Jonah's Semana 89 - Follow Him

Monday, July 18, 2016

Hey mom! So this week has been a little better than the last! We have been working more with the members and that has been nice since it's hard for me to sometimes teach with my companion it gives me somebody else who I can count on to support me in the teaching aspects. Not only has that been nice that I have a new mouth that helps in testimony but also its soo much easier to commit people to change when you can assure them that WE and the MEMBER will be there to support them. Changing is something that requires sacrifice and lots of time people can't make sacrifices alone and need somebody for the emotional and physical support. It is a huge blessing to work with smart, positive members because they can be that support and we can be the addition to them. It allows us so much more time and so much more energy.

This week I think the highlight of my days was that we made a huge step forward with one of our investigators. She is an old lady named Gloria. I have been teaching her for about a month and the reason I haven't let her go is because she has a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon but can't connect the dots between the restoration and baptism by the authority of God. We kind of have stopped talking to her about the authority and we started talking to her about the form in which we should be baptized. I told her baptism is something that must be performed by immersion and she told me that Paul wasn't baptized by immersion and that is the reason why she doesn't need to be either... I invited her to study a few scriptures and told her that we would come back and talk later so she could show me where it teaches that Paul was in fact baptized without being immersed in water. In the end, the next time we showed up to the house, there sitting on the couch was the pastor of the church she is attending. We determined that the conversation would require us to take turns so that we wouldn't be talking over each other and we began to discuss the baptism of Paul. The pastor provided his points using a map and stating that on the street that Paul was on there was no river and so he couldn't have been baptized by immersion. Then we provided points from the teachings of Paul in Romans where he teaches we must be buried in him by baptism and born again in new life. The pastor told us we were wrong and that his map was right but I asked him why would Paul teach something he did not practice? The pastor ran out of arguments and right there in front of the pastor Gloria said she is willing to be baptized again in the church so she can fulfill what God has taught.

I was so stoked!!!!! Honestly I thought that in the end everything was going to be a disaster but no, God touched her heart and she alone chose to say she is willing to be born again through the true form of baptism. Honestly I can say that the Holy Scriptures are so clear and if we only make ourselves familiar with the lessons and teachings inside that we will see and know without a doubt that we are members of the true and only true church on the surface of the earth. God has restored His kingdom and invites all to enter into it by the gate of Baptism. I know Christ is our Savior and He gave us the perfect example. Follow Him. I love you.

Elder Jonah McKee