What a fantastic and blessed week this has been. We have had to opportunity to do some cool things this week. One of which was trying Balut which is a duck egg. It is common thing to eat in Indonesia and Malaysia. One of the people we are teaching bought us some so we could try it. It was actually pretty good I was surprised. I thought it would be disgusting. I will attach a video. Something else we have been doing this week is practicing a lot for a music performance. We are having zone conference on Tuesday and Elder Larry R. Lawrence of the quorum of the seventy is coming to speak to us. I don't know if you know who that is but he recently gave a talk a couple of conferences ago called "what lack I yet" it was one of my favorite. Well anyways our zone has been assigned to sing in zone conference so me and four other missionaries are singing "rock of ages" I am super excited. We are performing tomorrow.
The Lord has blessed us in so many ways. We were able to find three new people whom the Lord has prepared to hear the gospel. It was an answer to our prayers. Recently I have been feeling like we haven't been teaching very many people. It has just been Emily, Charles, and Ruthie. Since Zach switched over to the Young Single Adult (YSA) ward, and Christine and James have been out of town. So Elder Toki and I have been praying for Heavenly Father to place people in our path, so we can share his beautiful message with them. Well he definitely did.
Last Monday night as we were biking home we were stopped by someone Christian who asked if we were "The Mormons" we gladly said yes we are and he told us he had a friend serving a mission in Washington. We talked to him a little more and found out he has had the chance to read the Book of Mormon a little bit in the past, but he doesn't remember much, we were able to share the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him while talking to him on the street and then we scheduled an appointment with him because he said he wanted to learn more. He is such a cool guy, and Elder Toki and I are so excited to have the chance to teach him again this Tuesday, it was definitely a miracle to have found him.
Next is Neil. Neil has got to be one of the most amazing people I have ever met he is so funny! We found him because some missionaries in the past had talked to him and they left records of him in the area book but for some reason they couldn't get a hold of him anymore. Well Elder Toki and I swung by and it strengthened my testimony that the Lord truly prepares his children. He was so ready to hear the message. He loves learning about religions but he said there is something that he just loves about learning of our faith. While talking to him he said "I don't know why people say the Book of Mormon couldn't be true. It says in John 10:16 'And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.' So why wouldn't Jesus visit the Americas?" We were taken back, we had never had someone defend the Book of Mormon like that who wasn't a member of the church already. I was so impressed. We gave home a copy and invited him to read the Book of Mormon. Next last Saturday we were on 24 hour exchanges with the Elders in the Fair Oaks 4th ward, so Elder Wingard and I went to go follow up. He had been reading and said he was in chapter 2. But he didn't just read the chapters he read the introduction and the testimonies of the witnesses and of Joseph Smith, along with a Restoration pamphlet we gave him. He remembers everything in it. I was so surprised to hear him quote stuff off from it all. He said he really has a desire to know if this is true. He doesn't believe that it could all be made up by one person because he sees how detailed it is as well as the depth in the Book of Mormon. But he wants to know for sure it is true some invited him to pray about it as Moroni says in Moroni 10:3-5. With a sincere heart, with real intent and with faith in Christ and he will receive an answer from Heavenly Father. That was our second miracle this week. We meet with him again this Wednesday.
Our third miracle this week was Isabel. She was another person that had been in the area book because she has been taught in the past. She is one of the sweetest people we have ever met. She loved learning about the Gospel last time she just couldn't continue on because he mother who lived with her at the time was of a different faith and didn't agree with our church. But her mother doesn't live with her anymore so she is excited to start taking the lessons again. She remembers everything she had been taught in the past by other missionaries and believes it is all true. It was astonishing to hear her say that she believes the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the church is true all on our first visit with her. She has a strong testimony. She said the only thing holding her back right now is her addiction to cigarettes and coffee. She is now starting to pray for the strength to help her stop and she has noticed a difference. We invited her to be baptized and she accepted! We didn't set a date yet because we know she is still trying to overcome her addictions, but we promised her as she made this effort to repent and prepare herself for baptism she would receive the strength she needed from our Heavenly Father to help her overcome those addictions. She was so excited and has such a strong desire to be baptized we are excited to meet with her again this Sunday.
Last Thursday we had an appointment scheduled with Emily and Charles. Unfortunately Emily wasn't able to make it because she was going to a candle lighting in Sacramento in honor of those who died in the recent shooting in Florida. We were sad to hear about what had happened there, and prayed for the families of those who who victims of that attack. Because Emily was gone we just met with Charles. He had been reading the Book of Mormon and told us how after he and Emily got into an argument and he went in the other room and started reading. He talked about how immediately after he started reading he felt so calm. We explained that was the Holy Ghost he was feeling while reading the Book of Mormon. He said he will continue reading and praying to know if it's true.
Elder Toki and I have felt so blessed this week. It has truly been amazing. We love the people here. I have discovered that you can never have a bad day if you are out serving others. So if you ever feel sad, lonely, depressed, angry, frustrated, or just bored. Go and serve someone and I promise you won't stay that way for long. I love this work. I love Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ.
In honor of fathers day yesterday. I want to say how thankful I am for my father, who has always loved me unconditionally. I am grateful for his support in all I do. I love him and I am thankful for this sacrifices he has made for our family. I am also grateful for a loving Father in heaven who has given us the opportunity to be here on earth to learn and to grow, and who has lovingly sent his son as a sacrifice so we can return to live with him again someday. I love him and I have seen his hand in my life, leading me and guiding me. I know He lives.
Elder Hallmark
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