This past week has been interesting since it's Sister Farthing's last week- trunky companions really are interesting to work with.
This week we were randomly called by a less- active lady who announced to us that her son, Alex, wanted to be baptized on March 2nd! Alex had been meeting with missionaries on and off for the past year and a half. First the Sisters taught him and then the Elders. He hasn't been taught in the past 6 months and had had a baptismal date, but he fell off date. His parents didn't want him to be baptized, but now they are on board!
We went over there that very day to talk with Alex about the qualifications of baptism and how we are going to help him prepare. He has been coming to church on and off, but yesterday he came! We explained that he has to come to church all three Sunday's before his baptism in order to be qualified and to review the lessons. We're so excited to be teaching him and to help him progress. The only concern is that we're worried he's only being baptized for the social reasons, not necessarily because he has a testimony of the restored gospel. The young men's president in this ward already has the relationship with him and is being a great support to him. Alex hadn't ever read the Book of Mormon outside of when the missionaries would read it during the lessons, so we invited him to read every day and to pray about it's truthfulness. The young men's president made an arrangement with him to call him every night at 9 and discuss with Alex what he had read. It really makes a difference when you have great fellowship who are willing and ready to help.
We also finally were able to teach Michael a REAL lesson! We brought a girl with us who is preparing to go on a mission because Michael is a single father. We have had only door-step lessons because we can't go inside and when we do schedule a lesson, he always cancels because he's super busy with two daughters. Right after the opening prayer, Michael was like, "I want to be baptized, BUT (my heart sunk after this awful word) my family is really against me being baptized, so I'm going to wait for at least two years." WHAT?! Come to find out that is deceased wife was really against Mormons (Michael has wanted to be baptized for TWENTY years), his parents, and in-laws are against Mormons. He just kept on saying how the Lord is patient (yes He is) and will wait for him. TWENTY YEARS! That's crazy! Michael is so prepared it's insane. We taught him the Restoration and during the whole thing he was like "yes, I believe it" to everything we taught. He's a golden investigator- he already believes in everything, he just doesn't want to cause a rift in his family. I shared dad's experience and how his family didn't understand either and now they have softened. Brother Johnson, his neighbor, is also a convert and we're having the next lesson at his house with Michael and his two girls. We are praying that Michael will understand the "Come Follow Me" doesn't say "Come Follow Me later, or Come Follow Me in two years". It means "Come Follow Me" Now and I will bless you for it. I testified of how the gospel has blessed my life and how my trials seem bearable because I know Heavenly Father is there helping me. "Life is hard with or without the Gospel, which one will you choose?" I'm praying that our lesson this Wednesday will help Michael to see how having the gospel now will bless his life.
This next week is going to be from crazy town. Sister Farthing leaves on Wednesday. Today another sister who's going home on Wednesday and Sister Farthing are going into Tempe to have dinner with President and Sister Howes. Then they are having interviews. I am going to have another girl who's leaving for his mission in 2 weeks come be my companion from 3-8:30 when we have to go pick up Sister Farthing. On Wednesday Sister Farthing leaves for Tempe at 2:30 and Sister Caldwell (the companion of the other sister who's leaving on Wednesday) and I are going to be companions until the transfer is up- next Wednesday. So we are going to be covering two areas at once. We have already planned for this coming week and decided when we're going to be in what area and scheduling appointments and so on. I find out on Sunday whether or not I'm being transferred! There are 7 Sisters going home and only 2 coming in, so sisters areas will have to be closed. I'm worried that my area will be closed because it's had sisters for a long time- since 2009.
Anyways, I've been reading the Book of Mormon. I'm reading in 3 Nephi and also in 2 Nephi 25-31. Reading both at the same time has confirmed that the Book of Mormon is a chiasm. No man could write such an intricate story plot with out the help from God. I love the quote by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so." I love the Book of Mormon and I love testifying of it's truthfulness. I know that Joseph Smith restored the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love being a missionary and I can't believe that it's been just over 3 months since I went into the MTC.
Love,
Sister Collins
Sis. Farthing and Sis. Collins
Her District