What a week it has been!
What a special treat it was for me to have
been able to talk with my family on Christmas.
Michael and Xander were both baptized last
Tuesday and confirmed on Sunday. What a special. special ordinance and step of
conversion that I was able to witness for the two of them. When each of them
came out of the water, Xander was just beaming with a grin from ear to ear with
a little giggle for joy and Michael couldn't hold back the feelings and
emotions of love, forgiveness, peace, joy, light, and magnificent glory
that entered his heart and swept over him entirely. There were so many things
that made this so special but one of the greatest things about it was the fact
that it was 8:00-9:15 on Tuesday night-that was Elder Dean's last hour doing
missionary work and he was able to baptize both Michael and Xander. It was such
a tender moment and I will never forget this powerful lesson of how merciful
the Lord is to those that love Him and follow Him and make Him the center of
their life in every aspect, simply living the doctrine after the manner of
Christ. I learned so much from Elder Dean and rejoiced with him in this
wonderful miracle.
It has been an incredible busy week and I
am loving Elder Yamane as my new companion!! We are having a blast and working
hard and we are expecting it to be another fantastic transfer:) We were
teaching this wonderful family this week and they told us that their New Years
resolution, their only goals and hopes for this year, is to get
Lisa divorced from her husband (they've been separated and out of contact
for several years now) so that she and Loyd can be married together so
that they can be baptized and become members of the Church. Cody, Lisa's son,
wants so desperately to also be baptized but has no restrictions and can't wait
to be baptized on February 4th. They have been prepared just like Gray, and
Michael, and Xander all were and just can't wait to begin covenant making and
keeping with our Father in Heaven and to receive all of the blessings the
gospel in it's restored fullness have to offer.
I love my God, our Eternal Father who
lives in heaven above, I love these people, I love my companion, I love the
scriptures, I love this work, and I love the personal conversion that has taken
place and continues to do so in my own life. Jesus Christ lives and is the
author and finisher of the mighty change that has been wrought in my heart and
will continue to be so until the day shall come when I have a perfect
brightness of hope and receive an assurance of perfection and glory in eternal
life with my Savior and Redeemer by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Keep the faith,
Elder Ricks
No comments:
Post a Comment