My Heart is in Texas: Love this Church!!!

Mike

So we met mike at the Ward BBQ last week and we taught him a quick Restoration lesson in the kitchen... in the middle of everyone. He was asking about the lost 116 pages... and I knew this was going to be good. He came to church the next day and then we set an appointment to come on Tuesday.

Some background info on mike. He is nondenominational and comes from a VERY strong baptist background... so he loves the Bible. He gained a testimony of Christ in prison. He lives with an active member from our ward, Dennis and his mom.

Tuesday, we decided to reteach the Restoration and even brought the Apostacy kit that mom made me with the cups. It was awesome. We had a really good discussion and then at the end, we asked him if he had any questions. And he did... About Spirit Prison and Baptisms for the Dead....

Those are two biggies! Needless to say we were there for like 2 hours and then scheduled another lesson for the next day. I said a closing prayer and afterwards he lifts a finger and says, "Wait I need to say something." And says his own prayer. He asked Heavenly Father to truly let him know if this church is true and what we were teaching him is true. It was such a great prayer.

As we were leaving the driveway, Dennis' mom comes up to us and says that she doesn't feel comfortable sitting in on the lessons. She loved the lesson and even remembered what it was, but she told us that she is not a good example because she still smokes and drinks and couldn't feel the spirit. She started crying and saying that she just felt so guilty... We told her that we would love to have her sit in on the lessons and I know that it will be exactly what she needs if she is willing to change. I hope that she will continue with us.

Wednesday we invited two Recently Returned Sister Missionaries to come to Mike's lesson. Two that know the Bible really well. All day I was studying the Plan of Salvation and the Bible. It was intense. I was so nervous but the lesson turned out so well! He loved it! We asked him to be baptized and he said he would if he found out. He said he is just having a hard time leaving his church and what he has grown up with. I told him, "Mike! You don't have to leave any of that behind. What you know is perfectly in line what we believe. We just want to add more."

I know that he knows it is true! I know that he has received an answer!

KP & Isaaclyn

I just love these two! They are so awesome!

On Tuesday we extended an earlier baptismal date for June 7th and as soon as Sister Huber said that they both got the biggest smiles on their face! We taught them the first half of the Plan of Salvation and they have such a strong testimony of the Atonement. I talked about how if you split up the word it first says "At" and then "One". How when we repent and are forgiven, we grow closer to Heavenly Father and becoming "At one" with him.

KP loves all the guys in the ward and even refers to them as "Brother" and then their first name. So we went to Brother Cole's house on Friday and taught them the last half of the Plan of Salvation. Before we started we asked KP to give us a summary of the first half and he taught all of us! It was amazing! He was even talking about the Atonement and being "At one". At the end, Isaaclyn prayed and asked that we may remember Jesus Christ and the Atonement.

It is amazing how much they are learning and growing! Before Tuesday they didn't even know what the Atonement meant, and now they are teaching us about what the Atonement is!

Saturday was David's baptism and they were able to come. The spirit was so strong and they enjoyed the service. Afterwards they came to the Open House and the White Oak Sisters gave them a tour. We were giving David's brother a tour and afterwards KP asks me, "So Sister Loo, I just want to make sure that everything is ok for our baptisms onJune 7th." and I said, "Of course!" He was telling everyone that night about his baptism. He is SO excited.

Sunday comes around and they are participating in Sunday school and loving church. Afterwards, KP comes up and asks when we are meeting because he wants to make sure that we go over 2 Nephi 31, the chapter we assigned them. They are holding us accountable!

David

So this week we told David we wanted to be in contact with him every day just so that we could make sure that he was alright and still ready to be baptized on Sunday.

We planned to meet with him Tuesday... then he got called to work.

Planned for Wednesday... Work at 10:00.

Planned for Thursday at 8:00 so we could teach before work at 10:00... he gets called in at 8:00.

So our last chance effort was for Friday at 8:00 because we still had to teach him half of the commandments. Sister Huber and I fasted and prayed that we would be able to meet with him so that he could still get baptized. It was interesting because usually I would be stressing out, but I felt totally calm. I knew that he was going to get baptized. We were just going to face a bit of opposition before that happened.

We were able to teach him... in about 45 minutes, The law of Chastity, Ten Commandments, Follow the Prophet, Word of Wisdom, Law of Tithing, and the Law of the Fast. It was a lot. And then afterwards he was interviewed.

James told him that he would pick him and his brother! up at 3:30 the next day for his baptism at 4:30.

Saturday comes around and we are filling the font and getting everything ready... On the way there I tell Sister Huber, "Wow. This is great. We haven't faced any opposition. It's unusual."

Well I don't know why i said that because I totally jinxed us! James calls us at 3:30 and tells us that David isn't home and no one is answering the door. Great. We call his mom and his friends. No one knows where he is. David has no phone and so there is no way to get in contact with him. So James just waits thinking that he is just running a bit late because he might of gotten a call to go to work.

Well a half an hour passes and still no David. Our investigator is MIA. It turns 4:30. Still no David and everyone is sitting in the room waiting for the baptism to start.

We decide to just cancel and reschedule. Bishop get up and asks me to say a couple of words and then we would have a mini testimony meeting since Isaaclyn and Kp are there. So I get up and thank everyone for coming and bear my testimony on enduring to the end. During it, Sister huber leaves to the hallway to answer a phone call... So after I'm done I leave to see what is going on... David is home!!!!!

Bishop is up talking and then everyone gets up and talks about how they will be excited to support David when he gets baptized... and Sister Huber and I are just waiting to tell everyone, "HE IS ON HIS WAY! THERE IS STILL GOING TO BE A BAPTISM!"

We tell bishop and finish testimonies since it will take 30 minutes for David and James to drive over! They get there and they quickly change... And we have the baptism and James confirms the Holy Ghost to him afterwards. And guess what?! His brother, Joshua, was able to be there to support him! It was great! After all that it was still able to happen and we were able to make it to the open house on time!

David and Joshua came to church the next day! Joshua loved it! James jokingly said to him after church, "Joshua, so when are you getting baptized?" And he said, "umm... whenever." Oh so exciting!!!! Soon that whole family will come to know the truth! I only wish his mom could have been there! Seriously so awesome that a couple of months ago Sister Walker and I were teaching his mom the Restoration on the doorstep and Saturday her son was baptized and received the Holy Ghost. The church is true!

Church Open House

The Church Open House and Ice Cream Social was a huge success!!!! Viet even surprised us and came after work! Also we gave Danielle's mom a Church Tour!

It was awesome! Everyone loved the Blue Bell Ice Cream and they all stayed late playing volleyball!

Oh I love this gospel and I love being a missionary! I'm seriously so grateful to be here and don't know who I would have been without this wonderful, testimony building experience.

Love y'all!

Sister Loo