Interesting Fact #57 - There is quite the eccentric group of English learners here in this area. There are a few people who live and breath the English language. We met one of them this last Saturday in our English Conversation Group. His name is Eugene and he is obsessed with the movie Taxi Driver, and just kept on asking if what he was saying was correct, and went around the room asking me what things were called. It was a hilarious hour and a half.
This week we met with Jacques finally! We actually met with him 3 times this week, and each time we really focused on something that he needs to understand; that is, the authority of the priesthood. That's his one hanger. He wants to understand and find his own testimony himself, so he wants us to call every night to talk with him and read with him. Please, and how! So last night, I called him up and I read with him from 1 Nephi 13 (where he just so conviniently left off from his personal reading) which talked about the bible and the restoration of the gospel, and the prophecy of the Book of Mormon. On the phone he seemed to really understand that the Bible is indeed missing the plan and precious truths, that the Book of Mormon so clearly teaches. He said he understands the necessity of being baptized now! I bore my testimony really quick before I had to get off the phone to get ready for bed, but we set up another meeting, this time with the only African member in our branch, who just happens to speak French. Unfortunately he is semi less active, he sometimes he comes to church. He came on Sunday and I talked with the member and he has agreed to come to the lesson with Jacques. It just so happens as well that he was also part of Jacque's faith, before his baptism. That is the ideal situation. It really is a blessing to see that the pieces of the puzzle are really falling into place. Our goal is set up a baptismal date with him this Tuesday.
We are really focusing in this mission to open our mouths everywhere you go. So you are talking to everyone, anyone, everywhere and it really is quite fun. You cannot have any excuse to be shy or hesitant. As a mission, we are keeping track of how many contacts we recieve in a day (or in other words, how many conversations with people you are having that lead into the gospel). It is necessary for missionaries to talk to at least 10 people a day between each companion. This week we did a lot of finding, and each time, the night ended on the tenth and final contact at 8:58 at night, resulting in us running back home. It's been quite fun really striving to be obedient and following council. I noticed that the more we strived to be obedient and recieve all of our contacts and more, we are blessed with that request and desire. There have been plenty of days in which we have gotten more, but the days where we have 9 each and it's 8:45 are special, incredible nights. They always end on such an awesome note, because they will always talk with you, no matter what.
Last Monday night, we talked with this man named Oleg on the street right outside the branch building. We asked if we could share a quick message with him there for 30 minutes and he agreed. He was a younger man, sells real estate, really nice. We taught about the Restoration and the role of the Book of Mormon. That was by FAR the strongest I've ever felt the Spirit on my mission. Everything that he would asked, we backed up with the Book of Mormon. He even said that he feels something really strong and he knew it was the Holy Ghost. But for whatever reason he couldn't accept the Book of Mormon. He almost feared it. So we told him, okay, turn to a random page and read a random verse. Every time he would do that, he would find this golden verse that told him the exact answer to his question. Every single time this happened. He had to get going, so we said a kneeling prayer with him and the Spirit was so strong you could cut with a knife. For whatever reason he didn't want to accept it, but he knew it was right and true. It was the weirdest thing ever, but also so amazing. I know he will come back searching for that feeling again. He knows where we are. And I know he will crave that Spirit that he felt. It's just a matter of time when he is ready to act.
Missions are amazing. I really feel like I am an instrument in God's hands. I don't really think about it, I just go where it feels it makes most sense, and say something that makes sense to say, but looking back on it, it really is the Spirit that guides us on what to say and where to go. Its just another testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ really has been restored in these days, and that the ordiance of the Gift of the Holy Ghost is real, and it has been restored to its fullness. The priesthood to perform those ordinances has been restored. The Church is true!
I love you all. I hope to hear from you all of you soon. Again!
Love,
Elder Tekulve
Postscriptz: To all the buddies that got mission calls - Congrats Ryan Taylor!! Costa Rica is going to be a better pahlace! Kellie Julander! Tokyo, Japan!!! That's amazing! I totally guessed that one too! and Josh Chang! You're already in the MTC, but I just heard about Hong Kong. I am happy for all of you! You are all going to be amazing missionaries and instruments in the Lord's hands! That is a very yes.
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