Week 67 The Spirit Really Testifies

Bia and Alessandra got baptized!!! Oh my goodness it was the most stressful thing as all baptisms are. Man has it been so fun and rewarding though.

It started out last Monday at our lesson with them. Bia started to avoid us and not agree with what we taught because her mom was telling her to do it. Well she is a teenager and rebelled against her mom so it scared us a bit.

About halfway through the week she dropped her date and did not want to do it anymore. She did not want to keep the word of wisdom or the law of chastity. We were pretty sad but still excited for Alessandra. She was rock solid and just wanted to do it as soon as possible.

On the night of the interview we got to their house early to teach one last lesson but Alessandra ended up having to work late so it was just Bia. We made sure to sit outside but we took the opportunity to teach her boldly and without Mom breathing down her neck. Bia speaks very good English so we could communicate. With Alessandra we need to get translated.

As we started to have a real talk with Bia both of us told her about our rebellious teen lives and how now we see that our crazy moms really do love us and wanted the best. We also explained how the commandments worked the same way. It is just God trying to protect us. Man it was a cool powerful moment with her.

At the end of it she asked if she could still get baptized!! YES!!!! The spirit is real and it teaches people and causes them to change!! She got interview and passed and so did Alessandra.

The next day at the baptism it was beautiful. By far the best one I have had on my mission. Heaps of members came and one family learned how to sing I Am a Child of God in Portuguese. That was the coolest moment. Both Bia and her mom were in tears and you just knew that the spirit was there and that they were ready.

The coolest lesson I learned from teaching them has changed me forever as a teacher and missionary. From our first lesson with them, they could not even understand us. They had no clue what we were saying but they had a clue on what they were feeling. For the first time I had the biggest realization that the spirit is the teacher. We always say it but in this one it was so relevant. It did not matter what the heck we said, all it took was them to feel the spirit. No words in English could have convinced them this church was true. It was only the spirit. The cool part now is when I have a comp struggling with English I can share this with him. Who cares if he struggles to say the right thing when teaching. It just does not matter.

That was just the coolest part of the week. This really is the Lord’s work and he loves his children. He has a way prepared for all of them. No language barrier can get in the way.

Now time for a fun Elder Cahoon story moment.

We have a member in our ward who cuts hair. We go there all the time now to get our hair cut. Their names are Ephraim and Jess Hannet. They are so fun. So last P-day we went over for our haircut as usual and it was great.  I look so good. The funnest part about these members is they treat us like normal people. All members do but there is always a little weird feel. Anyway not at the Hannet house. We talk and laugh just like family. I think I might have mentioned them before but anyway.

At the end of our haircuts we just go shower and get clean for dinner. The first time I thought it was kinda weird but now I am used to it. This week though I was showering after my haircut and had the thought "whoa, I am naked at a members house. Wait a minute." It was a really funny thought. As I started to think, I have never been naked at any ones house my whole mission. That’s good!! This was just so funny and maybe I was just having a deep ponder in the shower but boy did I get a kick out of it. Haha they are a fun family.

At church we still have heaps of investigators come. I met someone though who was visiting from a ward up the road in Gold Coast and we got chatting and he asked where I was from. Utah. What part? Highland, Oh I served with someone from Highland on my mission. Who? Trevor Garrity. oh cool I think I know him. Wait I lived next to him and he is in my ward.

It took me a sec to remember and put the name together but how cool is that. He was comps with Trevor. We had a fun chat and I thought the whole thing was really cool!!

Boy it is just great right now!! The area is great and things are going well. I love you all. Have a good week.

Elder Cahoon