I Cannot Explain to You the Light that has Come Into His Life

From Cambree King

Teaching in Honduras

... Gustavo. So everyone here kept mentioning to us that we needed to teach him the law of chastity. I guess they kind of have judged him but anyways... the story goes. We went on Monday to teach him and as we walked in, we both decided that the law of chastity wasn’t it. We needed to teach him the word of wisdom.

We taught what we could, and he began to tell us that he drinks coffee. He doesn’t just drink it... he lives off of it!! Haha! He drinks a good ten glasses of coffee each day. That is definitely hard to hear when his baptism date was for Saturday. Well... we didn’t give up.

The next day, he committed to only drink three glasses of coffee. Of which he did and the next day, he went down to two. That was Wednesday and on Thursday... he drank three. On Friday, we bought some organic coffee that Mormons can drink and we took it to him -  from Friday on, he said that there would be no more coffee in his house and he was done. It was literally something incredible... leaving coffee in less than a week.

And so he got baptized this Saturday and I cannot explain to you the light that has come into his life. When he left the water, he had the biggest grin on his face and every person there could see the difference he has made in his life. The bishop took a good ten minutes to talk about the change he has seen in him and was literally left shocked. I have prayed that the Lord would bless us with people that have a true desire to come unto Him. Gustavo has pure intention to come unto the Savior and I am so grateful that I was blessed to be here and be part of his coming unto Christ.

I've Seen the Blessings...and it's Time I Recieve Them for Myself

From Cambree King

Teaching in Honduras 

Carmen, the girl who was confirmed last week, she is the one who didn’t go to work for food but went to Church. We were teaching her a lesson and her sisters as well. All of the children of that family are now members. Carmen’s mom, Jessica, actually gave us a little attention and listened in to what we were saying. We talked about prophets and Joseph Smith and living prophets today. Each of them started in with plenty of questions like, “What happens if the prophet dies?” or “How many prophets have there been?” Either way, Jessica was really interested in what we were saying. 

We were joking with her and asked her when she would make the decision to be baptized. She just looked at us and said, “You’re right... it’s something I need to do. I’ve seen the blessing that have come to my home and it’s time I receive them for myself.”

 We asked her if she would be baptized Saturday, July 4. She planned her baptism, but she wants it on a Sunday so she can just be baptized before church and then get confirmed. It was incredible. She has been visited by so many missionaries, but I guess that now is her time. It was incredible to see how feeling the Spirit and listening to the message of the Restoration can change the hearts of the people.

He Was Just Telling Me to Trust in Him

From Brooklyn Winn

Teaching in Argentina 

Well, this week we worked hard. For district meeting, we [traveled] 45 minutes on a bus to Biaha Blonca. That morning I got to see the sun come up and it was so pretty; it reminded me of Idaho. 

 God answers prayers always; some come late and some come very fast. I was just questioning my Spanish to God and then He was just telling me to trust in Him. The next day I had to give the scripture for a lunch. I just gave it my all and it was so good! The family understood it and they had tears in their eyes. Oh, prayer is very important!

She Needs the Gospel and She Knows It

From Cambree King

Teaching in Honduras 

... Carmen got confirmed. She got baptized a few weeks ago (Before I came here), but has never made it back to Church. The father of her two children got in an accident the day of her baptism, so he quit helping her pay for their food. She has been working Sundays simply so that her children can eat. We have tried and tried to help her come to church and this week she committed to come. Her little girl didn’t have milk to drink today, but we promised her that the Lord would bless her for her obedience and He understands her situation. We haven’t had the chance to verify with her, but I know that the Lord will provide. It was an incredible example of faith. She needs the gospel and she knows it.

He Shares our Heartaches and Joys

From David and Viola Ricks

Teaching in Germany

Last week the elders taught a man who has been coming to church for months.  He has so many questions and really wants to learn.  However, he is having a struggle leaving his Catholic roots  and Maria (the mother Mary).  He loves his printed prayers and can't understand the concept of  a personal, loving, Father in Heaven---actually share the heartaches, joys, and desires of our hearts with a divine being who loves us immeasurably. 

 I wrote him a letter, with my very poor German, and sent him a conference talk I thought would help.  He and I have made a good connection.  Hopefully something will happen with him in the near future.  We are enclosing a picture of him, the Elders and us.  His name is Bernhardt.  Keep him in your prayers please.