For some reason I'm very sensitive to foot steps, whether people are heavy on their feet or light. I think it's because my young days in hotels getting up early or getting in late and being aware not to make too much noise so no one wakes up. Really weird.
Well this week was simply amazing! Oh my goodness it was so good. This week Elder Pilling sees his friend Will be baptized and confirmed, learns about the early saints, and gets a fat package:)
So this will be greatly out of order but first I want to share something from last night. Elder Clegg and I were invited to another dinner with Greg the pastor and 9 of his fellow acquaintances. We had a great meal and a very great discussion about our beliefs. They hammered us with questions, and we answered every one with biblical proof and testimony from the spirit. The main focus however was on authority, Priesthood authority, the authority to preach the gospel and modern revelation. This is very important to us as Latter Day saints. Without this authority the heavens are closed 🔐 and there begins to be different interpretations of the Bible and the pureness of the gospel is altered ever so slightly to meet the standards of men, not Heavenly Father. It was a great discussion and their wheels were turning and the spirit was present. I am so grateful to be a part of the living church of Jesus Christ. The Priesthood has been restored and allows us to have a cannon of open revelation. They claim that Jesus Christ was the last prophet and priest, however in Matthew 5:17 is states:
"17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." He filled the role while on earth and did not destroy them then, or forever. Not to mention they get that concern from a scripture that Joseph Smith" fixed" through the lens of revelation and Priesthood authority. The bible states "13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." This states it ends ofter the reign of John but Joseph Smith revealed this,
"13 But the days will come, when the violent shall have no power; for all the prophets and the law prophesied that it should be thus until John."
This is another beautiful thing we have through proper authority. This is the truth! And we have all that Jesus had established in the Bible. This conversation was important and it ties in with the baptism we had!!
So I haven't talked much about Will. I first met Will my first week in SLO. We got in his car and just chatted and he ended up saying the closing prayer. Then we had a more formal lesson where we brought the YSA sisters in because Will just turned 18. So we had a very super good pass off lesson over a month ago. Since then we have seen him regularly because he is neighbours with Jonathan the recent Convert who's 15. Anyway we even taught Will once more because the sisters were stuck driving back from Oxnard (2hrs away) so I've taught him, I've prayed with him, I've prayed for him, and I've become a good friend with him. So Thursday was his baptism!!! Sister Martin gave a talk on baptism and I followed giving a talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Elder Clegg then baptized him and I witnessed for the ordinance and whoa barely got him under (will is 6'3 and over 220lbs) but we made it!! It was so good.
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| Will's baptism |
While they changed, they played some videos, one was "Hope of God's light" which is so touching. After the service, Sister Martin talked to Will's younger brother Junior about the service and asked if he wanted to get baptized to and he said yes!! That caught my attention and I looked over and Sister Martin introduced me and I got talking with him, set up a lesson, and we are already buds. He's 14 and so kind. He said the video Hope Of God's Light really made him want God in his life. So we taught him the next day and he's so ready!!! Not to mention the hermanas are teaching their mom!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhh huh it's so cool!!!! This is getting confusing. OK then Sunday, Will was supposed to get confirmed. He didn't show to sacrament meeting and everyone was freaking out. But he showed up shortly after and we confirmed him then. A YSA ward member performed the ordinance but Will asked us to be in the circle:) He's so kind. So there you have it. Will is a member of the Lord's church and he set the way for his brother and mom. So blessed to have been a part of his conversion. Also that was my first time attending a YSA ward besides the time we visited Clair at BYU and whoa snooze fest. Jk. Not jk.
Another highlight is Jillmar. I met him Tuesday while on an exchange. We gave him the best thing on earth, a Book of Mormon, and he was so incredibly grateful for such a gift. We taught him and he had read the intro, witness' testimonies, testimony of Joseph Smith, and up to chapter 3. He's amazing. He's actually 28 so YSA will be coming in to get him shortly but I already love him. He's homeless, living at a shelter but he hangs out and cleans up at his mom's place. We had a great lesson and he committed to church. He came to church (though we were 15 mins late, we still made the opening song and prayer) and he staye d all 3 hrs. Plus it was the primary program so he was so confused. Ugh the primary is so funny. One kids yells in the microphone and the other barely whispers. Let get some consistency huh kids?? Sheesh.
Our zone found 21 new people to teach this week!! Highest number for the year. We were blessed with 6!!!! Which is a mission high for me. And as a mission we hit a record of finding 111 new people being taught. (With the updated PMG, "investigator" is extinct in case you didn't get the memo) . Anyway 111!!! Prior to that it was 101 in a week. With 134 missionaries, that's over one per companionship:) We also baptized 8 people this week as a mission which is a year high as well (last MONTH we had a total of 9 baptisms for the mission and the month before, it was 10). It has been a very good time that's for sure.
Here's a list and a short recap of who they are:
Junior, Will's younger bro
Tim and Nathan, father son with a nice home
Enrique, older Spanish guy who got us donuts
Mardal, almost got Baptised a month ago
Bubba, friend of a member
Anna, friend of a member so ready
Andrew, Father of 4
Justin, pastor for a church in Morro Bay
Dave Ore, 92 Yr old who's always sleeping
Jillmar, 28 Yr old beast
Justin Frazer, owns a gym- super cool
Cheryl and Calli, mother daughter we met awhile back.
Isaiah, 12 Yr old who's super cool
A fat list, more than I've ever been blessed to know. Sad thing is these people have their varying challenges and weekly meetings is not a thing with some:( We're working to know how we can best help them.
Well I think this is a very informative email. My brother Cale goes home in like 2 weeks and I was a bit worried a few weeks ago that it would make me all trunky but things are so good. This missionary life is the best thing in the whole world. I've met some very interesting people, I've met some really amazing people, and when you see them in their XXL jumpsuit it makes it all worth it:) All the anti, all the doubts, all the fear, all the persecution, all that means nothing because this is the restored Church of Jesus Christ. It is true and the blessings that are waiting to be poured out on us is incredible and all they need to do is come follow Him. I was thinking this morning how things have changed. Last night I had dinner with 11 people. 9 were strangers and yet we were talking, laughing, testifying, and that would have NEVER happened back home. If you recall I was scared out of my mind to talk to anyone I didn't know and even people I did know. It's so amazing. Also you should all read Saints. It's on gospel library.
Love all of you people
Elder Pilling
2375 Johnson Ave
San Luis Obispo CA
93401
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