Bonjour family and friends!
(So sorry in advance, this email is pretty long. If anything, just read the stuff I put in bold at the bottom)
I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this week justice in an email. Seriously, we had a GREAT week packed full of miracles and testimony building experiences! I know I say that pretty much every week... but hey, every week it's true.
I'm on a spiritual "cloud nine" so I hope you can feel it as you read this email.
So, this week Elder Johnson and I did a bunch of exchanges. We worked with the elders of Paris, Liège and Tour. Three exchanges in a row is a lot, but it was so much fun and we got work done!
I'll send some cool pictures that I took during my exchange in Paris.
This week I really saw the hands of God working in my life. I'll tell you about one experience in particular.
So... Célia and Alan. Oh my gosh, I love them so much. God has blessed me with so much charity for them.
We got super honest and upfront with them this week. I asked them in our lesson on thursday, "What is holding you back from being baptized?" They responded that they believe everything we've taught them, that they love the church and that they want to be a part of it... they are just waiting for one thing before they get baptized. They want to know that the Book of Mormon is true. They are waiting for that spiritual confirmation, but they said that "If we could get an answer that the Book of Mormon is true... we'd be baptized tomorrow".
What great news! We made them a promise... We said that if they really do everything in their power to get an answer (read, fast, pray, come to church, etc.)... God will give them the answer they are searching for by the 11th of Septmember. They agreed right then and there to do their part and so they are excited to see what will happen.
Well 2 days later we had another lesson with them. Before this lesson Elder Johnson and I felt like we really needed to go that one step further and set a baptismal date. The september 11th date was kind of cool to help them understand they don't need to wait years to get an answer, but we wanted them to have a goal baptismal date that they can work towards.
We prayed really hard before the lesson, knowing that we'd really need the spirit with us if we'd want to pull this off...
I had a funny experience on the way to their house. I was about to get on the metro and I was thinking about the things we were going to say and how we were going to ask them to be baptized. I told myself that I wasn't going to bother contacting people on the train because I needed to think about the lesson and prepare myself for this really important moment. While I was on the metro, I was thinking to myself about what we were going to teach and I started saying a silent prayer to have the spirit. During that prayer I said something like "I'm doing everything I can to have the spirit with me, please help Elder Johnson and I be able to touch their hearts so they'll accept the invitation to be baptized"....
What happened was kind of interesting. During my prayer, I had the thought... "if you're really doing "everything you can" to have the spirit, why aren't you talking to that woman in front of you about the gospel?"
I was like, dang... good point. I sat up, and started talking to the lady in front of me. Turns out, she wasn't interested at all... but when I got off the train I felt like I did what I needed to do to have the spirit.
Anyways.... long story short... We eventually got to their house and the spirit was super strong and they accepted the invitation to be baptized on the 21st of September under conditions that they get their answer that the Book of Mormon is true.
How exciting! So, please pray that Célia and Alan will get an answer before the 11th of September that the Book of Mormon is true so they can get baptized on the 21st! They are so amazing and have such good hearts. I say this every week but they are true and honest seekers of truth. I know they will get their answer because they are already doing their part. Alan read the entire Book of Mormon in 2 weeks and now he's reading it again and he's already in Mosiah!
Walking home from that lesson, Elder Johnson and I felt true joy. We agreed that that was probably one of the happiest times of our entire missions because we followed the promptings of the spirit and saw God work through us. Alma 17:28: "Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness."
I love you guys,
Elder Davis
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