So, there were two awesome, amazing miracle baptisms this week! In December 2012 I got transferred to Waconia. When I first got to Waconia we found this lady named Laysla, from Honduras, she has two kids; Chris and Bingle. Here is from my letter on Dec 24th 2012: The next day (Thursday) we taught about 10 lessons and set baptismal dates with 4 people!!! The first two are Laysla and her son Chris (also her husband, Carlos, and daughter, Bingle, are really interested and we are working to set a date with them as well). Laysla is from Honduras and doesnt know much English. during lessons she always stops us and looks up words with her iPod and then after she understands we continue. Chris, Layslas son, is 14 and he is SUPER ready and excited to get baptized! He said he just wants to get baptized when his mom does. We set a date with them for Jan 12. This is from Dec 31st 2012: On Thursday (back in Waconia) we had a good lesson with Laysla, Chris and Bingle. When we got their Chris, who is normally super excited to learn more and loves the missionaries, was hiding in his room and wouldnt come talk to us. Laysla explained that, over Christmas, Chris and Bingle had gone to South Dakota to visit their Dad (Laysla was married to that guy and then got divorced and is now married to Carlos but Chris and Bingle are children of Laysla and that first guy). He said that Bingle and Chris can not get baptized until they are 18. Chris is 14 now and he was SOOOOOO excited to get baptized on Jan 12 with his mom, so the prospect of having to wait 4 years or more really hurt for him. We taught them about faith and asked them all to pray for strength and then each talk to their dad and explain why it is important to them to get baptized and why they want to now and not wait until they are 18. Hopefully through some miracle he will change his mind. From Jan 7th 2013: So, Leysla, Chris (14) and Bingle (17) are probably the most awesome investigator family ever. Leysla is getting baptised this Saturday at 2pm and Chris and Bingle would also get baptised at that time but their dad wont let them until they are 18. So they have all been fasting a praying for a way to soften that guys heart so that he will allow them to be baptized. and hopefully they will in the near future. For now they will just have to settle on being fully active non-baptized members. But they are still so cool! Chris is only 14 but his testimony of the church is so powerful! While we have been teaching them, Chris has been bearing his testimony all the time and showing his mom scriptures in the book of Mormon to help her to over come challenges. He is the reason that she is getting baptized! It is such a miracle! And Jan 14th 2013: Saturday (Jan 12th); BAPTISM!!! The baptism was at 2pm. Laysla, one of the most awesome ladies ever got baptized with her two kids and husband looking on. With the Lords help they will be baptized later! It was a great experience! The Spirit was SUPER strong and Laysla was SUPER happy! Awesome Miracle! After the baptism of Laysla we continued visiting pretty often to teach the kids and help Laysla to continue to be a strong, active member. She did and so did the kids. We got them involved with early morning seminary. They never missed a day as far as I knew. They both love the scriptures and, because of seminary, they knew the gospel really well. But still, the dad would not give permission :( I was transferred out of Waconia in July 2013 after serving there for 8 months. I went to Andover from there and served for 4 months there. Then in November I was transferred to Minnetonka, where I am now. Bordering Minnetonka, to the west, is Waconia making Waconia part of the Zone which we now lead. Because of being a zone leader Ive been able to go on exchanges back to Waconia and see the tons of people I love. Its been awesome! But... still Chris and Bingles father would not give them permission to be baptized. Tuesday, Feb 4th 2014: We broke into a lock out apartment complex and were knocking on doors. We taught an awesome guy the restoration and just as we finished the phone range. It was the Waconia Elders (Elder Ormsby, my great-grandson, and Elder Hurst, my great-great-grandson). Elder Hurst was on the other end of the line and said Elder Wall! Guess what I have in my hand?! I had no idea but just joking around I said What? Written permission from Christ and Bingles dad for them to get baptized? ... long pause ... YES!!! They got permission! We have their dads written permission with his signature! Theyre getting baptized on Saturday! WOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MIRACLE!!! In our mission to go to a baptism that is not in your ward you have to have one of your investigators with you so that they can be there and feel the Spirit of the service. As soon as we hung up from talking to the Waconia Elders we immediately called our investigators and told them they need to come! We got Michael (the guy who was previously in prison... or maybe I havent written about that...). But Michael cant drive on weekends because of some DWIs. So we had to get a ride to Waconia. By a miracle, the first person we contacted to get a ride said he could do it! The baptism was AWESOME! It was like all the happiness of a tornado in a trailer park combined with the happiness of twenty 3 year olds on Christmas morning! And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! (D&C 18:15-16) So ya, missionary work is awesome! You should all do it. We had a bunch of other miracles this week but I dont have time to tell about all of them cuz there are just to many. One was that we taught an awesome ninja (literally) who was a world champion MMA fighter and was on the U.S. Olympic karate team. He was baptized in August. He has a crazy pants ex girlfriend... side note... But hes super cool. His name is John. We are moving houses with in the ward because the Hickens (who we live with now) son is getting home from his cambodian speaking mission in California and we are currently living in his room... We are moving to a member who lives right by John, the ninja man. And he said for our morning work outs we can come to his ninja studio and work out with him. Its going to be ligit! :D So we got to go pack our stuff for the move... The Gospel is real! Use it every day! Love You all! -Love Elder Wall
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:48:26 +0000
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