November 17th we took the Ortega family up to the Joseph Smith memorial. On our way up, we passed through each of my areas. Leading up to our trip was one of the most testimony shattering weeks of my life. I felt my testimony was turning into powder underneath my feet. Where was my rock?! The Gospel became a fable told to man to keep us happy. I took so many questions that people had asked me, and as I do to try to help them, I made them my own. I needed to go through each of my areas to experience the feelings I had felt in each of them. There's something VERY special to me about Hanover, I don't know what it is, but that area is sacred ground. Between Dartmouth and the Joseph Smith Memorial I felt a peace that completely surpassed my understanding. As we drive up to the memorial through the trees, Silvia starts screaming with joy. A few years ago, she had a dream where she saw a road lined in trees beckoning her towards the top. She continued to have this dream numerous times, in all different seasons. Sometimes the trees were skinny and other times larger. She has looked for them everywhere! We drove up and THOSE WERE THE TREES. It all became so real to her, and was beautiful to watch her testimony of the reality of this Gospel grow.
We took the stake president with us to our last appointment with Chris and Jessica. It was interesting to observe their body language. Walking in was painfully awkward. They know they've missed church, and church has missed them! It's like a bad break up for the entire branch. We taught them about the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Leaving their home was a sweet experience, underlying it all was God'd time. Jessica said it herself that she is quite impulsive, and she wants to give this more time. They are not closing the door to this, only wanting it to come naturally as it came into their lives. We asked many questions about their journey towards God. Testimonies of God, prayer, and the principles of the Gospel flew from their mouths! They named each of the blessing we promised them in the beginning as promises they are seeing fulfilled. The Spirit was very clear to all of us, promising us that their time will come. I trust in that, because the Spirit cannot lie.
In the sacred grove, just before the first vision, Joseph Smith feels a power so real and negative he feels he is about to die. It was necessary and God allowed that to happen because it forced Joseph to exercise enough faith in Christ to experience the first vision. Such things will happen in our lives in order to increase our faith in Christ to obtain all that God has in store for us.
I feel like the powder that was left under me from a few weeks ago has turned into cement. I do believe this Gospel to be true, and the Restoration to have happened. I believe it because I have the Book of Mormon in front of me, standing as evidence that God does care about us, and that He exists. The blessing the Gospel has given me are real, and nothing could compromise my desire for them. President Stoker made us a strong promise, that we would remain in the church if we read from the Book of Mormon daily. I look forward to doing that throughout my life. I believe that you must study it at least until you feel the Spirit, if that is all you have time for.
Oh yes, the Ortega's went to the temple for baptisms! Jesse has turned into the Priesthood Man. What a guy!
We had a massive snow storm that threw off all our appointments with our new investigator family! ...But it was beautiful. Snow storms always make me thankful for the men in my life who have always gone out and shoveled for me. Shout out to my dad and brothers!
We had an appointment with Nick and Kelly Villacci. We walked in with our member and Nick's cousin and his wife were there. This man looked like he could be a poster-man for the NFL. He was just massive. His name is John. His wife, Julia. We talked for a while and they start to ask questions about what we believe. Nick was sharp and taught them about the restoration, I didn't even know he knew it so well! He told him that he sees something different in us, we aren't like other people and he is drawn to that. It was wonderful to hear him testify of the Gospel! Sister Tarawhiti and I had to leave soon, and the conversation turned from the Gospel to a number of hot topics. We ask them if we can sing, then we sang Brightly Beams for them. We finish and John is in TEARS. This big burly man is in pieces! He gets talking and he tells us the story of how when he was fishing for lobsters one day his feet got stuck in the traps. He was in the water and just went DOWN. His lungs were about to pop, he looked up and saw the rays of light piercing through the water. He was at peace with leaving this life. Just as he closed his eyes to die, he was yanked out of the water by the boat. He lives. We had a closing prayer, got a return appointment, and then it snowed and we couldn't make it. John and Julia have two kids, 8 and 10 years old.
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