The Vision To Baptize

Another quick email this week! I was writing down my experiences throughout the week and I am just going to share my thoughts and journal entries. It's not very well written because I was writing this down at 10pm at night haha. Hope you enjoy! 

Wow, wow, wow what a day we had this week! Probably in the top 10 best days of my mission! 

Started out by receiving revelation for what we should train on for zlc. That went great! The zone is coming off a week of 70 new people found! When I first came in, the zone was only finding 20. 

Then we did personal study and read a talk about the vision to baptize. It was incredible! We then started to study all about baptism and the spirit opened Elder Suns and my eyes, mind, heart and things were just clicking left and right! We were amazed at how we needed to teach our friends about baptism as soon as we met them! It was a total mind-shift! We had the vision to baptize! It was a great spirit filled study morning! 

We went into the city and had lunch. Then we went finding for 90 minutes. And we found 8 people!!! This is a record number of friends in that amount of time! I have found 8 friends in one day before, but that took hours! We found 8 in 90 minutes. We were so relaxed and had the spirit and just invited everyone to church! It was a cold breezy, semi rainy day but it was wonderful! 

We then taught Ryo who is on date for baptism and that went well! We had a member named Peter join us.

We then taught Chen and reviewed the restoration lesson and then brought it to baptism! The spirit showed me in my mind how to bring the principles together! It was incredible! Then he asked some questions and shared with us a near death experience he had 30 minutes earlier in his restaurant and he felt it was God protecting him so he could come and meet with us. He said that he has changed. He said he was a complete atheist when we first met him and he came in, but now he is beginning to believe. He didn't think it was possible. It's crazy watching God be in the details of this friend's life and now he is not atheist anymore!! Crazy! The spirit was so strong in the lesson! So peaceful and wonderful!

We had another lesson, but Chen had brought food to make for us so he asked if he could use our kitchen. And so he made us a 40 dollar dish that he would make at his restaurant while we were teaching a lesson! It was sooo good! We came out after and got to enjoy it!

We then taught another Chinese guy and taught about baptism and he was keen! The spirit was there also! 

We were on cloud 9. We were headed to a member meal. The day couldn't get any better. Or could it? We get a text from Adam. He said "Jones, I have made up my mind to be baptized. Although the barricade... well, it is still there. But I think I'll try to overcome it, of course, with the help of Jesus Christ and the almighty Heavenly Father. I think we'll talk about it tomorrow. Is that ok to u?"

This was incredible! Elder Mitchell and I found him 8 months ago on august 15th! And now after months of prayers, fasting, church attendance, lmps, activities, lessons, and ups and downs he is ready for baptism! He has finally committed! I couldn't believe my ears when Elder Sun read that text to me. 

This day was a day never to be forgotten. A day that missionaries dream of! A day where you literally find, teach, and baptize! Truly incredible! I could literally feel the spirit working through me. 

This was an answer to my prayers from the past week. This was God showing me how much He loved me and cared about me. And showed that love by giving me things I most love! New doctrinal insights, a great zlc call that the spirit told me how to best lead the zone to the next level, finding in Rundle Mall and talking to so many awesome people and especially finding 8 friends (the Lord doubled our daily finding goal), teaching Asians, teaching with the spirit and feeling the spirit, learning from the spirit while teaching, lmp, helping a hard core atheist come to believe in God, eating good food, helping our Chinese friend get a visa to America, fulfilling my purpose as a missionary, gave 2 Books of Mormon away, having our friend message and tell us he wants to be baptized, finishing the day by talking about missionary work with 2 return missionaries over Mexican food, being guided by the Lord in the moment on what spiritual thought would address their needs. The Lord is in the details! 

I felt so fulfilled today. I felt so happy. True happiness. If you were to ask me if I would rather live a Christmas day again or today I would say today. And the funny thing is that I didn't receive anything. I only gave. I gave my testimony, I gave my energy, I gave the Book of Mormon, I gave people the ability and hope to be baptized and gain a personal relationship and connection with God, I gave people Jesus Christ. And in due course I received everything, but nothing at the same time. I received what the world could never give. Interesting that as you lose yourself for others you find yourself. 

Had another beast day this week! We found 3 new people, had a great english class, and put Gatsby on date! I have been teaching him since November 9th! It was a wonderful lesson and we laid everything out for him! We explained how badly we wanted to help him start a relationship with God and all the blessings associated with baptism! He was going back and forth. We were about to end the lesson because it had been an hour already. But then the spirit whispered "now" and I asked him if he would like to set a goal for may 25th to be baptized! And he agreed!! Truly amazing! Peter Bu had joined our lesson and shared his insights which was amazing! 

Our new member we baptized last week said the opening prayer at church! He then got ordained to the Aaronic priesthood. The Bishop is helping him get to the temple! Ming is amazing! He was smoking 4 times a day 4 days before his baptism. We told him straight up that we couldn't baptize him unless he stopped smoking. He literally stopped smoking by Sunday and was baptized! He was going through withdrawals! I thought he would relapse the next week! But he didn't! He told Bishop that he hasn't smoked all week! 

The bishop loves and trusts us so much and so we are getting heaps of ward support! They are literally doing anything we ask at this point! 

The vision to baptize! 

Alma 5:26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Brothers and Sisters this week was a transformational week for me in my mission. Many of my prayers were answered, the vision to baptize was given to me, doctrine has sunk deeper into my soul, and I have a deeper desire than ever before to help everyone find the joy and love our Heavenly Father and Savior has for us! Truly I feel to sing the song of redeeming love! And I want everyone - literally everyone to have the blessings of being baptized and having a covenant relationship with God!! 

This is the greatest work on earth! Truly the most fulfilling work ever! I am truly the happiest I have ever been! So happy! Do you want to be happier? Well share what is bringing you eternal happiness now and forever! 

Jesus is the Christ! He lives! He is in charge of this world! Trust Him! Sometimes we cant see Him in our life, but I testify He is there! He is helping you overcome every obstacle or challenge in your life! Continue to reach out and accept His arm of mercy and love! A relationship is two sided. God is continually reaching out in love...and we must continue to reach out in love to Him so we can receive the full fruits of His joy! 

2 Nephi 33:6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Have a great week! 

Love you all!

Cheers,

-Elder Jones (zhang zhanglao)