Daniel

ola hola!

Wow, what a week!

I'm sure that most of you have already heard, but a new edition of Preach My Gospel was released last week. It has been so cool to study it and see all of the new insights and information. When talking to all of the mission presidents, President Nelson said that this new edition of Preach My Gospel is to help all of us (whether we are missionaries or not) to know how to share the gospel and to help us and those we teach become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. 

I had an exchange with Sister Mitchell. She is amazing! She came to my area for the day. She is an English missionary but actually knows a little bit of Spanish. Girls camp is this week, so we helped a lady in the ward named Hermana Romero finish making some decorations for it. 

My final interview with President Eyre was last week. The new mission president, President Fisk, will be here this week. I love the Eyres so much and I am sad to say goodbye, but I know that the Fisks will be amazing. On the way to interviews, Hermana Cruz and I got a flat tire. We were almost to the church building, when all of the sudden our tire pressure went to zero. The zone leaders came and changed the tire for us. We couldn't find anything stuck in it, so we have no idea what happened.

A couple of weeks ago, we met a man named Daniel. We talked to him for a minute and gave him our number and the information for church. He also gave us his number. He said that he didn't know when a good time would be for a visit, but he would call us. A couple of days went by, and he didn't reach out. We decided to call him, but his number was invalid. He didn't give us his apartment number, so we just figured that he probably wasn't that interested. A few days later, he texted us saying sorry that he hadn't reached out and that he was still interested. We set up a visit with him later in the week. The day came to have the visit and we confirmed it again with Daniel. However, he still didn't give us his apartment number. We got to the apartment complex and tried to call and text Daniel, but he wasn't responding. Hermano Bustillos was on his way to the visit, and we were about to call him to say nevermind when Daniel finally texted back. Hermano Bustillos got there and we found Daniel. We sat down at a table in the middle of the complex and started getting to know Daniel a little bit more and asking about his religious background. Hermano Bustillos bore his testimony about how he knows that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the church of Jesus Christ on earth today. He also talked about his conversion story and the day that him and his family were baptized. Daniel asked some questions about baptism and was really interested. He asked if he could be baptized, and we said yes. We talked a little bit more about baptism then invited him to be baptized on July 15th. He said yes! He has a strong testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and wants grow his relationship with Them. He had been searching for the truth but didn't know where to find it. Hermano Bustillos' testimony was exactly what Daniel needed to hear. Everything that he said was inspired by the Spirit. The next day, we gave Daniel a tour of the church building, and he came to church yesterday! He told us that he loved the feeling of peace that he had while in the church. It is amazing how receptive he is to the gospel and how ready he is to make covenants with God.

As I have been reflecting on our experiences with Daniel and all that led up to that first visit, I have realized how hard Satan will try to keep us from the truth. He does all that he can to keep us from having spiritual experiences that will bring us closer to the Savior. One of the greatest examples of this is the darkness that surrounded Joseph Smith before the First Vision. Joseph Smith said "After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head." Satan knew the impact that Joseph Smith's First Vision would have on him and on the world. He knew that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be restored through Joseph Smith and that the power of God would once again be on earth. Similarly, Satan knows our potential. He knows what things will tempt us and keep us from reaching it. He will do everything in his power to put these roadblocks in our way. However, the good news is that his power is nothing compared to that of our Heavenly Father. Satan knows our weaknesses, but Heavenly Father knows us perfectly. Although we may not literally be surrounded by darkness as was Joseph Smith, we can have other temptations such as sleeping in instead of going to church on Sunday or watching a new TV show instead of reading the scriptures. I testify that in the moments when it is most difficult to choose the right, it matters most. That is when we show Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that we are willing to do whatever it takes to follow them. I know that these are the moments that increase our faith and strengthen our discipleship. I would like to invite you all to make sure to pray in these moments of weakness. I know that God will help you do what is right. He loves you, and He wants you to have the joy that only comes by following Him. I bear my testimony to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

I love you all! Have a great week!

Con Amor,
Hermana Kendrick













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