Harbor City Week 14

I love it here in Harbor City, and that the Lord is SO good to us when we are obedient! The blessing have been pouring out from heaven lately in this area. It's a testimony to me that the Lord is preparing people everywhere to accept His Gospel.

There were many miracles this week, one of which is my companion. Sister Snyder is wonderful, hardworking, patient and excited to do the work. It's a blessing to be her companion.

Sister Hensley and Sister Snyder

This week our investigator, Txx, was baptized.

It's the first person on my mission that I have taught from the very beginning who had decided to join the church. Needless to say, I got a little emotional at the service, but not too bad :) He asked me if I would sing "The Lord is My Shepherd" since it's his favorite scripture and he heard me sing with another Elder at another baptism. Oh man was I nervous! Let me tell you. But, Sister Snyder said that it sounded beautiful so I'm just going to trust her on that one. The most special part of the baptismal service for me was that Txx shared his testimony. His English was broken, his words got a little jumbled up, but the Spirit was definitely there. Throughout the testimony he kept saying, "wow" and how grateful he was to Heavenly Father and to us the missionaries for coming to teach him. He also shared that he couldn't wait to partake of the sacrament on Sunday, because before he was baptized he never took it (by his own choice) and now he knows what it means to him and so he was looking forward to it. Yet another testimony to me of how, when we are truly converted, nothing will stand in the way between us and the covenants that we make to our Heavenly Father. Then, on Sunday, he was confirmed and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by our Bishop. Txx walked into the chapel wearing a white shirt, tie and dress pants for the first time and my heart just leaped for joy to see him there. I could serve a thousand missions off of the spiritual high that I received that day. The Lord is just absolutely wonderful.

We also had some amazing experiences with Mxxxxx this week - the highlight being when we went to the visitor's center.

I love anytime that we get to go and be on the temple grounds and feel of the Spirit there. You don't have to go inside to know that it truly is the House of the Lord. We decided to go there and take a tour of the temple grounds because during one of our lessons this past week he told us that he's always seen the LA temple, but has never been there. However, one of the reasons that he is most excited about getting baptized is that one day he will be able to go inside the temple and feel of the spirit of the Lord. Amazing, right? So, we went with Mxxxxx and toured the temple grounds. Then we went inside the VC (Visitor's Center) and watched the movie "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration" and talked about how we wouldn't be able to have the ordinances of the temple if the Gospel hadn't been restored. Oh man, was my testimony strengthened that day. You know, I've seen that movie many times, but as we were sitting there with Mxxxxx it really hit me how grateful I am for the restored gospel. How grateful I am that I have a loving Heavenly Father who loves me SO much, that he called a prophet in these latter-days to establish His church and provide us with everything that we need to know in order to be able to gain eternal life and salvation. And how grateful I am for my Savior, Jesus Christ, because without him, there wouldn't be anything to restore in the first place. It's wonderful how the Spirit can touch our hearts from time to time, even when we are least expecting it. Mxxxxx had a wonderful time and he told us how he just "feels at home" whenever he comes to church, reads from the Book of Mormon, and prays. Ah! the Lord is so good.

I love you all! and am running short on time. But the Gospel is true!!!

Hope to hear from you all soon,

Sister Hensley