February 11, 2013

Has the day of miracles ceased?

How is everything going?  I wanted to tell you about a really special
experience that I had during this last few days.

On Friday, we taught Nidia, our strongest investigator, about tithing
with a really strong member of the branch.  The lesson went great, and
the Holy Ghost was definitely present, testifying of the truth that we
had taught.  The member that came with us bore a powerful testimony of
the power of paying of a full tithe.  Despite the really good lesson
that we had, she told us, "I've thought a lot about these things, and
I've decided that I am not going to pay tithing for now.  When I have
a steady job, I'll be able to do it, but not for now."  We taught and
testified powerfully, but she continued with that decision that she
had made.  We finally left her with the invitation to pray to God and
ask for strength to receive an answer and follow it.  I honestly left
the lesson a bit discouraged because she had told us that she could
not be baptized for now; however, I felt a very distinct peace that
confirmed to my soul that God could change her heart.  Leaving the
lesson, we decided that we would fast for her together with the sister
missionaries in the branch and the member that came with us.  Now we
jump to Sunday.

On Sunday afternoon, we had a lesson with Nidia after church.  In
church, she had told us that she had something that she needed to tell
us, so we were pretty anxious to know.  She told us that Saturday
night, she went to sleep with the same determination that she would
not pay her tithing for now.  However, as she was sleeping, she had a
strange dream.  In her dream, she was talking with the branch
president, someone that she knew but with whom she did not have a very
strong relationship.  She said that they were in the church, and he
was telling her about the history of the church in Santa Cruz when she
looked at the records of the church and found her name among the
members of the church.  She was left rather perplexed and asked the
branch president why her name was there.  He told her that she was
already part of the church and was among the members.  She suddenly
woke up, confused and realizing that she was running late to go to
church.  She quickly got ready and went to church.  At church, the
first branch president of Santa Cruz, who was a missionary in
that time, came to visit.  He was given a moment to talk and told of
the history of the church in Santa Cruz.  Just as Nidia had heard in
her dreams.  At the end, a really old member of the church told about
the pulpit that was used, made of some old, wooden planks.  Nidia told
us that she knew how that pulpit looked because she had seen a picture
of it in her dream.  She was also touched by some of the other
messages that were shared.  After telling us about all of this, she
simply declared, "I am willing to pay my tithing.  I will prove the
Lord."  She knew that the only way that she could be happy was being
baptized and being part of the church of Jesus Christ.

Honestly, I saw something very special yesterday.  When we found her,
she was almost an atheist, believing in nothing more than what science
could teach her.   Now she is ready to put all of her trust in the
Lord.  She has developed a personal relationship with her Heavenly
Father and told us that she would do anything to return to His
presence.  At the end of the lesson, we continued reading Mosiah 18
and came to the question, "What have you against being baptized in the
name of the Lord?".  She gave her firm reply: nothing.  There was
nothing holding her back.  She will be baptized on February 23rd.

I know with all my heart that God is a God of miracles.  I know that
he will help us in our determinations to serve Him.  I now have an
even stronger testimony of the power of fasting.  I know that the Lord
will answer us in his own time and in his own ways, but He will always
answer us.