Ch. 68 Both Sides of the Veil

Chapter 68: Both Sides of the Veil

My whole mission I have been told by everyone that there are people on both sides of the veil helping with this missionary work. I really had a testimony of this when I was in Castellón teaching Cati and Toni. When I had received news that they had decided to stop taking the lessons, it wasn´t that my testimony was rocked, but I would be lying if I said I didn´t lose a little bit of that hope to find investigators like them. Well, this week, God opened my eyes a little bit to the blessings He had in store. This week we have met with Marta almost every day. I would have never guessed how prepared she really is. All the members have just fallen in love with her, and when they ask us about her, they usually just break out in tears. She makes everyone remember their own conversions, and really brings a light to the church. Let me explain what happened this week. During the week she was telling us about some experiences that she has had along the way on her road to conversion, and I just had to share them. This week we decided to have a Family Home Evening with Marta with the Stake President, and we had a lesson completely about Jesus Christ. We decided that of all the concepts of the church, that the life and Atonement of Christ would be the most important for any investigator to understand, especially one who didn´t have a previous Christian background. It was seriously such a wonderful lesson. I actually learned a lot myself! Afterwards, she told us something that just melted our hearts. She told us that she had told her family of her decision to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (her very active Jewish family) and in the words of her grandparents, “For making this decision, you have just separated yourself from the family. We do not consider you to even be our own granddaughter.” She has received a very similar response from all her family. The only person that seems to tolerate her decision was her father, so she is going to move in with him here in Vilafranca. I was thinking that I really hope that I would have that faith upon finding the church to be willing to sacrifice everything for it. The ward members here are really opening up and letting her know that she has a family here in the church. Later in the week, we taught her the Plan of Salvation, which I always consider to be the make it, or break it lesson. It was wonderful. The spirit was really strong, and she understood everything. Instead of the usual questions at the end of the lesson about the basic doctrine, I was surprised when she asked, “So, this makes the temple work make sense. I understand now. I have been asking a few of the members why we have temples, and this just makes everything make sense. When can I go to the temple to do the work for my ancestors? I want to go as soon as possible.” I could hardly believe my ears!! It was such a tender mercy. The member turned to her and said, “Marta, your ancestors have been preparing for you to find this gospel so you can do their work.” Marta turned to us and said, “I know. I can feel it. It just makes sense.” She also continued, “ I also understand why God has given us the church here on the earth. He gives us the church so that we have a powerful tool to be able to return to His presence.” It was one of the most powerful Plan of Salvation lessons that I have ever seen or taught before. I think the comments that were said actually touched me more than Marta. As we walked home that night, I sent a silent prayer heavenward for the tender mercy of letting me really see the promise fulfilled that there are angels preparing the hearts of the children of men. When we went to church with her on Sunday, she just cried through the whole thing. She is so special. She just seems so willing to sacrifice everything for something that she now knows to be true. Really, it´s moments like these that make being a missionary worth it. What´s funny is, really these moments don´t come very often. In fact, for many missionaries, they may only come once or twice, but when they do come, they make up for all the hard times. We have seen so many miracles this week, but Marta has really become more of our shining investigator right now. I know the last couple weeks before baptism can be extremely hard, so everyone please pray for this special girl. I know that people really are helping me from both sides of the veil, and it was so apparent this week.

Les quiero a todos!

Hermana Hopkins