The Lord Will Prepare His People To Receive His Gospel

Last week we got some pretty interesting news about transfers, my companion Elder Campbell will be flying up to the mainland! So I'm going to get a new companion after only being here for like a week, which is alright but I'm sad to see him go. We worked pretty well together and we saw some amazing miracles of meeting prepared people. One man we met while tracting seemed really nice but I had some doubts about him, but as the conversation continued the spirit prompted me to invite him to be baptized, so I asked him and he straight off the bat said yes! We even set a baptismal date right on the doorstep! We went back to see him the next day and he accepted mostly everything we shared, he's still not sure about whether Joseph Smith was a prophet but he definitely agreed to read the book of Mormon and pray about it so I am convinced that he was prepared for this. 

 

This week has been a real eye opener for me, not just for the people we've seen but for my personal relationship with God. I had a question earlier in the week about how I can help others feel the spirit more and I searched and searched and after a while it came to me that helping others feel the spirit in part falls on how much I feel the spirit. So after some more studying and pondering, I realized that for myself, my relationship with my father in heaven will influence the power we have as missionaries. One of the most inspiring stories I've read about was in Preach my gospel when President Gordon B. Hinckley talks about two missionaries, one was a superstar, grew up in a good home, educated etc. and the other was a sign painter who didn't have the best childhood. The difference in power between the two was so apparent and why? because the one who was a sign painter and had trials heaped upon him realized his inadequacies and was open about them with the Lord, he relied on the Lord day by day and he really talked him. It was not a rote thing, meaning he didn't treat his prayers as if he was ordering food, he really poured his heart to the Lord. I've realized that it's the prayer of our faith that will influence our power we have as missionaries, and a faithful prayer is one where I can have a close relationship with him. I know that my Father in Heaven loves me and knows who I am, and the different challenges that I face, I'm grateful for the testimony that I have.

Have a great week! Love Elder Kaanapu