I can do all things through Christ: I will come to you

Good afternoon! This week was awesome, we found a family named the Sotomayor family and they seem really cool. They are of a family of 10! We've just been finding some big families these last few weeks! Our part member investigator Jhonmer is getting baptized this week.

We were able to teach the Tala family, but it's kind of hard to keep them focused on the lesson. They really like to talk haha, especially the nanay (old lady). They are super super kind to us though, and they always gather their whole family together to listen to our message. I really hope we can be able to get them to come to church soon.

I have always heard people talking about how everyone has their own time when they'll be ready to accept the gospel, I just never had really experienced it until this week. My companion and I had decided to go visit one of the members in our area to see if they had any referrals for us. So we went to an older couple and visited with them for a bit and then without us even asking the sister says "Elders, follow me I'm going to take you to one of my friends, who needs the gospel." So we get up and follow her and she takes us to the Orgiente family. Apparently the past missionaries had tried to teach them for ages, but they weren't interested. This time when we tried, they let us right in and were super excited to listen. The dad had had a near-death experience at work where he was driving a truck full of dirt and he ended up sliding off the road, totally crushing the truck; he however ended up without a scratch. He and his wife both testified that it had to have been a miracle for that to happen. So we talked about that for a bit and then taught them about the Restoration. We extended a baptismal date to them for March. We are helping them work towards getting married before then.

I just want to share a scripture real quick that I've been thinking about this week. In Mosiah 7:33

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage."

We all have temptations, weaknesses, and trials that in a sense "bind" us. It can be a real struggle sometimes honestly, and sometimes we feel all alone in that struggle. One thing I've come to learn on my mission is that it's usually at this moment of this trial when our Heavenly Father manifests His love so strongly to us. We are told in John 14:18 "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." I just want to bear my testimony that I know that our Heavenly Father knows each one of us and that if we turn to Him He will indeed deliver us out of bondage. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I hope you all have a good week. Keep doing what you're doing! You are awesome.

-Elder Furniss