A fruitful Christmas 12-23-2024

Monday We celebrated my birthday with all of the other Elders and one of their birthdays happened to be on the 16th so that was cool...still crazy I turned 19. We also were led to find a less active part member who wasn't in our records and she is so cool she wants to find people for us to teach. Tuesday I had my first distric council and president Mac Phearsons wife sister Mac Phearson was there. It was a great district council though I focused so heavy on the Book Of Mormon and we came up with some action items and commissioned everyone to testify like crazy the power that comes from it. Sister Mac Phearson was hyped up for it and just Started bearing testimony on the Book Of Mormon. Later after that we went to visit our friend on date Ellie, and her sister answerd and we testified hardcore of the Book of Mormon and it was awesome. Walking back to our car we ran into some Turkish guy who offered us food at his restaurant and we taught him about the Book of Mormon hardcore and testified to him the power and helped him experience it and read a couple verses with him that answered his questions. We then invited him to be baptized and he was so down. The Book Of Mormon brings the Power of God into our lives. Wednesday we hand an exchange with the zoneleaders and man we testified so hardcore on the Book of Mormon and saw so many miracles...so many...one of which we somehow got into a lockout apartment complex without even intending to be there and we didn't have much time so I told myself I'm going to knock one random door. I did just that and it wasn't random. The spirit spoke to me and I knocked one door. Just one....he happened to be a less active part member who hasn't been to church in a while and just moved here from Maryland. We were able to talk about the Book of Mormon and testify of it and he said he was gonna invite his sister to read it and come to church. God has been blessing us and putting so many people in our paths because he knows we are going to introduce them to the Book of Mormon and he knows the power that comes from that Book because God preserved it for our day. On that exchange one the zoneleaders mentioned I lit a fire inside of him when it came to the Book Of Mormon and how slept on it had been recently and that he learned so much from that exchange. I too learned a lot on helping people prepare to be baptized and it was amazing. Thursday was a wild miracle filled day as well. We started off by rushing to have a potential lesson across town early in the morning and then had service we had to rush to and then we rushed from service to have a surprise baptismal interview with someone in my district it was crazy. I got to see in that interview though, a daughter of God who is yearning to make covenants with him and it was beautiful. We then rushed all the way across town back to our crib and had a zoom call meeting for trainers and trainees and pulled up as soon as it started. 5 minutes later we had some senior missionaries pull up to do a deep clean of our carpet and it was wild so many random things all within 2 hours of eachother haha. That night as we were driving across town to stop by someone, something inside of me didn't feel right. I felt prompted to pull over and look at areabook. As I looked I clicked on a refferal we got and saw it was across the street where we pulled over. We stopped by and had such a miracle filled lesson. We taught this man from Ethiopia about the Book Of Mormon and it was so powerful. It's a testimant to me every time I get a prompting from the Holy Ghost and listen. I had no idea pulling over to look at a map would lead to that. Friday was so crazy. We ran across town again for a lesson in the morning that fell through and then we drove to a Missionary training meeting with the president for 4 house and drove back and missed a turn and gave us a thirty minute deatour. We had 30 minutes of finding time before our dinner appointment across time and so we went to some hood apartments we found on the map and the second door we knocked we met a lady who just wanted to invite us in.We had no idea who she was but apparently she met missionaries like 5 years ago but she has never been to church or heard of the Book Of Mormon. We were then able to teach her about the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ to the ancient America's and bridge it to Thomas's account in the new testimant and she loved it! We also introduced our purpose and explained we help people prepare to be baptized and she was like...can you be baptized twice? And we were like yuh but only once with proper authority. We then taught her how the Book of Mormon teaches us the correct way of baptism and read 3rd Nephi 11 with her and bore powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and the authority we have to baptize in his name. She is catholic but the spirit touched her heart and she said she would like to be baptized again but wouldn't commit to a date. She asked us to come back and to meet her at church. God is providing so many miracles. With thirty minutes of finding time the second Door we knocked was someone who he prepared for us as we were able to be Bold. I love the Book Of Mormon and our savior Jesus Christ. My companion and I were also able to have a deep discussion on many things and he is growing his faith so much and is finding himself able to learn through me and work hard and be obedient (He likes to flirt with sisters though it's something I am chapping him daily on) One day at a time, The city life is getting to me though I can only handle so many people and so much traffic. I'm turning into a tweaker. Saturday baptism day!! Our freind Ellie Williams from Seira Leone got baptized!! It was a struggle though fr. She would not allow herself to be fully immersed in the water. I felt so bad each time we tried she would kick ger feet and won't allow ger head to go under the water. It was honestly a disaster for a second but eventually my comp had to get in with me and she had to get on her knees and lean forward while my comp made sure she went under all the way. I felt so bad but the spirit that was felt when she finally went under all the way and even greater after she was confirmed and given the Holy Ghost she was just Glowing. I love seeing children of our heavenly Father receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost for the first time and just seeing how they change. We are truly reborn as we are baptized and confirmed and given a new light. I see it on the countenance of each person I have seen enter the water of baptism and recive the Holy Ghost. Besides the baptism this week has been crazy. The Lord has been working in my life very intently these past two weeks. I have even seen my companion come to know and recognize what the spirit feels like and he now gets excited everytime he will find a new verse in the Book of Mormon or an answer to his prayers. Just one week ago he was quite literally unable to feel Joy. Now he carries it with him. Sunday was so crazy it was unbelievable. We had a combined church service with the other ward in our building and there was so many people we barely even know our ward let alone another ward and we have never met half of our friends so we basically got lost in the sauce. We had to dip 15 minutes after church to rush to pick up some other Elders and go to one of the biggest malls In Northern Virginia for a light the world service project and we were instructed to be in street cloths without a tag. It was so wild being in a mall without a tag in normal cloths on a Sunday where half the people are wearing half the clothes. It almost felt illegal to be there. We didn't eat lunch or breakfast because we were rushing around and we couldn't buy food on the sabbath but regardless it was great! We actually had a miracle lesson over WhatsApp video call with our friend isha on date for this upcoming Saturday and it has been crazy stressful because we haven't been able to get in contact much and teach her this past week between her working two jobs but we finally had a lesson!! We went over the restoration and had her bear testimony on the Book of Mormon and then retaught her the word of wisdom and she committed to keep it!!! It was such a miracle because she likes coffee but said she would give it up in a heartbeat if God commanded her and that she won't drink it ever again because God has given her so much!! We were scared for a second because we knew she liked coffee but after having this miracle lesson we knew how ready she was. We reviewed the interview questions and she is so ready. She told us she wants us to stay forever in Alexandria forever because we have changed her life and we have only ever known her for 2 weeks God is so good I love the Gospel and I love seeing Heavenly Fathers Children change through Jesus Christ. Shoutout to everyone who got me gifts for my birthday and Christmas. Unfortunately I haven't gotten any of then yet. They got lost in the mountain of Christmas packages at the mission office but I am super excited and thank everyone who got me something! It means a lot it really does and I Love all of you!! Merry Christmas!! Happy holidays and "stay sweet" -Elder Williams 1st Nephi 11:16-32 16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God? 26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the condescension of God! 27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove. 28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them. 29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not. 30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them. 31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out. 32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record. 33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.