Monday, February 28, 2011

Through Faith Miracles Do Happen



What an amazing week we had pertaining to the work! I feel great right now, my companion and I really accomplished a lot of things. Our baptismal service yesterday was probably the best that I have ever been to. Such a spiritual experience. I am really grateful for the Holy Ghost, because without it, yesterday never would have happened. Let me explain:
We have an investigator, and her name is Sunnay, she is from Liberia. She has gone through many hardships throughout her life, has felt as though she had made too many mistakes, and desired to be baptized so her sins could be washed away forever and have a fresh start. She first met with missionaries about 8 years ago through Brother Luseni, (we baptized his 5 sons over a month ago) but lost contact with the church and with Brother Luseni after she moved. This past August, I believe, she saw a pass-along card on the ground walking home from work, so she called the number hoping that missionaries would show soon. They did, and they baptized Sunnay's daughter (Wonsier 18) and grandson (Emmanuel 14), but unfortunately Sunnay could not be baptized because she has been living with another man, and they together had Wonsier back in Africa. (They aren't married by the way thats why she cant be baptized) So she was stuck in a pickle and could not progress. (Wonsier and Emmanuel were baptized right before I came into Camden.) I and many others felt bad for Sunnay, because she wanted to be baptized so bad but couldn't, and she couldn't just leave this man because she wasn't making enough income to be able to support her and her family.
3 weeks ago as my companion and I were doing our weekly planning session, my companion was new to the area so he did not know much, asked me what is it that Sunnay needs. I had no idea, she had been taught everything, but I wanted to help her to progress in the Kingdom of God so I desired to know what she really needed. I felt very impressed to ask her what exactly the situation was with her and this other man, and what was needed to be done and what her family struggles were. She had been asked these before, but I felt very strongly to ask again. And so we did, and she told us something new that she didnt tell us before, and that she and this guy and more like roommates, they dont sleep in the same room at all! She also told us that she had not been sexually active with this man since she had Wonsier in Africa. My companion and I investigated this, and it turns out that the rule states that a person must not be co-habitating, (meaning as a couple) in order to be baptized. We counseled with our mission president and we received the thumbs up to be able to baptize her. What a miracle it was, and I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of it.
She was baptized last night and the Spirit in that room was so full. Elder Robertson and I gave a beautiful lesson on the Restoration while she was changing, (that is based on what the members told us) and when she returned, we sung the primary hymn number 100, 'Baptism'. It was awesome. A story I will never forget.
-So another spiritual experience that we had that I learned alot from, Thursday afternoon we get a call from a girl who currently resides at the Ronald McDonald House and she is a member, and told us of a family who just had a tragedy with their son from Ohio. Their son, Kyle, was driving and the car spun on black ice and he ran into a telephone pole. The impact had such a force that his head whiplashed around the pole and caused his entire brain to literally rotate 180 degrees. He was in critical condition and was on life support here in Camden. We talked to Kyle's parents about what exactly a blessing is and about the plan of salvation, about how families can be together forever, and talked about when we give a blessing, it is by faith and God's will. As we walked in the hospital room, Kyle looked terrible, and I could only look to love him and feel remorse for the pain that he must have been going through. I annointed him with the oil, and my companion actually gave the blessing. Both of us felt impressed during the blessing that Kyle was going to die soon and return to the Spirit World, so we blessed him that he would be pain free and at ease. As we left the hospital, the Spirit hit us hard like a football player and taught us how this life is a temporary state, and that anything that we possess in this life, anything pertaining to temporally, just did not matter, and how God's ways are Eternal and Everlasting. It was an intense feeling, something I wont forget either.
Miracles do happen. I witness it for myself. I know that this is God's work and his purposes for all of His children are eternal.
I love all of you and I hope and pray that you may have a fantastic week.
Love, Elder Corey J. Harris