We really are in the Lord's work. What I have noticed on my
mission is that success in this work doesn't come from the missionary, it
really is the Lord the gives us the success.
My companion and I had been looking everywhere
to find new people to teach. We had been contacting houses, people in the
streets, speaking with everyone and doing everything we were supposed to. After
doing so for a while, we began to think, "Why aren't we finding anyone?" "Where are
the fruits of our labor?" We went and prayed asked for guidance, and kept going. A couple hours later we were thirsty and went to buy a drink. When all the
sudden a woman came up to us and started talking to us. It turns out she is a
less active who recently moved to the ward, she said when she saw us exhausted
she felt compelled to talk to us. She invited us to her house where we met her
family of 6 (her husband and 4 children) all inactive except the youngest who is 6. We invited them to come to church and they all agreed. The husband
(Miguel) told us that he had been feeling for a while that they had to go back to church but hadn't voiced it. All 6 came to church and said they loved it.
What I learned
from this is, that the Lord sees our efforts in his work, and will ALWAYS bless
us if we do His will. More often than not it isn't in the form we think it will
come, like finding "golden" families to baptize. Instead it might come in the form
of reactivating a family that is prepared to come back.
The Lord knows much
better than we do.
Along with that family we had a total of 14
less actives attending church, (including the Sister's sector) With a
total attendance of 81. Which is a lot higher than our average attendence of
about 60 people. I am so grateful for this mission. I truly am learning a lot. I have
never struggled so hard, and been so happy about it. I have never been so
blessed in any other time of my life.
My companion and I are also very exited for
our investigators Santiago and Luisa who are going to be baptized this
Saturday. They are an elderly couple, (Santiago is 86 and Luisa 77) who are
prepared to make their first covenant with our Heavenly Father, and be born
again at their age! They are already looking forward to a year from now when they will be sealed, and make their marriage an eternal
marriage.
I have never been so happy. I love the
mission. It is really hard at times, but every struggle has a blessing
attached.
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Ian Kennedy
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