Sunday, August 21, 2016

PURE TRIAL BY FIRE

ANOTHER DOMINICAN HAIRCUT... I asked for a 3 on the sides and to trim a little off the top... It ended up a 1 on the sides and a 3 on top... OH WELL lol

So this week was a week of PURE TRIAL BY FIRE. Sicknesses, upset investigators, HEAT, and very sore legs and feet. Fast Sunday came around and we thought of fasting for Saul and his family. We started our fast and set out for the street. As we were walking a strong spiritual impression came into my mind and heart that we were fasting for the wrong people! We went into a nearby members house and asked to use their floor... I offered a prayer and changed the fast for Lowilky, the youth that we are teaching. He had a date for this Saturday but we thought of changing it for all the Persecution he has faced and lack of church attendance. After that the day was pretty dull...Once again more trials. 

The next day in the morning Lowilky showed up to church at 8am in dress pants and a wife beater. He said his shoulder was exploding in pain and had to go to the hospital.. We understood but felt just defeated... then we had investigators call after sacrament meeting saying that the members that were going to pass by to pick them up never showed up and left her and the SEVERAL little kids waiting, needless to say she was pretty upset. At this point I thought that literally NOTHING ELSE could go wrong. We walked into Gospel Principal class were the theme was sacrifice. How Appropriate. lol We then went to eat, the members gave a lot of food and after being grateful and stuffed I followed the impression to go with my Elders to their house. We got in and I read once again the talk by David A. Bednar about not shrinking. I then offered a prayer of repentance and set out to work. That night we had a cita (appointment) with Lowilky. We got a call 30 mins after the original cita time... him telling us that his Motorcycle broke. I literally couldn't believe the trials for this poor guy! At that point I had a strong Impression that I should clean the church and the room where we would be teaching.. I swept and mopped and left everything clean so that the Spirit could more fully be present... We would need ALL the help we could get. 

The Second councilor from the District Presidency was with us and he too was waiting. Lowilky finally showed up after about an hour and said that his cousin ( A mechanic) showed up right as his Pasola broke and fixed it for free. He raced over to the Church driving with only one hand. We started the meeting with a blessing of health that Lowilky asked for. After he shared several sensitive feelings. We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I felt Prompted to tell him that in 6 days time he would enter the waters of Baptism even though all Hell should come after him. After several testimonies from my companion and our member and his son... A member of the 70 walked in! Elder Dominguez was in charge of the EFY that Lowilky participated in and had a sita at the house of the member who was with us (because he was in charge of the event.) He had the son of our brother go and get him from the house of the member that he had arrived at and asked to go to the church and accompany us in our lesson. Before he walked in the Spirit was  STRONG but after he came in it was as if he was literally in the room. 



At that point Hermano Thevenin shared a story of another youth that was at the EFY who was determined to get baptized but the same day of his Baptism tore a huge  muscle in his foot. The doctor told him that they had to put a metal brace and that he couldn't be baptized. The youth then replied. "Doctor you may as well just cut the foot off because tonight I WILL BE BAPTIZED" He left the doctor at that instant and went to his baptism. As he left the waters of baptism he looked at Hermano Thevinin and Hermano Thevenin who's a doctor asked about his foot. He simply looked at Hermano Thevenin and simply said, It's healed. Lowilky then said " Look I know the missionaries aren't prophets but everything they said would happen has happened. But I remember the Testimony of Elder Hefner that he shared about the trials he had passed through since the day he got his mission call ( Lowiliky had asked us if we had had trials before something great happened). It was the only thing on my mind all morning. It's what got me to this meeting tonight. " So this Saturday we have a Baptism. Lowilky has to take the lessons every night but he will be getting Baptized on Saturday. The Lord truly answers our Fasts and our Prayers.

Well I have to go... Talk to you next Monday!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Hefner

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