First things is first. For those of you who may be concerned with my health, well I still have no idea what is wrong with my back. I went to the Doctor on Friday thinking I would have my solution and would be able to start moving forward to a pain-free life, but the doctor just told me that yes, I do have two rather large kidney stones, but right now they are not in a spot would be causing pain--in the future they'll be a problem, but right now, not the problem. The doctor took another look at my CT scan and said there is something wrong there and refferred me to a back specialist. I have filled out the application to the back specialist and am just waiting on a call from them. I am back where I started, except this time around no pain medications are working and I just have to pray extra hard to make it through each day. I am definitely getting closer to my Savior though. Always a thing to be grateful for in each trial!
Transfers have come and gone and it looks like Sister Ng and I will be staying another transfer together in the city. Our third transfer together and Sister Ng's seventh transfer in the city! She is such a trooper. It isn't even possible for me to stay here that long. We are both very excited to be staying because we have a lot of really solid investigators right now who have accepted the invitation to be baptized this transfer! Always exciting to see the fruit of our labors as Ammon said in Alma 26: 30-31: " And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us."Saturday was a glorious day! Sister Ng and I were able to watch our investigator, Atticus, enter the waters of baptism and promise Heavenly Father to always remember Him. It was pretty awesome because a man I taught in SunnyBank,George Chen, then referred to city where he was baptized, was the one to baptize Atticus. It was George's first opportunity to baptize someone! It was sweet to watch George carefully dip Atticus into the water. The first time he did it so carefully that Atticus's hand didn't make it into the water and so they had to do it twice. It was a great teaching opportunity after because we were able to remind George and Atticus of just how important it is to be fully immersed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Sunday was awesome as well. Atticus received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the greatest gift anyone can receive from our loving Heavenly Father! However, that wasn't my favorite part. Friday night I had texted Ayako to remind her about church. Usually she quickly replies, but we had received no confirming text. Sister Ng and prayed fervently that she would show up. Church started and no Ayako. Then after the opening prayer in walked Ayako in her new pink dress and pretty high heels WITH three of her friends! She is not even a member yet, and she is already doing missionary work! It just strengthens my testimony that this church is true and when people come to that knowledge they can't help but want to share it with their friends and family!Monday was full of lessons. Sister Ng and I were positive she'd be transferred because no one in mission history has stayed in one area longer than 6 transfers, so we invited as many people as we could to meet with us on Monday so Sister Ng could say goodbye. Well late Sunday night we got the transfer call and nobody was leaving, so we clapped our hands for joy and went to bed happy that the next day was not going to be full of goodbyes. Our first lesson was with a man named Tony, and no he is not the same person that I taught in SunnyBank. Tony has expressed in multiple lessons how difficult it is for him to feel love and to love others. His parents left him to be raised by Tony's aunt and uncle, who both worked a lot and taught Tony that charity is bad because it only comes back to hurt you. Tony's only desire in life is to be happy, he just doesn't know how. After much prayer and consideration, Sister Ng and I finally decided to veer off the usual path and teach Tony all about Charity. We invited a recently baptized member, Warren--who also had problems with being happy prior to his baptism-- to join us. As we began to teach Tony about Charity I could feel the Spirit enter my heart and fill my soul with warmth. At one point I felt prompted to ask Tony, "Tony, do you feel that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you?" He went on to explain that he'd never felt God or Christ's love before, but when he started meeting with the missionaries he started to feel a little bit happier. Tony started to cry a little bit as I testified that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do in fact love Tony and want nothing more for him than for him to have happiness in life here on earth and in the life to come. Warren was great! He shared his testimony about how once he joined the church he had a lot more friends and was as happy as he'd ever been his whole life. At the end of the lesson Sister Ng invited Tony to be baptized and to start coming to church. He said yes to both! Warren got his phone number and offered to go to church with him this Sunday. When we said our closing prayer Tony prayed that he would get passing marks on the test he was about to go pick up. An hour later when we were teaching another investigator, Tony interrupts our lesson to tell us that he passed! He had the biggest smile on his face and I could see the Light of Christ glowing from within Tony's smile! Our investigator was also very impressed that God would answer prayers so quickly, so it was a good interruption. It was truly a great first day of the transfer. I can tell Sister Ng and I are going to see miracles unfold before our eyes this transfer as we do our best to invite others to repent and be baptized so that they may have the FULL JOY that comes from living Heavenly Father's commandments.I testify that God lives. Jesus the Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. They love each and everyone of us and will help us through any trial we may be going through. I can see the hand of the Lord in my family's life back home, and I can see it ever to clearly in my life here in Australia. I bear witness that the Holy Ghost can help us know truth, can help us know what to do to help others, and can help us keep pushing forward even if we are in the same setting. These things I bear humble witness of in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1) Atticus's Baptism
Atticus, George and Me
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