This week was filled with miracles!! I don't even know where to start it was just incredible! We have been doing a lot of exchanges lately and so have been all over the place, but it has been great.
Since our apartment was officially smoked out we took advantage of staying at the mission home with the Varners, and it was especially awesome since their family (and many little critters) was in town visiting them. We would get home at the end of the evening and just tell them all the great stories from the day. I think we buttered/pumped them up about missionary work if I may say so myself :)
We are really praying for a white Christmas this year and working our hardest to put people on date for baptism on the 23rd of December! We met with Tiwanda and her family several times this week and they are excited about the 23rd. We brought our good buddy Carlos with us and he bore powerful testimony of the missionaries finding him and bringing him to church about a year ago. They have been reading the book of Mormon like crazy and just love it. It is hard to even express the joy I get to see in that family as they read and pray about the truth.
Funny Story: On Saturday evening we met this guy named Allen who was interested in the B.O.M and then he invited us to his church worship event that night. So what did we do? Of course we totally attended! Turns out the church was literally in the most ghetto part of BR where most of the crime occurs. I look back at some of these places and then look at my missionary name tag and just smile. Sure glad the Lord looks out for his missionaries. Anyways, the church was soo unique. They were blaring music, drums, keyboard, and singing (more like screaming) at the top of their lungs "worshiping God" and praising the Lord. If feeling the holy ghost makes your ears hurt, then I don't think I want it haha. Bless their hearts though, they were so nice. They immediately ushered us into the front of the room which didn't make my ears feel any better, but it is the thought that counts right? It was a great experience for sure and it was cool because we saw a few people in there that we had previously met/taught.
Miracle: On Sunday we had two full families and several others make it to church including Arthur Brazel. The Noland family (meredith street) all came: John, Lynn, and Lily. We had a lesson with them on Friday night and especially emphasized the talk given by President Monson just this last April about how important it is to read the Book of Mormon everyday. It was really powerful and it has been a great teaching tool. Interesting how possibly the last message given by Pres. Monson is about the power of the Book of Mormon and finding our own personal testimony of it. As I have been able to see on my mission, sometimes we overlook the small things that are actually the most important. They seemed to love church and are starting to dive into reading!!
Also, Johann the lady from Haiti brought her 4 boys again!! The boys seemed to just love it and found that they have a couple friends from school in the ward. It goes on and on the blessings the Lord is showing me here in Baton Rouge. I am just so thankful for this work, and know that it is His. We have been blessed to find so many amazing investigators that at times end up being harvested other places. However, I have been learning a certain lesson lately: This is the Lord's work, and he will direct it. If he wants me to knock doors and find all the day long, that is what I will do. If he wants me to get pneumonia in the baptismal font, that is what I will do. If he wants me to work my very hardest and maybe not see the fruits, that is what I will do. Regardless, how great will be my joy for laboring with Him. As 1st Corinithians 3:6,8 states, "I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." I know that this is true. It is hard to share all the amazing experiences and also the updates on many of our investigators, but if there is anything I could share I hope y'all know how happy I am to be here and the joy I feel serving my father in Heaven during this Christmas season.
I love y'all, and hope you stay prayed up about how to find ways to serve others this Christmas time!
Love,
Elder Wilson
Santa came early this year with a set of scriptures for Brother Brazel too :)
