Isn't that an interesting greeting? Its a greeting in the antanosy (ahn tawn oo shee) dialect.
How have your weeks been? Mine has definitely been busy and very rewarding. Let me fill you in all of the things that have happened..
Tuesday: On this day we had another lesson with Sarobidy on a scripture in 3rd nephi. We could really feel the spirit testify to her about the importance of gospel living, and Fr Dada did a great job of bearing his testimony about that. That night we had a soiree with Eliza and Larissa again and talked about the law of chastity. We had a great time and we could feel the spirit pretty strongly.
Wednesday:This day didn't really have a lot other than we visited Fr laurent and read helaman 3 with him and talked about it. He is an active member of the mahamasina ward and he gave a talk just yesterday. After that we went and did some tracting. While we were out a man stopped us and asked us for a pamphlet. we gave him one and then tried to leave but he asked us to go to his house with him to teach him because he drinks and smokes a lot. We went to his house and gave him the first lesson. He was a very genuine man, and his name is zaphy. He came to church with us yesterday and showed us that he is very willing to change.
Thursday: On this day we had a meeting with the bishop about our recent investigators and how the work was going there. We ate food with him that his wife had prepared for us. We had a great time that night.
Friday: On this day we visited zaphy again and gave him the lesson on the plan of salvation. He wasn't drunk this time and the spirit was very prominent there. We asked him to read and study well the book that we gave hime about the plan of salvation. We also had a lesson about the restoration with one of our new investigators, Valerie.
Saturday: This day was very spiritual.
One experience I would like to share from that day was when I baptised a couple of people. the first person I baptised was a man named kevin. He is a great guy and I love him lots. I baptised him, and last second after him I got asked to baptise a little girl name Annicia. I saw her come reluctantly into the water and as she took her first step in the water she looked at me with eyes widened with terror and began to cry for fear of the frigid water. Sr beby, a leader at the baptism, tried to coax her into getting her to continue the baptism, but she hugged my knees and held onto them for dear life. As she did this, I had an impression from the holy ghost to use a talent that is mentioned in my patriarchal blessing: Friendship. I told her in malagasy, "Hey, look!" she looked up into my eyes with tears streaming down her face. "You're strong! You can do it!" As I said those words to her she willingly let herself be baptised for the remission of sins. We remain great friends to this day.
My brothers and sisters, are we not all like sweet little annicia? Do we not all at times in trouble of great uncertainty or trial fall on our knees with tears in our eyes fearing what we don't want to face? Do we not all beg for mercy in those times of darkness to our eternal king? Do we all not wish that there was an easier way around our challenges? I can garuntee that the reply in a lot of these naive yet sincere pleades for help is accompanied with the holy ghosts succoring, applied in the attitude of, "Hey, look! You're strong! You can do it!"
As we strive to press foreward with faith even in the darkest moments of our jouneys in mortality with even just a twig of faith, god will lift us up as if it were on the wings of angels, and those who prove themselves worthy shall be lifted up to the highest at the last day. Never leave a fellow brother or sister in christ who is having a hard time in distress. Do what you can, then the lord will do the rest.
Mandra-pihaona, ry namako!
Elder Johnson
No comments:
Post a Comment