this is happiness: Cast not away therefore your confidence (May 25 2014)

WOW! What a week! We have seen so many miracles. THE BEST ONE WAS CLIVE'S BAPTISM!!!!!!

We'll start with that one...

SOOOOO on Monday night we met with Clive at the Holder's house and he was interviewed and he PASSED :) and then we taught a lesson about the nature of the Godhead. Which unknown to us was one of Clive's BIG questions of the soul. We talked about how the godhead is 3 separate beings but 1 in purpose thus making them the 1 God, and how we worship Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ and then the Holy Ghost confirms to us what we are doing is right. We taught about how to feel the holy ghost and the peace that come from him. HE LOVED that bible video "on the road to emmaus" it brought the spirit so strong, which is what we wanted because we knew that this last week before his baptism would be a tough one.

On Saturday it was pouring rain all day. It was SO cold. We were worried that the weather would keep people from showing up to the baptism but we were so wrong. There were about 35 people there!!! It was awesome! He was overwhelmed by the love that he felt from the ward. I think the sweetest part of the baptism was after he was baptized he bore his testimony. He FINALLY shared with us what prompted him to request us on mormon.org. So you have to know that every Sunday before church our ward mission leader has us go and stand outside the chapel and wave to all the cars going by and contact any body that walks in front of the chapel and invite them to church. When I first got to the ward I was irritated by this but we would do it.. and sometimes it was lots of fun. Every Thursday night when we have correlation with brother pappas he asks "how was the waving before church?" and we always say.... yep we did it! and then he says "you know I know we haven't had any HUGE success from this but I know that this is a good thing for us to be doing" and we all agree (I mean any good thought is a prompting right?) and then move on. Ok so in Clive's testimony he was like so I drove by the church one Sunday just before1 pm and I thought to myself "should I?" and then I forgot about it... well turns out I did the same thing the next Sunday.... and so then I decided it was a sign from God and I went and requested the missionaries on mormon.org.

Well it was 2 weeks before we got to clive after that... not our fault btw the referral texts in the office weren't working at the time... and so when we finally did get there with Bishop Holder he was pretty shocked. After the first lesson he was feeling a little hesitant, he didn't know if he had enough faith.... I remembered him saying that and so as we were preparing for the next lesson we prayed and asked heavenly father to help him realize that he could have enough faith he just had to let it grow. I remember one morning I was thinking about this a lot and I remembered Elder Holland's talk "help thou mine unbelief" and I was like we should print that out and give it to Clive... I wrote it on a sticky note and stuck it on his teaching record in the area book, and then forgot about it. On the day of the lesson I forgot to print out the talk when we were emailing and I didn't remember until about 20 minutes before, and I kinda felt weird printing out a talk for someone who I hadn't even explained yet what general conference was... but we texted bishop and he printed it out for us. Turns out that talk is what made Clive decide to commit to this whole thing. I know that it wasn't anything that I did for that conversion, but I am so grateful that I was WORTHY to receive the revelation that was needed to help Clive convert. It's an amazing feeling when you can look back and recognize that you followed the promptings of the holy ghost. IT MAKES ME SOOOOO HAPPY!

Our other investigators... well remember how last week I talked about patience.... well looks like I'm still working on that Christlike attribute. Hossain is actually doing amazing. We taught him on Wednesday night at the Evitt's house (1st counselor in the bishopric) and it was so spiritual. He told us that he feels like Heavenly Father is trying to lead him back home and he wants to follow. We taught him about the gospel of jesus christ and half way though Pedro, the interpreter, turns to us and is like "i think this guy really needs to be baptized" hahah so cute. Any way we read with him 2 nephi 31: 21 "this is the way, and there is none other way no name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God." after we read that he was so excited to get baptized on the 5th of July! Then on saturday we taught him and he was like oh i ahven't been reading my scriptures and I can't come to church so we really focused on that. Yesterday when we called him he was like I want to come to church I'm going to ask my boss to change my shift. And I read last night and talked to my god for 5 or 6 minutes I was so happy and have been so happy all day today. I want to keep going.

It was such a sweet conversation. Any way I'm so low on time. and so I have to end there for this week. But keep pressing on.

I LOVE YOU!

love sister Wyatt

ps. the pictures are of me and sister leiatuaua at the temple and then when clive took us grocery shopping this week (apparently I really like that red skirt...) and then at his baptism :)

I found this quote earlier last week and it says "It's not given us to see the end from the beginning but the habits we develop will eventually determine what that end will be." R. Dale Jeffery

I know that sometimes this life can seem overwhelming with challenges. Often we wonder is there a method to this madness but the reasons don't so much matter as what we do through those challenges that do matter. If we can turn outwards, when all the natural instincts are to turn inward we can develop the habits that will allow us to one day reap the rewards of enduring through these trials.

I love the words to the song abide with me

1. Abide with me! fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens. Lord, with me abide!

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!
1. 2. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day.
  
  Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away.
  
  Change and decay in all around I see;
  
  O thou who changest not, abide with me
2. 3. I need thy presence ev'ry passing hour.What but thy grace can foil the tempter's pow'r?Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?Thru cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me!
3. the earthly comforts, the earthly joys will disappear, but The Lord is unchanging. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US!!!! I know that this is true.
Find ways to look outward this week, and I know that you will feel the comfort of the one who will never change and will NEVER leave us.