Birthdays and future baptisms 12-16-2024

Monday was pretty sweet we had a chill pday and had a great lesson on the atonement. The atonement is literally everything Tuesday was a very productive day haha. We made a lot of phone calls and had a lot of lessons over the phone, one of which was with our buddy Rue who we found at the Scottish parade last week. Turns out just us even inviting him to chuch has changed his whole focus and shifted his mood to a positive light. After that we gave preisthood blessings to the sisters in our district. I'll tell you what the power of the preisthood is real. I can't tell you a single thing I said in that blessing because they were not my words all I remember is the spirit felt. Wednesday was a wild day, at 6 am that morning I Just heard my companion groaning "Elder Williamssss my stomach hurts" next thing you know bro is in the bathroom throwing up, that morning at 8:15 we had to be at a chapel 45 minutes away for zone conference with two general authoritys (one of which is a convert from west Africa) I called the health coordinator and she said if he isn't feeling up for it don't come but if he is bring a mask and of course he felt OK because he just threw up so I called around the zone found someone to bring a mask and then on the way he threw up in a bowl thank goodness, we stopped at a Starbucks cleaned up and went back on the road, it was heavy traffic all day heavy rain and bro was in the passenger seat just dead. We pulled up, took a Pic with the general authorities, and then we got the health coordinator involved and managed a sweet setup where I sit close to the foyer with the door open while my companion sleeps on the couch so that way I am able to watch and listen in during the devotionals. We ended up giving him a preisthood blessing and in that blessing he was told that there was a message for him that he needed to hear that day and that he would feel better during the zone conversation. Two things happend....he felt better during the conference and though he was asleep for the majority he shared with me that a message that stuck out to him and completely shifted his focus and helped him be aware God was there for him in the hear and now. What a miracle....That zone conference was also so amazing I took 4 pages of notes and I have never taken notes in my life, and it was legible. The messages shared filled the room with the spirit of the Lord and completely shifted my whole focus on how I do missionary work effectively and the miracles wrought from it. If we never made it there, I would have been the worst distric leader ever and my companion never would have had the experiences he had...although being sick sucks it increased his faith. I also learned huge patience. It was so hard for me to stay by his side for 6 and a half hours when in a room with dozens of missionaries next door I love talking to in a while and just hanging out, but as I stuck by my companions side I was able to exercise the pure love of Christ and see my companion how God sees him What a weird Thursday but man was it filled with miracles. My companion was still sick of course in fact he was throwing up all night. We ended up sleeping in until like 9 but I just sat by his bed side while he was half asleep for hours and I just doom scrolled area book and got a feel for the area and set goals and made plans forever. I prayed and had impressions come to mind to work with certain members to find, reactivate, and baptize family's! I also set goals to baptize weekly and as of right now we have a baptism each week up until January!! I called and set up a baptismal interview for our friend with one of the mission presidency over WhatsApp video chat and it actually went through and she's so ready ahhh!! What a miracle, I also set up a church tour with a member and had the sisters take over but it ended up falling through and got pushed 3 hours back. What we ended up doing was running an exchange with the zoneleaders for an hour and a half and I got the opportunity to do the church tour we set up and man was it spiritual. He is from Bolivia and shared with us his desire to draw closer to God and as we toured the church with him and taught him the feelings he was feeling as coming from the spirit we invited him to be baptized on December 29th!! He shared with us he can show up to church before work and how he can also join in for our chimristmas party Saturday to fellowship!! GOD works miracles! Through our faith and efforts great things can be brought to pass! Friday was literally such a weird day. We had moring meeting pretty usual stuff and then my companion said he started feeling bad again so he went and slept so I had to sleep too. I planned such a w day too very prayfully and was excited to finally go out but the spirit prompted me something was up with my comp. I called the sisters who were at service at a food bank and had them bring us some lemons so I can make my comp lemon rice(good for the belly) and he grubbed. Later I introduced him to some cool church videos and then the spirit prompted me to put on talk by Jeffery R holland called "Like a broken vessel" we listened to the talk... and then about an hour later I found out about some obedience issues with my comp and just sat there trying to listen to the spirit on what to say to him....I pointed out that he knows the rules and asked why...he opened up to me about his struggles and I was prompted to bring up that God put us as a companionship for a reason so I can be there for him and that I am here for him....he mentioned some things to me and I just testified of God's love for him and how aware he is of him. After talking and testifying with him I went up to get some water and I was weak to the knees from the spirit that was present while I talked with him.... Something crazy was that talk I put on for us to listen to...he was the target audience in that moment....I only share this to let everyone know that God is aware of you and he will put people in your path to help you, especially if you are struggling. We all need angels in our lives and we can be those angels and others can be those angels for us. Saturday was busy busy miracle filled. We had our ward Christmas party and some brother we invited named Amjhad pulled up and he is awesome. He is 60 years old and is from Jordan next to Palestine. It's crazy because we found him on Facebook and he really wants to come to church and he explained how it's crazy how he is 60 and all of a sudden has all of these questions and young missionaries like us have answeres. He had an English book of Mormon he tried to read using Google translate but hooked him up with one Arabic so he can actually read it, it was awesome because he loved the ward and each member he talked to testified of the power of the Book of Mormon and how it answers all questions. One member even started crying it was so tender. In what other mission do you teach people from so many walks of life? God is so good and truly loves all nations and people. We also helped a single pregnant mother with 6 kids move a 26 foot u haul into a small apartment. Throughout the day I can almost read my companions thoughts and can see when he is struggling and one of the hardest things these past two weeks is figuring how to love support and lift him...after many prayers I have been able to help some through the lords help. We had an amazing miracle filled lesson that brought the spirit in so strong but I am to lazy to write about but nevertheless God is aware of everyone. Sunday!!! My birthday. It was a miracle filled day I ain't gonna lie. We had both of our friends on date from Seira Leone come to church one of which is getting Baptized on Saturday So hype her name is Ellie Williams from west Africa, they both got fellowshipped so well and the ward is so amazing. We also had a buss dinner with one of the most cracked members. I loved seeing everyone wish me happy birthday it made my Day! Sorry I can't respond but it means a lot thanks everyone(shoutout to Gus love you dawg) My companion and I also had one of the realest talks we have low-key been struggling just because that's how training be and he is so differnt from me but I now know why God put us together and nothing makes me happier than being able to lift someone who is down and be there for them and help point them to the savior Jesus Christ. Love yall Literally just turn to Christ it'd be silly not t Huge shoutout to everyone I Love..Shoutout to Gus he made my birthday special from a million miles away and so did everyone else who reached out to me Love you Mom, and Mamma Murray Shoutout to the Book Of Mormon it literally brings the Power of God in our lives. (I know some of yall been sleeping on it) 15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. 16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption. Alma 34:15–16