Ch. 47 The Power of the Priesthood

Chapter 47: The Power of the Priesthood

Sometimes, I think it is very easy to become over-confident when good things happen as a missionary. Last week, we were all excited about Cathy the new super missionary. So, the Elders took her out to go visit some Romanians as well. However, one of them went crazy, and she came back pretty traumatized. But, she had a good attitude she told us, “I thought the one man was going to strike one of the elders, but they were literally glowing with the power of God.” So, we thought all was safe and good to go. We were contacted in the street by a Romanian man who had a Book of Mormon and said he wanted to talk to us about it, but would need someone to translate. We took that as an obvious miracle, and we had just the person in mind.....However, let the battle begin....

We walked up to the park where we were meeting them, and there were two men there. We thought, “Wow that is great! Two people to teach!” But, we were soon dreading what lay before us. Yes, this man pulled out a list of ten reasons why the Book of Mormon was false, and how we should worship on Saturdays....oh boy. Yes, we had run into a Seventh day Aventista preacher...and he just sat there tearing Cathy apart in Romanian, and we had no idea what was going on. Cathy just would come back testifying, but he was like a blood thirsty monster!! (I guess I shouldn´t say that about any preacher from any religion, but seriously!!) So we got out of there, and Cathy just said, “Walk tall, girls. We are daughters of God. We need to fight for what we know.” I was so proud of her....however, we went back later that night with the Elders to give their daughter, Gemma, a blessing since she was really sick. So, she then confessed that her mind was flooding with doubts. And that is when she pulled out an anti mormon book that the preacher had given her when I wasn´t looking. Grrrr....We told her how it´s ok to have doubts. God can always answer our prayers, and she could receive the same answer that she received before. We had also planned to show them the Safety for the Soul talk by Elder Holland. If anyone can regrow a testimony besides the Holy Ghost,  it´s Elder Holland.  But, it was so funny. It finished and it was actually Tony who was more affected. He turned to us and said, “Hermanas, that´s me. I put my testimony with his. I am not going to let anyone tell me what is right and what is wrong. You just have to know what is right and stick with it! There ya go Cathy, now do you understand.”  A little bit of pride, but I will take it. However, all week she was a little shakey until Sunday. She walked into Relief Society, and the lesson was the Plan of Salvation. Oh my goodness, the church´s program is inspired. She raised her hand and told of how bad it hurt that her brother and dad had passed away, but how she had always had dreams of them being alive somewhere else. She said, “When the Hermanas taught me this plan and that families can be together forever, I just knew it was true. I just knew it with all my heart.” There we go... However the story continues. After church we taught them really quick and Cathy told us that she had actually planned to go to the Adventista church Saturday, but before she left, she said a prayer. She said nothing like that has ever happened before. Her body just wouldn´t respond. She had no desire to leave her house, and even thinking about it made her sick. She still has a little bit of things she wants to work out with God (as she said), but she also said she wanted to put a for sure baptismal date to work towards. March 15. Sigh...I probably won´t be there, but my heart will be!! Also, lesson learned. We might be a little more careful about where we take Cathy before she is even baptized. Haha The bigger miracle this week is actually with the family of the five young Peruvian girls and the stubborn-as-a-brick mother. The Elders gave the blessing to the girl who had epileptic attacks, as I told you all, last week. Well, this week when we went to visit them, the mother was sitting on the couch with the other girls, anxiously awaiting us. What??? I just kind of stared at her, and my companion actually asked, “So...were you just leaving or are you going to stay...?”  She said, “Of course I am going to stay. I want to listen.” So, we began to teach them all the Restoration. The mother was eating it up. Just asking questions, commenting, agreeing.... What on earth was going on?  When we taught the part of the first vision, she looked up at us and said, “Hermanas I need to explain myself. When you, Hermana Hopkins, first contacted me on the street about four or five months ago, I gave you a fake address and phone number since I wanted nothing to do with you (thank you....figured that out though....haha). When you accidentally contacted me again (awkward...but I talk to a lot of people in my defense) I just thought the same that you were just going to be like all the other religions. Then, you started teaching my best friend, and I accidentally walked in on one of your lessons with my daughters, and they loved it. But, I didn´t want them to have anything to do with you. After talking to my best friend and how she´s changed, I decided to let you start teaching my daughters, but I was still not going to have any of it. I was very closed. Then, when you gave the blessing to my daughter, I experienced something I had never experienced with any other religion. I felt the presence of God. I felt a light enter my heart and I heard a voice that said, ´I am here, listen to these girls. They are sent by me to teach you, so I knew I had to listen to you.” And who said that people still don´t have Joseph Smith experiences!! Unfortunately, all five children got really sick on Saturday night, and the family was unable to go to church, and the mother asked the elders to come and give them all blessings.  I guess if you didn´t have the priesthood in your home your entire life, and then you got a taste of it, I would be the same way too. But, they came and it was honestly one of the sweetest experiences. It was like watching Christ bless all the children in 3 Nephi 17. How precious. I am so grateful to be here right now to witness all these beautiful miracles. I know that miracles to exist!! The Priesthood power is real, and it´s powerful! I never appreciated it as much as I did to be surrounded by worthy priesthood holders in a home.  Sunday being a big one!! We had a goal of getting 6 investigators to church, and we had about 10 committed to come. 4 came to church right when it started, and we were going to go pick up 5 people. We had it in the bag. Well, when our family was super sick, and the other family was not responding, I thought for sure that our inspired goal had been for nothing. However, the thought came to us to pass by Anna´s son and try to get him to come, even though he hasn´t been progressing very well. Every time we have in the past, he´s been sleeping. Then, when we came to his door, he said he just woke up but he would come. That was five investigators in church, but when he came out, he had his friend there too!! Not to mention, when we got to church, a man walks in and says he want to be a member and he lived in our area. It was so incredible! It´s so amazing how much God helps in this work when we have goals. I have seen it so many times. God doesn´t let his missionaries down!! I love you all, and am always so grateful for you. Pray for me hard this week, it’s transfers again next week!!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Hopkins