Later on that week we
also had exchanges with Elder Hatch and Elder Richins who are in the
Placerville and Georgetown wards. I went with Elder Hatch because I
could see that he had been struggling recently so we talked a lot about
how he was doing. He had kind of an anxiety attack and even had some
suicidal thoughts at some point. So later that night we called president
Hymas about everything to see how we could best help him and then he
told us to come over to his house to meet. So Elder Henderson and I went
over to his house at like 10:30 and we were there until almost 12am
meeting with him. As we talked and prayed about it we felt it would be
best for Elder Hatch to go home and to get some medical attention to
help him out then he could come back to the mission later on. So the
next President Hymas met with Elder Hatch and gave him the news and then
I drove with President Hymas to the airport to drop him off. It was a
bittersweet moment, because I knew of the love that Elder Hatch had for
the Lord and the desire he had to serve him but I knew that this would
be the best option for him. On the car ride back President Hymas and I
were able to talk a lot and really get to know each pretty well. I
opened up to him about my life. I love him so much already I am grateful
that he is my mission president and I truly know that the Lord called
him here.
So the next day on Saturday we took
two of our investigators to the temple for a temple tour. It was one of
the most spiritual experiences of my mission. One of them, Jose, had
recently lost his mother in a violent murder. He is still shaken up from
that. But as we talked about how inside the temple we can be united
with our families forever through the priesthood authority of God, he
was absolutely speechless. We took him in the waiting room to pray and
to feel the spirit inside the temple. We asked him how he felt
afterwards and he said it was the most peaceful and warm feeling he has
ever had in his life. He told us that he wanted to be baptized, without
us even bringing it up. So we also took our investigator Anna, with her
daughter Daria, who was recently baptized. They are from russia so Anna
doesnt speak much english, but her daughter Daria translates a lot for
us. So in the waiting room while everyone was praying Anna started
crying. Afterwards we asked daria what she was saying and she told us
that she wants to be baptized so bad. It was an indescribable experience
and a testimony to me of the spirit that is at the Temple. It is the
house of God. This experience also showed me the power of the spirit in
conversion. It doesnt have much to do with what we as missionaries say,
but everything to do with how our investigators feel. At the temple Jose
and Anna both told us they wanted to be baptized and we didnt say a
word to them about that. I know this is the Lords work we are doing.
This is his church. He leads it today through a prophet. I am so
grateful to be apart of this amazing gospel.
Love,
Elder Hallmark
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