NOVEMBER 6, 2016

This week was so great! This weekend Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the quorum of the twelve apostles came to Baton Rouge for a complete mission conference on Saturday.  He was accompanied by one of the seventies, Elder Klebingat as well. That was seriously one the most incredible experiences ever. On Friday night he spoke at a YSA devotional where we invited as many investigators/less actives, etc as possible. Unfortunately we tried picking up Demarcus from work, but he was gone. Luckily, we have been working with this less active part member family and the girl, Sydney came! She loved it and said she has been reading the Book of Mormon and asking her Dad about his mission many years ago. Elder Oaks and Elder Klebingat on Friday night and Saturday at the mission conference did mostly a question and answer session and it was sooo cool. They were dropping straight nuggets of truth left and right; it is hard to even explain. We also ushered Elder Oaks in on Saturday morning and it was unreal.  Yeah, I would have to say it was a pretty incredible birthday present from Heavenly Father :) Still haven't washed my right hand hahaha jk. In all honesty he seems like one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and is absolutely hilarious. He shared how a little girl came up to him once and said, "I knew you were an apostle, because you are clean and your head is shiny." haha so tender.  In Matthew 7:20 it shares how we can know if they are true prophets and apostles: "By their fruits ye shall know them." I can bear testimony that when he spoke, he spoke with such power and authority that I knew and the spirit bore witness to me that he truly is one of Christ's twelve apostles on the Earth today. He was so humble and even took the time to shake every single person's hand at the regional conference in Baton Rouge Sunday morning. You can imagine how many people were there. He shook Sheryl's hand and said one of the most prophetic things to her without even knowing her. I want to share what Elder Oaks first said when he spoke, "This is the true Church of Jesus Christ." As simple as that statement is, it hit me with more power than I have ever felt before. The spirit was so strong and I can never deny that.

I will share a few pieces of butter with y'all, but don't even know if it will do any justice here:
"I have seen miracles as great as those found in the bible, but they are too sacred to share."-Elder Oaks
"When there are questions put them on the shelf, and when answers come take the book back off the shelf. However, don't put your membership on hold when there are questions on the shelf." I know that for me answers haven't always come at once, but when I keep moving forward they do come. Sometimes we forget that revelations will be given later. 
"Gospel questions can either elevate your knowledge, or cause doubt to drag you down."
"Your success as a missionary and a LDS is your obedience and commitment to the Savior Jesus Christ."
"Humility is a pre-requisite to learning."
"Let your light shine, and if you have to use words."-Elder Klebingat
"Church is a hospital for sinners, not a retirement home for the righteous."


Tuesday was Halloween and we ended up doing interviews and such at the mission home, but made sure to eat some treats and everything :) We also met with Nicole earlier in the day and she is the lady that we found carrying groceries down the street. She is soo solid! We taught her more about the restoration lesson and the Book of Mormon and she was so open to it. She is moving to Denham Springs tomorrow though so we are going to try and help her and then pass her off to the sisters over there.  She gave the most sincere prayer at the end of the lesson thanking Heavenly Father for "this added truth." We are super excited about her even though we will have to hand her off. 

This week we had an incredible experience giving this 10 year old girl a priesthood blessing. She was on a trip to Colorado and fell 70 feet off a mountain and miraculously survived. She is currently in a wheel chair battling paralysis to her legs. Her legs have a few points of feeling in them so there is hope to her walking again, but lately things haven't been going as well. The family had friends in California that told them to have the missionaries in Baton Rouge come and give her a blessing. The little girl's name is Camren and her family are all catholic. We introduced ourselves and then I had the amazing opportunity to give her a blessing. It was really special for me and the spirit was so strong. I could hardly speak the words without tears flowing down my face. I truly felt the Savior's love for her more than ever. Her faith was so strong and I could feel her love for Him. A complete catholic family, but they were all touched as there wasn't a dry eye in the room. The spirit truly touches hearts. Although, I might not ever hear about that family again I will never forget being an instrument in the hands of the Lord that day. It was interesting to me that at first we knocked on the house, but a guy answered asserting he was catholic and just about slammed the door before we urged him to wait. It was a tender mercy to make it in the house to begin with, and a testimony that God will always prevail. 

I was able to do an exchange down in New Orleans as well and let me tell ya the people down there just keep me smiling all the day long haha. Christmas lights are already coming up too in NOLA. We talked to so many people and saw many tender mercies down in the ol stomping grounds :D I know that this gospel is true with all my heart. I it wasn't why am I so happy living it? I have never felt more joy than serving my Father in Heaven. I know that he loves me and each of you, and I am so grateful to have been called by him to his work here in Louisiana. 

Love, 
Elder Wilson