Final
Testimony, take II
This week's been great.....same old
same old.....not many new investigators. So I'll just tell you what I was going
to say last week....
Well, Sorry about the abrupt end
last week.
What I was getting at was an
experience that honestly put my whole missionary service in perspective.
A couple of months ago I was still
in Maranga, and in case you're unaware of how much visible success we
had. It was minimal. More often than not, we were walking in the streets,
knocking doors, talking to people in the street, visiting every member in the
ward, or doing just about anything we could to find people to teach, so that we
could fulfill our purpose as missionaries to "invite others to come unto
Christ".
Even when we got into a house, our
visits to active and less-active members alike proved fruitless. Even the
"progress" of our investigators was dubious.
I vividly recall one family, the “ L”
family. We had to have visited them
about 10 times in my short 3 months there, and not once did they go to church.
A few of our teaching appointments were cancelled due to the fact that the
father was inebriated. I remember distinctly the feeling of complete
uselessness every time they promised to come, and never showed up.
On a Sunday morning, much like any
other we passed by several investigators so that we could accompany them to
church. About a block from the church, who else should we see but the L. family? Although, it wasn't anything new,
frequently they were out and about Sunday, buying ice cream, or going to the
beach.....but this week something was different. The men all had Shirts and
ties, and the mother and daughter had dresses on....
We approached them, and I hesitantly
asked where they were going today. They laughed and said "Church of
course"! I must have had my mouth a bit agape, because they all laughed,
and said "for reals this time, let’s go".....
Along the way the father, Ricardo,
said something to me I'll never forget.
He said: "Elder, it really does
mean a lot that you kept visiting us. I'm going to talk with the bishop today;
I know I've got to get some stuff in order if we ever want to get sealed."
"Elder, I want you to know.
Your visits weren't in vain. Thank you".
Oh, if I could always feel like I
did that day....
So. That's what changed my mission.
That's what I bore my final testimony about in my last zone conference, and
that's the testimony I'll be taking home with me.
I love this gospel so much. I love
my mission so much.
That's something they don't tell you
when you start....everyone who's served a mission loves it.....but that love
doesn't come all at once, but now that it has, I can affirm every cliché
statement there is about missionary work!
I love it!!!
I love you all!
I'll let you know about transfers
next week!!! Love you!
-Elder Winn
Temple Trip
Market outside their apartment
He might need new socks
Brian's baptism
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