Saturday, August 16, 2014

The Greatest Promise - 8/11/14



Fianarantsoa
First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I am pretty sure your birthday is around this time :p :) haha
Well this has been a pretty awesome week. On Wednesday Elder Lee, and Elder Web came here and did splits with us. It was SO MUCH FUN! We were able to hit all of our times, and then after everything was over, we ended up making a huge vat of pasta and homemade spaghetti sauce. SO GOOD! Then we just talked for a long time. Dang I love the zone leaders :)
On Thursday we taught some times (appointments) ,and then got changed and went over to our investigator's house to clean. It was pretty awesome as it was just me, Elder Miller, and Francois cleaning, but then some of the young women saw us through the window and began to help us clean. It was SO MUCH FUN! We listened to music, and cleaned, and helped him feel like people cared about him. The only frustrating thing was that one his family was just sitting outside the door and telling us how he won't change and that they have already tried to help him and that basically he sucks. So with all the control I could muster, I told them that as missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we believe that anyone can change, and in fact men change every day. And that if they wanted to help us clean his room then they were more than welcome, but if not then they should get on to doing other things. One of his Aunt's or something then began to try and bible bash with me, telling me about all these different things, and even though I wanted to destroy the foundation of all that she believed by sheer proof....I took a few deep breaths and told her what we believe and that I knew that it was true, and she could know the same if she asked God.
As she left the room I told our friend that we were helping him because we believed that he can change and that we love him. He started to cry a little and began to tell us how long it had been since someone had told that to him. Dang that guy is a stud :)
On Saturday we had a baptism for 2 kids. Raymond, our ward clerk and their father, baptized them and OH! What an amazing experience. The spirit was super strong in that meeting and we had two kids about 12 and 10 years old give the opening and closing prayer. Little kids are so sweet when they pray. It's just.....Right. :)

Also the other branch has a baptism for this Saturday, and so Elder Morley wants me to do a couple of baptism interviews this week. As I have been thinking about baptism for the last couple of days...It's made me realize how important and serious that covenant is. When we are baptized, we show to our Heavenly Father that at that time we are worthy and are living the commandments to the fullest at that time. In those moments we are living the word of wisdom in its most complete form. If we have had problems with it in the past, then we have sworn off smoking, tobacco "All kinds", alcohol, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs. The same goes for the Law of Chastity and the other commandments. When we take upon ourselves the baptismal covenant, we are showing to God that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, to obey his commandments, and to stand as a witness at all times, and in all places, and all things. And this, that we may have the CONSTANT companionship....of the Holy Ghost. Living the laws of Heaven is a refining process and takes practice and time. It is a path of change and of victory over the ways of the world. It is the path in which we must abide if we are to return to our Heavenly Father in those last days...and feel COMFORTABLE in his presence.
I am grateful for being here in such an amazing part of the world. It's been incredible to learn a new culture and way of life, and to try to learn to give all of myself. I am grateful that I still have the rest of my life to try and get better at it :)
Sorry that's all I have time for. Love you All
Elder Lehr

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