Sister Jacobson's Glimpses of Gilbert: Week 69: J Got Baptized

May 21, 2018

Helllooooo!!

Got the Elders back

It has not been long since I emailed but so much has happened! We've seen some amazing miracles, as well as had some awful heartbreak. We'll start with the heartbreak:

Last night we got a message from V right before we went to bed. In short, she dropped us. Hands down the hardest drop of my mission. I've never been dropped by someone who had received as clear of a witness as V had...and let me tell you, the sting is REAL. We are absolutely heartbroken. We're not entirely sure what happened, but she spent the last two weeks out of town with her family, who are not very supportive of her interest/decision to be baptized, so we think that has to play into it. The doorway to communication isn't closed entirely yet, we think we still have a chance to save it...please, please keep her in your prayers. She was supposed to be baptized in two weeks.

Transfer 11 - One of the best!

Also last night transfer calls came in and unfortunately...Sister Rowley will be leaving me. We knew it was coming--actually last week President told us that she was being transferred--but last night made it official. We both only have six weeks left of our mission and we are ready to see what the Lord has in store for us in this last sprint to the finish-line.

So both of these things were a little bit hard...but I've learned that the hardest moments always come before the greatest, most miraculous moments. Regardless of what happens with V, I know that the Lord has a plan for her and a plan for us. I know that this is Christ's church on the Earth, and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. With this priceless knowledge, all other worries and cares kind of melt away because I know that God's plan is far greater than any kind of plan that I can concoct on my own. He's got this, and I trust Him. :)

On a better note...we'll get to the big miracles of the week!

Plan of Salvation lesson

We picked up a new investigator this week named N! She actually found us. A little bit of a crazy story....a few months ago Sister Rowley knocked on N's door and gave her a Book of Mormon...but we were never able to get back in with her family so we ended up dropping them. Last Tuesday our zone was at the church building for district meeting and one of our zone leaders heard someone knocking on the window. We all thought he was crazy, but then a few moments later someone started knocking on the side door. We went out there and it was N. She asked if any of us covered the S C apartments and Sister Rowley and I were like...that's our cue haha. We went outside and started talking to her and it turns out that her family had hit rock bottom. They were about to be evicted, were dealing with some serious medical stuff, and all around their lives were basically falling apart. She told us that she'd called the crisis center and had been advised to find the nearest church building and she'd be able to get some help there. We were able to get her in touch with the Bishop, and then a few days later we dropped by and she invited us right in. We read from the Book of Mormon together, and set up a return appointment for this upcoming week. So far they seem to have real intent; they want this for their family. We are excited to see what happens!

J got baptized

We had multiple lessons with J this week...let me tell ya...thank goodness that boy was so golden haha because we threw so much information at him in such a short amount of time. On Thursday we met with him and taught him the law of chastity, tithing, fast, and keeping the Sabbath day holy. I honestly think that was the worst lesson Sister Rowley and I have ever taught...but J totally understood everything and committed to live all the commandments! He's a stud. Right at the end of the lesson he really opened up and told us about how his life wasn't anything like he imagined it to be. He got very emotional--and J is a hard, construction worker...not someone you'd expect to get emotional--as he was talking about his childhood, you could just tell that he was really, really hurting from things in his past. And then he said, "I'm just grateful that God has given me another chance to be the person that I want to be." We were able to testify about the power of Christ's Atonement, and the opportunity to change and get second chance after second chance after second chance--the Spirit was very powerful. When he said the closing prayer he was like "Thank you God, for sending me your..." and then he stopped FOREVER before saying, "your...shepherds of...knowledge" Hahaha it was amazing. It was like the cutest thing and possibly the highest compliment I've ever received. And then he said, "Because before I truly was lost, but now I truly feel found for the first time ever." It was so tender. He was so prepared to receive the gospel.

J's fortune cookie

He was really nervous for his baptismal interview--he almost got cold feet--but when he showed up for the interview we were able to go over the questions and resolve a lot of his concerns. And luckily our District Leader, Elder Morrill, was awesome and made J feel really comfortable. Right after he passed the interview he went to get Chinese food and his fortune cookie said, "You will pass a difficult test that will make you happier." Haha too perfect. Last night he told us that that was the last sign he needed that he was making the right decision.

Bryant and J

His baptism was super small; only a handful of people there, but the Spirit that was present was very tender. I know that God is proud of J and for his decision to be baptized. I know that J is going to be blessed immensely. Bryant, the YSA member we'd brought to most of our lessons, baptized and confirmed J and it could not have been more inspired. J is afraid of water, so we knew we needed someone J trusted to baptize him. The first time he went under his knee popped up, so he had to be baptized again. It was sweet to see Bryant reassure J that he was going to be okay and that he just had to do it one more time. In the confirmation, multiple, multiple times Bryant reaffirmed God's love for J, and blessed J that he would be the means of bringing many souls unto Christ. Afterwards J told us that he felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Friends and family I know that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE and has been restored to the Earth. I know that God loves each of us, and that there are people being prepared in YOUR spheres of influence to receive the gospel. If the Elders hadn't stopped and talked to J that one day while he was working on his truck then he may have never been able to feel that weight being lifted from his shoulders, or in other words, forgiveness for his sins. There's not enough time to not be bold and to not invite. We are the Lord's hands--literally and figuratively--here on the Earth and He needs us to be the best instruments we possibly can be. This is the greatest work in the world. I love it and I love this gospel. Most of all, I love the Lord.

I love you all, have a great week!

Sister Jacobson