pondered the miracle of this encounter for the last few days, and have been humbled sufficiently. The Lord knew this young man's heart and wanted him to enter into His fold. The Lord knew he would be home then and slowly guided us throughout the day so that we might be there at that time. How wonderful is the Plan of our Father. How lucky we are all to be instruments in His hands. I wish that this service could extend for years. Seeing the joy appear on a burdened face, once they hear of Christ and His love, is something I will cherish all my life. I just can picture the joy that must come upon the face of our Father in Heaven when His children turn their lives back on the right track.
     Greg called us on Friday with an amazing story!!! He said he woke up that morning around 5 am with a burning in his heart and he knew that God wanted him to be baptized. That morning we received the following message, “Hey Elders it's Greg. I decided I want to be baptized tonight at 7. Let me know how I do that. Call me back.” Haha - we were a little stunned. His family had received a lot of opposition. We have continued to teach them and pray with all our souls but we thought it would be some time before they would turn around! Luckily the Lord's time isn’t always ours! We tried all that night to pull together the baptism, but it was too short of a notice. So we will be having his baptism tonight! We are so excited! He said at his interview, “I woke up and decided I need to lead all of my friends and family here! I knew I needed to be the first one.” Greg literally has introduced us to multiple people to teach. He is one of the most charitable men I have ever met. This baptism will be amazing, we just can't wait.




     One last miracle. Monday evening we found out that a Marshalese family we had been teaching had a niece in the home that just turned 8! Wednesday morning we felt inspired to go to her home! They decided that she should be baptized on Sunday! Karleanne’s baptism was so special. I will never forget the smiles upon the faces of this family! They are just the most happy and wonderful people. They call us almost daily just to say "hi" and see how we are. Karleanne skipped into the building and straight to the font. It was a wonderful moment, to see the humility in a young girl's heart to follow Christ.
     My Dear Brother and Sisters, I sit in awe as I recount the week! I just want to run from person to person here and tell them of this glad message, that a loving Father in Heaven has again reached down in love and restored His church to the earth today! That God still loves us today as He has from the beginning of time. He has reached down in love and called a Prophet to the earth, to restore all that has been taught from the beginning.  The fullness of the Gospel is again on the earth! How happy is that knowledge! I love you all so much and thank you for your love and support as I have served here! This is the greatest experience of all my life. God Bless you.  Alofa Atu.

Love,
Elder Aiken

Monday, June 4, 2012

Leave No One Behind!





     Hello Everyone! I hope that you have had an amazing week. This past week has been spectacular!  I am filled with joy as I recount all that happened. I have learned many tender lessons this week, some that I feel will change my life forever.
     I am amazed as I read the scriptures and study the life of Christ. Christ led the perfect example for each of us. I feel blessed to have the scriptures and study His teachings, for in them we learn how to be truly happy now, and to be happy for eternity. 
     Wednesday we were driving down a road to see one of our investigators. As we drove down the road we saw a man on the side of the road struggling to walk. A woman stood with him and tried to help him stand.  As we drove by it seemed he regained strength and was able to walk once again. As we reached the end of the road a feeling came over us that we needed to turn back and we did. As we approached the part of the road where the man once stood we saw him lying in a ditch. We quickly pulled over and ran to his assistance. After some time we were able to get him on his feet and stood on each side of him to balance him on his way home. The walk wasn’t easy, in his drunken state he wasn’t necessarily the nicest person, but we kept walking to get him to a safe place. It was easy to jump to conclusions as we walked along, to be frustrated and annoyed.  Soon after, we got him to a neighbors yard and we talked to the woman who he first stood with.  She said, “He was beaten by a group of men years ago, and struggles with many pains in his body.” It was tough to balance him with a shoulder that had never healed from the beating. He now had to walk with a cane and struggled speaking. Alcohol was to numb the pain and to help him feel whole again.  
     In life it's easy to leave people behind. To judge them for who they are or how they act. Whether it’s a neighbor, someone on the pew behind you in church, or a classmate a seat over. It's easy to be caught up in our lives and hope that they have someone else to comfort them or to be there in their times of need.  
     Today I read in the book of Helaman, chapter 3. The people during this time in the Book of Mormon have experienced a great period of peace and prosperity. Soon, some begin to stuggle and aren’t as blessed as the rest. In verse 33-34 we read “….In the fifty and first year of the reign of judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church­­-not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God-. And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble past of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction.” Now I don’t know that all of the persecution that is spoken here had to deal with beating others. At times we might not see the sadness that we bring to others, when we pass by them or fail to offer a helping hand. But we never seem to forget the sadness or misfortution that is brought our way each day. In those moments we then petition God for help. But do we do our part in helping those that might be in a similar situation? Suffering their own afflictions and pleading with God that someone would be kind enough to not pass them by? 
     I love to read in the New Testament of the example our Savior set, for he never let anyone pass by. For we are all in this together! We are all here preparing to return to the presence of God! Christ knew well that life's walk would not be easy, so he never let the lame, the blind, the leprous, nor the sinner pass by without offering comfort. He always paused to take time to give a helping hand and help the less-fortunate. He was rid of pride.
     My dear Brothers and Sisters, our Savior will never leave our side or leave anyone behind. Nor should WE. I learned a life long lesson on the side of 8th avenue that I will never forget. Never leave anyone behind.  “…unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.” 2 Nephi 31:16. And why shall we follow the example of Christ? “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that we may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that we may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.” Christ has set the example of offering help to all those that stand in need. Oh how we will be blessed by following that example. There truly is happiness in purity! As we follow Christ we will become pure! How true that statement is. 
     This past week we have focused on re-dedicating ourselves to Christ! It has been one of the most powerful weeks of my mission. The spirit of the Lord has burned within us, it seems that at every turn we have been prompted to find those ready for the restored truth! We had 4 families come to church on Sunday, I will update you next week! Their lives are being changed by the goodness of the Gospel. I just wish to scream for joy as they begin to feel true happiness and understanding of Gods plan for them!  I have a firm testimony that Jesus is the Christ! The example and rock we can all build our lives upon! For by following His example, we can be made pure! We can prepare to stand before God. And we can learn and gain the attributes that will assist us all of eternity.  Each day and each moment is a blessing from the Lord, a chance to learn a lesson that will be with us forever. How blessed we are to have come to this earth. I love you all! God Bless You!!

Love,
Elder Aiken