We survived Semana Santa! It was actually pretty relaxed by the time the weekend came because the majority of the city left to go visit family or the beach. The streets were completely empty and I wondered if I was back in the states for a bit because it was so quiet. Because the majority of our investigators were nowhere to be found, we spent a lot of time in the member´s houses sharing messages about easter and the atonement. I was a little surprised and saddened to find that many of them didn´t know exactly what easter was or why the atonement was completely necessary. I hope that you all had the opportunity to remember your Lord and Savior during this last weekend and reflect on what His sacrifice means for you. I know that He knows and loves us and thanks to His atonement we can repent and improve. We can become perfected through Him and have the chance to live again with our families in the eternities. I hope you will let the knowledge of this wonderful blessing change every day of your life.
Everything is going very well here in Puerto Plata. Our converts are staying strong and I am often humbled to see their conversion. Albert blessed the sacrament this week and I felt chills as I remembered the kid with earrings and his bling talking about his life as a drug dealer and then hearing him repeat the words to the sacrament prayer on bended knee in a white shirt and tie. It was such a beautiful blessing for me.
I just want to share one experience this week that I learned a lot from. I hope you haven´t all gotten sick of hearing about Ysmenia. This woman has become one of my heroes and the perfect example of allowing the testimony of Christ change your life and your heart. I told you the last few weeks that she has been sharing the gospel with everyone. Last week she gave us 6 more references. Her family is all very strong Catholics and the family is known in this town as being a prominent part of that church. One day this week Ysmenia took us to visit one of her cousins and her husband. What happened there changed me.
We went in and started the lesson. Ysmenia explained that she wanted to share the blessings that she was received since she got to know about the gospel. She said that her life has changed now that she knows where she comes from, why she is here, and where she is going after this life. The husband stood up and said curtly, "You know that I am Catholic. I don´t want to hear this" then walked away. We started teaching the plan of salvation and her cousin interrupted us as we started talking about this life. She asked, "Why don´t you have more requisites to be baptized? I feel like Ysmenia just jumped into this without thinking. She doesn´t even know what you believe. Someone needs to go to a church for awhile before they can make a decision like that." We explained that it is more about a person´s heart and if they have repented then a specific amount of time but that didn´t stop her. Ysmenia shared her testimony of how much she has had her life blessed and how she felt the spirit when she prayed to know if this was true and why she wanted to be baptized. The husband returned after a few minutes, livid. He stood up with his finger pointed at Ysmenia and began to speak at her very strongly saying that she had betrayed the family and betrayed the Catholic church. He accused her of never even searching for God before. Then he said she had made up all the experiences she had had with the spirit because she was just desperate to find something to fill her life. He said a lot of other really nasty things and kept at it for a good 5 minutes. I sat there feeling so bad for Ysmenia. I felt tears coming as my heart just ached for this woman and I spoke up and said, "Excuse me. I know this is not my place in your house but I don´t feel that this is appropriate. We came here in peace because Ysmenia wanted to try and share something that has blessed her life with her family. We did not come in to fight or attack your faith and it is not appropriate for you to attack her either. With your permission we will finish and leave." He insisted that he was not attacking her and continued for a few more minutes. My companion was about ready to explode and I saw her getting more and more angry. Luckily his wife spoke up and we were able to finish with a prayer. We asked him to say it and in the prayer he said, "Please forgive me but I felt pushed by a power greater than me to defend thy true church." I left really frustrated and so sad for Ysmenia. As we walked away I put my arm around her and asked if she was alright. She said she was and that she had just stayed quiet because she knows that we never fight and that the spirit is not a spirit of contention. Then the next comment surprised me when she said,"Now you see why they need to gospel. He is not happy and they have a lot of problems. Maybe Carla will be able to talk to them and soften their hearts." Elder Bednar said that the character of Christ is that He turns out when you or I would turn in. I was shocked at Ysmenia´s reaction. After just being yelled at and rejected by her own family instead of feeling bad for herself she realized that they needed the message of the gospel and that only Christ can heal and help them. My companion and I were ready to curse the house and never go back but this loving woman instead of turning inward, turned out. She truly knows Christ and has become like Him. I felt so humbled in that moment and I hope someday to have the same love that she has for others.
This cousin of Ysmenia´s called some of the other references and told them not to accept us, but that has not stopped Ysmenia. I don´t share that story to make you all scared of giving references and having people reject you. I share it to do the opposite. To show that if you have a true testimony of this gospel and the atonement and understand just what the atonement means for you and everyone else in this world, it won´t matter if the people reject you. You won´t be worried about YOU. You will be worried about THEM. You will turn out like Ysmenia did instead of turning in like my companion and I and like the grand majority of members in this church. This atonement is too priceless to NOT share it. It is the only thing that will heal everyone and fix the problems we are facing in this world. If you have been blessed with the wonderful knowledge and truly feel the power of that testimony you will feel the need to share that testimony with everyone you meet. That is my invitation to you all today. Share your testimony. Share that blessing of the gospel with all that you know. That Savior loves us and as we try and share His love we are able to feel of that love even more deeply in our lives.
I love you all and hope all is well!
No comments:
Post a Comment