August 3, 2015

I forgot to share with you an amazing miracle that happened my last Monday in Arlington. There is this member in the Ward that is a convert of 5 years now. The missionaries that were teaching him when he joined the church had a hard time getting permission from his wife for him to be baptized. They finally got permission and he was baptized. He knew the responsibility and role he had as a member. He would go out with the missionaries once a week, Attended the temple every month, and would fulfill his priesthood duties. But him doing all of this and being gone all the time his wife didn't like it so she then said it either me or the church. Which would have been a hard choice for any member of the church. I would not have wanted that question ever to come up in my life. So he gave up the blessings of the church and continued to have the blessing of a family. But to this day he still has one of the strongest testimonies I have ever heard. He doesn't attend church often but when he does he brings his little girls who are old enough to be baptized. And the little girls want to be baptized and they have even said they want to in lessons but the mom tries to persuade them not to. Well the whole Ward knows this family and loves them to death! And they know we were trying to work with them and would ask us all the time how they were progressing. There was a Ward council that the auxiliary leaders decided to do a fast that her heart would be softened. We all picked a day and fasted. We weren't able to see that family for a while because of work and vacation. But we were able to teach them my last week there and that's when the miracle happened. The mom sat in on the lesson for the first time since I had been there. We were able to talk to her and she was teaching her girls about Christ and his role in her life. It was truly amazing. Then the husband texted us the next day and he told us thank you and explained that she has never sat in on the lessons ever since he has been a member and that's been 5 years. He was so happy and thanked us for bringing the spirit into his home. I know it was the fast that softened her heart! I know fasting doesn't take away people's agency but Fasting may help you and those you love receive personal revelation and become converted to the truth! I know this to be true and I love that family! I hope and pray one day they will grow together as a family in the gospel.

This week has been good. We were able to have a baptism on Tuesday that came out of no where and that made things super stressful. Trying to get everything set up in 4 days is hard and I learned two things from that experience. One is to plan ahead. We really couldn't do that with this baptism but all the other ones that I have been a part of with programs and setting everything up goes a lot smoother with plans. The second one is that just be patient and follow the Lord's timing and everything will work out. 

Elder Winterbottom