Hey you guys what is up, it has been another fantastic week with many ups and downs. Many moments of depression that have been replaced with moments of indescribable joy and happiness. Many witnesses that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lives and loves each and everyone of us! So if you can´t tell by all of that, something happened this week that was very special. It has been one of and probably the biggest spiritual moment I have ever felt in my life here in the mission. Allow me to share of what happened.
So the first of the week not much happened. We were up in the house a lot because my companion and I both had problems with health this week. Me with my foot and him with his...uh... I actually don´t know what his problem was. Something with his stomach or something like that. But anyways that was the first couple of days.
Then what happened next was one of the hardest moments of my mission, but I will have to say it is the moment that strengthened my testimony to a level that I have never before felt in my life.
So you all remember the Venezuelans that I have been talking about for the past few weeks. Nothing bad has happened with them first of all. But, my goodness. So we have been preparing them to be married and complications happened. We received a notice this past week that a marriage takes 30 days to 3 months to plan. But we have been having a member that has been telling us that we can do it within a week. So he was all talk but he didn´t actually know what he was talking about and it wasn´t until our Bishop told us the real news of what was going to happen. You might ask why is that such a bad thing. It´s because the Venezuelans will be leaving next week and we don´t know where they will go. That day when we heard that was a moment of Spiritual Crushing. I have never felt so let down about anything in my entire life. Like the life in me just fell away. You don´t know the depression that I felt at that moment. Only one person in this world will ever know what I felt. It was a horrible day.
But you probably are wondering why I am telling you all of this stuff. Normally missionaries should focus on the happiness of things in their mission. Well now we will move onto the next part.
I remember that night just feeling horrible about what had happened. I remember I sat in the same spot for almost 3 hours just feeling terrible. But in that moment something happened. When I was just about to say that the day had been a complete waste, that all of our effort was for nothing these past few weeks. Just before I was about to say that the whole thing was a waste of time. Before waste left my mouth, our cellphone rang. Just out of random a member had called us.
When I answered, I could hear a happy, startled voice on the phone. A member came screaming in my ear through the phone, that a girl in the ward. Who´s name is T. After 3 years of frequently attending church, going to all activities, doing everything a member would do. A true follower of Christ is what the members call her. But she had never been baptized. She had been trying and begging her mom for 3 years. 3 years of trying to convince a mom who had a hard heart to the church, who didn´t want anything to do with the church, or have her family affiliated with the church. Finally after 3 years in that same moment her mom finally gave her permission, that same day. Near that same moment.
The change of my heart. I was filled with a joy that I have never before felt in my life. It was a grand moment. A moment where I gained for myself a witness in that moment of the Power and Love of Christ, he never had left me. He came to me and my companion in our sorrows. For a few moments I couldn´t move I sat completely dazed. What in the world just happened is what passed through my mind.
At the day of the baptism, it was the most spiritual baptism I have ever attended. This wasn´t just a moment that me and my companion needed, but it was a moment that the whole Ward has been waiting for, and especially for this young girl who has been waiting for such a long time, and has finally gotten the chance that she has been hoping for from the time she entered into the church. It was a grand moment for all of us. I also know that even though the Venezuelans won´t be able to be married and baptized here, they will still be in the future. Their Testimonies are strong, and I know that they will be able to receive these things. We will help them this next week to be prepared for that moment, and who knows maybe they will be able to stay longer, and we can help them.
So that´s the week for you all. I thought as well that I would leave my Testimony just to end this email. I know that my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ lives. I have no doubt. No doubt at all of that. I know as well that this Gospel that I teach and live is His Gospel and that it can be found in His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This is His Church. I know that for a fact. I know that Christ loves all of us and that He will never forsake any of us. I have a witness of that Love that he has for everyone of us. These things I know. I know that Miracles do exist. I have lived a grand Miracle this week. I know that all of these things are true, and I close this Testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I love all of you guys, and I hope that you all have a fantastic week. Até o próximo! Tchau tchau!
Elder Jacklin
Photos from the baptism of T.
