Walking through Heaven and Hell 1-13-2025

Monday we were snowed in for pday so we just hung out with some Elders living above us and walked a mile in the snow to pick up some free food from a guy that owns an Italian restaurant it was awesome(pretty sure he is a mob boss) We also had a cool phonecall lesson from this lady who got stranded in Miami trying to get back to Alexandria she was actually chill haha Tuesday we weren't allowed to drive either so we just walked around old town Alexandria all day for like 7 hours. I finally gave my companion Sim so that was something different I have been on it for over 5 month straight pretty much my whole mission. We finally had interviews with President!!! They were over zoom though I'm not going to lie he dropped some crazy prophecys and told me some things I never could imagine. The first thing he told me was never would he ever put a Missionary in the position he put me in but the Lord has big plans for me. He started chocking up when he was relaying how proud he was of me and I just wanted to cry, this transfer has been so crazy. He received revalation for me about my future on the spot and it was so crazy...too crazy to share... He also basically said there will be a time on my mission I will be baptizing weekly not an if, a when he said there will be a time the font will be full but no one shows up but I will know I gave it my all to the lord...I told him I just wanted a hug, he gave me an IOU so that was cool. That morning I read in my patriarchal blessing and was astonished at some of the visions president relayed the lord had for me and it was almost overwhelming...so I did all I knew how you do and went back out on the streets and went finding We put one guy on date, and found another that wants to progress to baptism. The lord knows each and every one of us and he has a plan. Wednesday was honestly such a spirit filled day. The first half not a whole lot happened comp stuff continued which was really hard but I ended up having a baptismal interview with all 4 Elders present and it was so spiritual. She broke down in tears and it was such a good interview. My comp was there for it and was able to see a bigger picture and feel the spirit in a new light which helped with his some of his mental health for a short bit. We ended up going over to our friend Lucy's house and taught her about Joseph Smith in such incredible depth the spirit was so present and everytime I opened my mouth she was like "you just read my mind" We straight up testified how we represent Jesus Christ and all we speak of is true. We have a hype member we called and she bore powerful testimony on Joseph Smith and invited our friend to the temple to look at the visitors center on Saturday while we take our recent converts to the temple and she was so down. She prayed on the spot about what we taught and to know of the truthfulness of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the spirit just filled the room. She said she felt so happy and she just knew. She is coming to our friends baptism sunday and she is currently praying about Baptism. I love her so much she is from west Africa. We also had an amazing Phonecall lesson with our friend Becky and turns out she has friends in our church and she happend to be going through a really hard time in her life and we happend to send a scripture about hope eatlier that days. She told us could not feel God's love. We taught beautifully the power of faith and hope and she resonated deeply with it. We brought up baptism and it transitioned into God's love and she just broke down crying. We just invited her to pray and ask how God feels about her and she said she will and set up a follow up appointment It's the little things. Thursday was wild and full of so many miracles. We had district council finally and I made sure we talked heavily on baptism. The spirit was so strong as we got into it, our district is literally going places. That day after district council immediately after we had a lesson with a lady from Sierra Leone we just met and we read 3rd Nephi 11 with her and taught heavily on baptism and the authority and power of it and the Book Of Mormon. She loved it and committed to coming to church and was so excited. We called her later that night and she already has read some of the Book Of Mormon and learned more about Baptism. We also had a crazy good lesson with our friend Lucy. She comes from a catholic family and her brother in law was trying to baptize her youngest daughter and she was like I don't feel that is right because she doesn't seem accountable for it so we just read moroni 8 together and it blew her mind. She loved every minute of it and it was powerful. We were then like will you humble yourself as a little child and be baptized unto repentance on February 1st and she was hesitant at first to accept a date but she did and I quote "By the grace of God Almighty" She then introduced us to her whole family (minus her husband he is in Africa still) and she has 2 teenage daughters and a son who loves the lord and we are totally going to baptize their whole family. We also had a hype member take us out to a fine diner and ate some delicious bison burgers and that was a highlight for sure. I am most happy because little by little I have been nurturing my comp every day and he is finally internalizing how loved he is by God and how special he is and today was a pivotal point and it lifted some weight off me and was joyous. Wow just wow...Friday was crazy. We have been struggling to get people to church but I remember waking up and praying and being like lord...I know you can provide miracles I know you can help us bring people to chuch and so that morning we set a goal for 5 church confirms and we saw so many miracles with that. We also worked our butt off I was so locked in, and helping my comp be locked in with the vision to baptize weekly in the month of February I set a goal the day before in our district to have ten solid people on date by next week and we had 5 on but our district including our area and we put 3 on date. We also ended up helping our friend lucy move some furniture and her teenage daughters were like I can feel the spirit when you guys are here I want that and we were like welll...you get it as you are baptized We taught them the Book of Mormon and they committed to reading it that night and wanted to come join out lessons and go to a baptismal service on Sunday and it was a huge miracle. We also started teaching a single mom we previously met and she has been reading the Book Of Mormon and loves it!!We also met somone looking for Church and for God and was like I wanna join your church. So many miracles!! GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS and he consecrates our efforts I have never been more pumped and more exhausted in my life. Iv never been more tired and depressed In my life. Nah I'm kidding Saturday was just a rough day. All of our lessons fell through, our temple trip got canceled, one of our friends got in a car crash, regardless to say opposition was strongggg. I was not about to let that stop me. During lunch I just said like a 15 minute prayer on my knees by my bed looking for those people we can confirm for church. After like hours we called this family who was taught in the past and they were like yup...I think we can make it to church! It made me so happy. Thats the majority of what happened that day, other than that we confirmed the hype family we are teaching to go to a baptism tomorrow and I'm so excited!! It's going to be so special Some days are just a legit spiritual warfare and everyday I'm grateful to be on the winning side. Wow just wow Satan sucks first thing in the morning on Sunday we get a call from a member in a differnt stake and his car stalled near our crib so we pulled up and pushed his car a quarter mile around the block to a McDonald's so he doesn't get towed and during the midst of all of that we get a text from our family in Seira Leone.....Her husband in Africa found out she and her family have been studying with us and wanting to get baptized so he forbid us from ever coming over again and talking to them. They literally had a ride all 5 of them set up to go to a baptism service to see it before they get baptized. It was so sad because they all had a testimony of the restored Gospel but the father who don't even live here so we can't teach him. Not only that but none of our friends showed up to church.Literally none,Not even our recent converts...one of them had a relative die so she flew out of state, and the other was scared of the cold cause she has only been in the u.s for 3 months. It genuinely was depressing because this past week I have consecrated my efforts x10 doing all I can to get people to come to church and be baptized and all heck broke loose. On the bright side my comp has been doing way better and he is actually starting to like me. He told me basically all President said to him in his interviews is to "Love your comp" Thanks president I needed that The greatest thing about church is the chance to partake of the sacrament and to be healed and to have his spirit to be with us....amidst all of that opposition I felt God's peace amidst my anguish I love Jesus Christ and I will never stop sharing his word!! There is Joy in the Gospel Transfers are on Thursday and if you have been reading my emails, you know this was one for the Books. I am thankful that God was able to trust me to throw me in a situation where I had so much responsibility and so much opposition and in a position where I can make an impact on so many lives. I have experienced things that will set forth a foundation for me the rest of my life and I now know what I am capable of through God. I am thankful for everyone who was in my life and prepared me for everything that lies ahead and has been a support and gave me counsel throughout my life. Shoutout to all who have been there for me my Mom, my Dad, Momma Murray, Gus and everyone else you know who you are (basically any Williams, or Murray)and all else!! 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5 "Stay Sweet"-Elder Williams