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
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