Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Gospel Blesses Families

I have a missionary experience to share! At the beginning of the summer I was assigned to visit teach a non member named Nicole who has a less active husband, Kevin. Nicole had met with the missionaries once or twice before and showed interest in the message but didn't want to pursue it without the support of her husband who was not interested in the slightest. When Megan (my v.t. companion) and I started visiting Nicole, she said it was ok if we shared gospel messages with her.

Over the summer there was that huge missionary conference emphasizing church tours. My bishop knew I had done church tours in my mission and sent the elders in my stake to talk to me about it and I gave them a run down of how church tours work in the Spokane mission. I promised them that I would invite Nicole on a church tour as they had been trying to teach her for months without success.

Well it took me quite a long time to get the church tour set up with Nicole and by the time I did, transfers came and went a new set of elders swept into the area. Both brand new and never having done or heard much about church tours, they had to scramble to come up with something when I told them they were taking Nicole on one. The tour they took her on was almost laughable! It was nothing like the church tours I'm used to. It was chaotic and disorganized and way too long with way too many tangents. But toward the end of it, they finally came to the baptism font and invited her to be baptized. I got such a thrill of excitement to hear that invitation and feel the spirit working on her as she thought about it with hesitation and surprise. At the very end we stopped at the painting of the first vision. The elders taught about the first vision and the Book of Mormon and invited her to read it. Up to that point I had been quiet. The elders had invited the ward mission leader, the relief society president and another member and my v.t. companion. With all of them being very eager to share comments and thoughts, It always seemed my comments would just be another thing to forget. But finally at the first vision I had the beautiful opportunity to share my testimony of the the prophet, the Book of Mormon and my savior, Jesus Christ. That is my favorite thing.

Nicole has been meeting with the missionaries ever since. Because of my work schedule, I've only been able to attend a few of the lessons. It wasn't too long before Nicole had a tentative baptism date. She was so worried that she wouldn't be ready on time and she always lamented that her husband wouldn't be coming back to church. Well, one day I came out of class from teaching primary and standing in the foyer were Nicole AND Kevin! As we were talking, the ward mission leader came to greet them and added is surprise and excitement to mine. They informed us that Nicole would no longer be getting baptized the following Saturday because they had just decided that Kevin would be the one to baptize her. He met with the bishop that day and started getting himself prepared to worthily baptize his wife.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend and speak at Nicoles baptism. Kevin did a wonderful job and there were lots of people from Kevins family and the ward there to support them both. Kevin and Nicole moved into a new ward this week and their new bishop, relief society president and ward mission leader were there to welcome them to the their new ward. Kevin and Nicole were so happy and I could see that the Gospel truly does bless families as they became united with Father in Heaven. I am full of gratitude that I got to be a part it.

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