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| Ice Cream with Klaudia |
The Lord truly hears and answers the prayers of His
children. Last Sunday Victor called and
told us that he didn't want anything to do
with us which was hard to hear after everything and we plead with the Father to help him find his way back. On
Wednesday we were headed down to Vigo
for District Meeting and we saw standing in front of us was Victor. We then had the opportunity to sit
next to him and talk with him for the
half hour bus ride. He opened up to us and told us about some of the things going on in his life and
that really he wanted to keep meeting
with us. Wednesday after district meeting I went out to Ourense and my comp stayed in Pontevedra with
the other Elder from Ourense. During the
intercambio they found Victor again and were able to talk with him again. On Thursday morning
he calls us saying that he needs to talk
with us. When I get back from Ourense we go meet with him again. It really is amazing that if we
deprive our Spirits of nutrition that,
that will also affect our bodies. As Victor made the small changes necessary in
his life, reading and praying everyday, we
saw each day his health and his countenance improve. He called us again on Saturday wanting to talk with us so
again we were able to have a lesson with
him and resolve some of his doubts, emphasizing the importance of reading and praying everyday.
On Sunday we called him just before
church started to make sure he was coming but his phone was off. As the meeting started in walked
Victor ready for church. It was a happy
sight. During church the members were amazing talking with and showing Victor their love for him as they
are so great at doing.
In Gospel Principles
with Victor we taught about the power of the
atonement and there is a story that we shared about a hiker. A man was walking along a path enjoying his time and
listening to the birds singing in the
trees. As he walked he tripped and stumbled over a little rock. As he picked up the rock that he
had tripped over he saw that it shone
and looked beautiful. Deciding to keep his treasure he put it in his previously empty backpack. He
continued walking occasionally tripping
over stones in his path. Some of the stones he
kept in his bag others he threw of to the side out of his path. As time went on this man's bag got heavier and
heavier and the man became wearier and
wearier. He seemed to be tripping over the smallest of the rocks in his path and each time it took more
energy to get up. Eventually the man
tripped and didn't have enough strength to lit
himself back up. Lying in the path helpless, unable to take off the crushing load on his back, the hiker cried
out for help and at that moment realized
there was a Man standing at his side. He removed the hiker's backpack and helped him to his feet.
As the Man emptied the backpack the
hiker could see the worthlessness of all of the stones he had put in his bag. The Man gave him back his
backpack asking him to do only one thing
saying "you might stumble and you might fall but please don't put more rocks in your pack cast
them away" the hiker agreed to do
so and started off on his way reenergized and ready with a fresh start and a gloriously light pack.
But as had happened before the man
tripped and fell. Once again he saw that the rock he had tripped over looked precious and picked it
up. Now was the moment for him to choose
to put the precious looking looking rock in his pack or to cast it away. We too have this choice in
our lives. When we stumble and make
mistakes we can repent and change giving our sins to the savior who has already paid that price. We
just need to make that choice and as we
do it the Savior will be there beside us ready and willing to take the weight of our sins.
This morning we were sitting at our table studying when the
phone rings and we go and answer it. On
the other end is Victor who is very excited
to tell us something. He told us that he had been praying after getting out of bed and he now knew that
the Book of Mormon was true, that Joseph
Smith really was a prophet and that through him the church of Jesus Christ had been restored to
the earth. He bore to us a testimony of
the things that we had been teaching him and he told us that he would like to be baptized this
Saturday. Assuming everything goes well
with the interviews that is what will happen this Saturday. I know that God is in control of all and that
he knows better than us what each of His
children need in their lives. I know that the
atonement provides the power and the ability to change lives. I am grateful that my Savior knows and loves me
personally and that through him I can be
changed and overcome my faults and sins.
I love this gospel
and I love my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.
I love you all,
Elder Gustafson
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| Intercambios (exchanges) in Ourense. |
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