Power Of The Word

As we sat there in their house, talking of Christ, the spirit came flowing in. There is just something so powerful as we speak of Him & His life. The things He did, the miracles He performed, the things He taught, the atonement He gave to us. It is all so special. Maria, Mauro, & Lucia felt that. We sat in their house & there was peace. Never had they listened so intently. Something changed. They are opening up their hearts. We are filled with joy.

When we got a reference from social media, we sent a message right away. Planned a call & made that call but as we talked to the kid, there were a lot of people in the background laughing. We felt that maybe it was a joke. We finished the call saying we would call a different time. A different time took a minute as we had the busiest week of our lives last week. Finally, we gave him that call & planned an in-person visit because we could see there was a desire. His name is Elmer. He is from Peru. He came here for soccer & saw the ad & it really caught his attention. So he filled it out. Well, we are so happy he did. He is a light, such a happy soul, & so respectful. We taught him of the restoration & he took it all in. He closed with the prayer & the next day, came to church for the very first time in his life. He loved it. It was sweet. The Lord is preparing people all around us.

We went by to see our sweet friends Marina & Ham. As we started talking, Ham told us he woke up one morning & saw The Book of Mormon on the table & got up to read it. He read just a little bit. His wife was shocked. She said that is so unlike him. She also explained that it was the same thing when he walked into our church for the first time last week for the activity. He had never once walked into the catholic church when the wife had gone. He always waited outside, but he walked into ours. We sat & asked him why. He said, "I don't know, it's just normal." We know why, because the spirit is opening up his heart. He is amazing.

I got to see Thiago this week, it was a miracle. We were on exchanges & he just so happened to have travelled back from Buenos Aires. Randomly we passed by the house just to see if anyone was home. Thiago came out the door & had the biggest smile on his face saying, "it's the missionaries!!" He came out & I was the happiest as can be. Asked him how he's doing & in his response you could tell it has been a struggle, a lot of stress. Just as I started to ask him how he was doing, I began to cry. This sweet boy is light. He is so strong & so brave. He is doing good. He's already back in Buenos Aires for more treatments & testing. It was my joy to see him.

Going to Bahia this week was special. We all brought with us ideas from the new preach my gospel. We prayed on our knees for a confirmation of the goals we set & it was powerful. We counseled together as leaders & got so many ideas on how we can be better missionaries & also the things we can apply as a mission to push ourselves even more. We also got a new mission scripture & I think it's perfect.

D&C 29:7 "And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts"

The people who are prepared by God are listening, but not only listening they are acting on the things they hear. They really believe what we are teaching will bless them.

As I found myself studying in the new preach my gospel, my mind was opened. Alma 26:12 is such a powerful verse, one of my favorites. It is so powerful that I somehow have skipped over the verse that follows every single time I have read it. Alma 26:13.

Alma 26:12-13 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?"

They had seen their brethren repenting & seeing the light. Ammon was overjoyed. He didn't take any of the credit. He simply was used as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. But what I realized this time is that it says, "it is because of the power of the word which is in us." It is marked on their hearts. The testimony is what changed these people. It gave them that power.

So I invite you to get that testimony. You can change lives. When people find the light, everything changes. It brings the greatest joy to see the progress of our friends, the members, & the missionaries. I love being a missionary.

& I love all of you. I sure do pray for you.

With all my heart,

Hermana Morley <3