Week of January 15th thru 21st

Elder Gerald Causse was the General Authority who came to our Zone Conference this time. He is from France and has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy for a year, and he is Julie's age. I could be his mother! That certainly made me feel old.

It was so rewarding to have Institute go well this week. It did so much to encourage me and make me want to keep trying. We taught, "I Know That He Lives" and shared testimonies from some of the presidents of the Church then opened it up for them to bear testimony of the things we have been studying, especially of the Savior Jesus Christ. Their testimonies were exceptionally sweet and meaningful. We ended with some testimonies from the "Special Witnesses of Christ" DVD and it worked out very well. 

Let me share a couple of the testimonies of the Institute students so you can get an idea of what I am talking about: 

(A lovely young woman) "[A friend boy] and I cycle to Institute from Student House (about 4 or 5 miles) every week and it is really hard and I often do not want to do it, or I want to quit, and I am so tired, especially when we come up that last hill toward the Church. But I know it is so important for me to be here. Institute has saved me. I have regained the testimony I thought I had lost a long time ago. I know my Savior lives and loves me." 

(A young man) "I have been told through the Holy Ghost that God lives. The thing I am most sure of is that God loves me. I know that God loves me."  

(A young woman) "In taking Institute this year I prayed I would understand the scriptures and they have been opened to me and I know I should be in Institute." 

(A young man) "The gospel is really such a light, a bright thing in my life. It helps me to be optimistic and have hope for a better world."  

(A young woman) "I have had a need recently to depend on my Heavenly Father. I have studied the atonement and it has helped me so much." 

(A young man) "It has not always been easy to live the gospel but as I try it becomes easier. Being with you at Institute and YSA activities helps me. I know it is only because of the Savior that we are here together. I feel grateful so much that He was willing to go through that pain for me." 

I really feel that the best lessons are when they can learn from each other and bear strong testimony of the truths we are discussing. What a privilege it is to serve among them.

Missionary Missionaries

Keergin Ji and Elder Cable

I've mentioned that we have been told not to look to the "missionaries" to do things when we meet people. In fact, we have been told, "You are the missionaries." Well Saturday we felt a little more like we actually were missionaries. I went with Sisters Morris and Martinec to teach the second lesson to Raymond, a Jehovah Witness, in his early 60s, I would guess. He was so nice and though he wanted to talk about so many other things off the subject, he did agree with what we taught him about The Restoration. He said, "I'm not going to tell people in our congregation yet because I don't want to upset or offend anyone, but when I am a Mormon then I can let them know gradually. When Sister Morris told him about the First Vision he said, "Isn't that lovely. Joseph Smith. I will have to remember his name. Maybe I will put it on a piece of paper and tape it to the wall. He is important." I truly enjoy going teaching with the missionaries and it was great to be able to add my testimony to the things they were teaching Raymond. He said the prayer at the end of the lesson. Very sweet. 

Sister Martinec, Keergin Ji, Sister Morris

In the evening we went to the baptism of Keergin Ji, a YSA age Chinese student. Jack Kirby came and Raymond came, as well as many, many of our Institute students and several from the Ward. It was a beautiful evening, filled with the Spirit. One of our students, Jess Witt, spoke on baptism and I spoke on the Holy Ghost. And Wayne was honored to do the baptizing. It was a lovely evening. Keergin was so happy to be baptized and has such a pure radiance about her. 

Jack Kirby is still being "persecuted" by members of his former congregation for joining the Church. Someone comes almost every day and tells him what a horrible thing he has done. They are mean about it. He said, "I don't understand. They didn't pay any attention to me before I joined the Church so why are they spending so much time coming to tell me what a terrible thing I have done now that I have joined the Church." Kind of like Joseph Smith when he told the ministers of his First Vision. He wondered why so many people would be so upset with what he, a boy, said. Satan is still alive and well. 

Raymond came to Church today and I sat by him. After every hymn, every talk, everything that happened he would say, "That's lovely." He asked me while the sacrament was being passed if it was okay for people to pray during this time. I said yes, so he bowed his head put his hands together and I could hear him say, "Dear Heavenly Father," and he continued to whisper a prayer. It was very sweet.