Week 67 - November 30, 2016

Hello there! 

First - watch this video:

Light the World

Well, today is my pday, I'm on my way to the temple.  We are taking a recent convert, we were going to take two of them but we couldn't get the other one's paper work done in time unfortunately.  I'll make sure to attach pictures at the end. 

Baptisms were splendid :) SHALL WE NOT GO ON IN SO GREAT A CAUSE? ,
Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward.
Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice,
and be exceedingly glad! - DOCTRINE and Covenants 128:22

We had a great Thanksgiving dinner at our bishop's house.  It was lots of fun.  I taught them how to play Scum too ;)

Yesterday we had a unique experience with our recent convert, Beena.  Unfortunately, we didn't have too much time to plan and prepare for her lesson, so we were kind of unprepared on what we should go over with her, but we made a game time decision and we felt like we should go over "Teaching and Learning in the Church" with an emphasis on receiving a calling and serving (which nobody really ever teaches).  Just like 10 minutes into the lesson Beena just starts crying... and wouldn't stop.  So we ended the lesson a little short and the member we were with stayed in the room with her while we got a few things done in the church.  After the Book of Mormon class which we held ended, the member told us that just this morning she had been praying that God would help her find service opportunities so she could help more people.  She wanted to do missionary work like us and that was our exact lesson to her - very spiritual moment for her to see her prayer be answered right in front of her. 

in the Book of Mormon class, we read Helaman Ch 3 and these verses really stuck out to me:

"Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God."

I definitely know that the Lord is been merciful to me during the course of my life but also so much during the course of my mission.  I feel like I go from failure to failure, but he is constantly there to lift me and help me along the path and has blessed me here and there with such incredible people.  I truly know that there is a place where Justice, Love and Mercy meets. 

We taught a new couple, the Burns.  George (husband) has cancer - we went and saw him in the hospital and he was just beyond excited to have us there.  Yesterday we were able to meet him again and his wife.  His wife is a Jehovah Witness.  We thought we were going to be in for a scary ride, but we had an incredible restoration lesson.  The wife told us, "I have felt like I have been in darkness for such a long time, I just don't know the truth."  The Spirit was very strong in our lesson and she is so ready to dive into the Book of Mormon and begin learning.  George is one funny guy, too, my goodness.  He has such great faith. 

I was able to teach the family from Burma last night.  It was incredible!  We had someone on the other end of the phone who was fluent in Burmese.  He was raving about wanting a Book of Mormon in Burmese (but it has not been translated in that language yet).  He made a funny comment at the end when he said, "We need Joseph Smith back.  He could translate the Book of Mormon into Burmese in a few days!"  This man is so beyond humble though, it is so incredible to see how submissive he is and just eager to learn and grow closer to our Father in Heaven.

Ben and Alanna are both doing great.  They are both going to get baptized the first week of January!  Also Joe, who we have been teaching for quite some time (he is the boyfriend of a reactivated member.  He use to be agnostic but now has a testimony that God lives) is wanting to be baptized - super awesome!  Heavenly Father just makes things happen :) 

I'm sure many other things happened but these are just a few that came to mind.

The church has officially released the new Christmas initiative.  It is called #LIGHTtheWORLD. I t is an incredible two minute video about Jesus Christ and the way he served others, but most importantly it helps us serve and become just like him.  Service has to be the greatest way that helps us feel the Spirit and become more like our Savior. 

This video definitely has such an amazing spirit to it.  I'm so lucky to be a part of this great work at this amazing time.  I invite each and every single one of you to share the video - you can find it on the homepage of: 

 https://www.mormon.org/christmas/light-the-world?play=hero https://www.mormon.org/christmas/light-the-world?play=hero . 

It also has an incredible calendar that shows how you can serve others all the way up til Christmas (which has been included at the end of this e-mail.)

Mark 5

14 Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

John 8

12 ¶Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Here is my Joseph Smith quote for y'all :)  "If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves."

Well, that's about it for me!  Life is good in the service of the Lord!  Thank you for all that you do for me!  I'm getting excited for Christmas!!! 

#LIGHTtheWORLD, 

Elder Wilde