So let me go ahead and make some comments on some things that I have not commented on the past few weeks. There's been some death going on back home and everyone affected is in my prayers. That's awful. But it makes me glad for my understanding of the Plan of Salvation. You know what I mean? We all know what happens after this life and its all so comforting. Heavenly Father doesn't want to leave us in the dark with stuff like that.
Elder Serrano and I have been putting our shoulders to the wheel and doing the best that we can to do the Lord's work and in his own way. We had a really great zone conference with President Teh of the Area Presidency about obedience and stuff. It was really great.Elder Serrano and I had a really great experience this week that allowed us to use our Christlike attributes. Here you go...in NARRATIVE FORMAT!!!!!
Elder Serrano and I sat down across from Barbe. There was a a smile on her face that we hadn't seen before as she sat down with her Book of Mormon on her lap. "How have things been going?" I asked."Good," she responded.
"How was your reading?" I inquired. It seemed as if there was something about her that was not there before. We had been praying and hoping for a miracle with Barbe to help her with conversion. Two things were in the way of that--her reading of the Book of Mormon and her church attendance."It was really good," she said. She opened up to it and began to tell us that she had prayed about the passage about Alma baptizing at the Waters of Mormon. She reported a feeling that she hadn't quite felt before. "I feel that its true," she said.
We opened up our scriptures and read with her of the desires of the hearts of those who were baptized at the Waters of Mormon. Of their desire to follow Christ no matter what the costs. Of their desire for eternal life and them seeing baptism as an inexcusable method to achieve this salvation that they desired so much. I looked Barbe in the eyes and asked, "Barbe, do you desire eternal life?"She nodded her head.
"Then will you, Barbe, enter into the waters of baptism and be baptized by proper authority into Christ's restored church this October 1st?" The commitment seemed to flow so naturally. The Spirit was behind those words.She paused for a moment in silent pondering. She looked at my companion and then back at me. "Yes," she replied.
All of a sudden, a howl comes from inside the house as if someone had just been seared with a hot knife! The door to Barbe's house opened and out stepped her father--shirtless, tattooed and eyes wide in a drunken rage! "GET OUT HERE!!!! GO BACK TO YOUR CHURCH! GO HOME! YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING HERE AND IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE! YOU'RE ANNOYING! GET OUT OF HERE! YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES TO LEAVE MY HOUSE OR I AM CALLING THE POLICE!""Get back in the house Dad!" yelled Barbe. A wave of sadness swept over us, quenching the fire of the Holy Ghost which we had been feeling just moments before. Barbe was embarrassed. I was somewhat upset at his instant outburst towards the two of us. I had talked with him many times before and without problems. He was a kind man as long as he was sober. Mumbling to himself, he stepped back into the house.
Taking a deep breath and trying to regather ourselves, I looked at Barbe again. "So October 1st, Barbe," I said. "It's going to take some work but we are here to help you out. You are not alone. You know what you need to do though... It's going to take at least 4 weeks of you going to church in order for you to--""HEY!!!! ARE YOU MORMONS DEAF???!!!!" I put my head down realizing what was about to happen again. The door opened and out stepped the man again--a little more crazed and a little more angry. The cigarette in his hand quivered from the shaking of his half-clenched drunken fist. "DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL THE POLICE?!?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU HUH?! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE! GET OUTTA HERE! GO HOME BEFORE I DO SOMETHING THAT I'LL REGRET!!!"
"GET BACK IN THE HOUSE!!!! MOM!!!!" Barbe had reached the point of anger now. Treating her father kindly in his foolish drunkenness now no longer seemed the correct option. Her father continued with a pointed finger at us. "YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO GET OUT OF HERE! THIS HUT IS FOR PEOPLE TO REST NOT FOR MORMONS TO SPREAD THEIR LIES!!!!" After a second or two of staring at us, he went back into the house and slammed the door.
It would be a lie if I said that I was feeling a little of the natural man pulling at me. I could easily have yelled back, piped up, given him a piece of my mind so to say. But I held my tongue. What would Jesus do? I gave Barbe a fist bump, re-emphasized October 1st and we stood up to go. Just as we were standing up, the door to the house swung open and out charged out of the door holding one of the thickest wooden poles I have ever seen! "YOU DON'T WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE THEN I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU ALL TO DEATH! GET OUTTA HERE!!! NOW!!" He moved closer but I backed away, grabbed my comp and walked away. It was against what I really wanted to do inside. But I did it. I was patient. Even though I could have showed him the Spirit World very quickly. It was an awesome experience. Cuz Barbe is getting baptized!
See you next week! Love you all,
Brandon
