And then it began to rain...hard...and didn't stop (6/22/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

Another busy week it has been in Pinili. Each week just gets better and better as time flies by. I can't believe that I am already writing another email. It feels like only a few days ago I was writing my last one. Time is just flying, but there is so much joy to take in each minute that goes by while doing the Lord's work. 

Just a short story to explain the title. I went on exchanges this past week in Badoc, a town just south of Pinili. I worked with Elder Ta and we had a great day, including finding several new investigators who now have baptismal dates. It was super hot in the morning (I actually got a bit sunburned, members were asking why my face was the color of a tomato). We went out after studies at 4 and around 5 in the afternoon the weather turned. By six it was pouring rain and we ended up walking back to the apartment at 8 through flooded streets. The water was ankle deep at some spots and of course, I wasn't wearing my rubber shoes. We only had the one umbrella too, since I pulled another smart move and didn't bring mine. And Elder Ta is startled by lightning, so whenever there was a flash of lightning he would jump then just stop where ever he was standing. Definitely a day that will not be forgotten soon. It was my second one like that.

We have made some great progress this past week in Pinili. We have had several great lessons with the Aq family and we extended a baptismal date to Bro. Sher for the middle of August. He has not yet accepted it, but he is thinking about it. We are going to have to give him more focus, since he has not yet come to church and he is still struggling with word of wisdom. Sister V and the two children came to church again though and are well on the way to baptism on July 12. I will keep you posted in the coming weeks on their progress. 

We are still working on getting more investigators with a baptismal date, since that is one of our weak points currently. We extended one to Ald, an investigator who is the cousin of some less actives, but he is not sure if he will be in Pinili still or when he is gong to move home. We found a few other new investigators that we will be extending baptismal dates to soon, including the former Vice Mayor of Pinili, a former pastor who is now looking for the true church, and some people who were visited by missionaries before, but for no reason, just stopped investigating. We are hoping to find more of those that the Lord is preparing in the coming week.

Yesterday after church, we went out to try to teach a family we found a few weeks ago, but again they were too busy to let us teach them. We moved on, not really sure where to go when it  began raining again. We took shelter in a park and tried to think of where else to go. Suddenly I remembered, or most likely the Spirit brought to my mind, a lady we had talked to right after I arrived in Pinili, Sister Ferz. We hadn't gone back to her yet so when the rain let up a bit we hurried over to her house. Her and her husband were there and we taught them a short message about the restoration, they are both interested and one of their grandsons came down at the end of the lesson who was also interested to learn more. We are going back to them next Sunday before Church and will be getting some members involved also, since they know many members. This experience was one that for me, was a testimony of the importance of the Spirit in this work. In our moment of need the Spirit brought to our minds where we needed to go to invite someone to come unto Christ. Some one who has been prepared by the Lord. The prepared are out there and it is up to us to search them out and bring them into the fold of the Good Shepherd.

Just in closing I want to share with you about the reoccurring theme of my personal study this past week. I have been reading in Alma and am at the point where Alma is giving counsel to Corianton. In Alma 40-42, Alma explains very clearly the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement. One of the things that stood out to me very clearly is the role of repentance in the great plan of happiness. Repentance is as necessary as the Resurrection because it is the process by which we are changed from the fallen state of man into the children of God that we must become to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. We are to become the sons and daughters of God through the Atonement. That is the great blessing of the Atonement, for that change we cannot make on our own. But because Heavenly Father sent his Only Begotten Son to atone, we can now make that change. Christ filled the demands of justice and has given us the Gospel, what we need to do to show our appreciation for His sacrifice and qualify for the blessings of the Atonement. If any of you have not yet read Brad Wilcox's talk "His Grace is Sufficient" I highly recommend it. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and as we live the way he has instructed us to and shown us, we can all change and be lifted up at the last day. I have learned much about the atonement this week and don;t have time to share it all here sadly. It truly is the center of God's plan and the greatest, most selfless act ever performed.

I hope everyone has a great week this coming week. Thanks for all the love and prayers. God bless you all!

love,

Elder R Wood