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| Tracting |
Hello!
Cool miracle. As missionaries we are supposed to be back at our apartment by 9:00 unless if we are teaching a lesson then be back at 9:30. On Saturday we got back at 9:30 and we saw that someone had parked in our parking spot - so we parked in the loading/unloading zone for our apartment. After a little bit we needed to move the car or it would get towed. We didn't want to tow the other car in our space so we decided to go in the streets of Oakland at 10:00 to try to find some parking... We found some close by and stated to walk back. As we were walking these girls pulled over next to us - it ended up being Savanna who Elder Yu and I had taught a few months ago and lost contact with her. We called her the next night and then invited her to come to church. But if God hadn't placed that car in our parking space we would never have seen Savanna again!
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| Flowers by the roadside |
We watched Meet the Mormons with Peng who is a returning member. I really enjoyed it and again was reminded that this gospel brings everlasting joy and happiness and peace.
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| Raiders (American Football) Player |
We also went to a "Why I believe" fireside which was great! One of the raiders american football players was there to share his testimony also to us. He shared a story how steel is made. First it is taken from a hill, or mountain or cave. Then that raw material is sent to a refinery where heat and pressure are applied. After that a blacksmith then applies more heat and pressure to make it into a shape. The raw material is us and through trials we grow to be stronger. This earth is a refiners fire. Remember what the Lord is trying to shape us into though - we are His children and he wants us to become like Him.
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| "Why I Believe" Fireside |
Sometimes we feel like we are so small and insignificant. But just as a screw is small it has a huge part to play in making a building stand strong. We all matter.
Another man spoke and he reminded us of our young life when we had some blanket or stuffed animal to protect us. Some of us had those right? He had a bear and named it testimony. If we switch the first name and last name it says Bear Testimony. In life sometimes when we have difficulties or trials we say, oh let me deal with this first and then come to church. But in reality what we should be doing is what kids do - to hold the bear closer to them - so to bear testimony and even cling tighter to it.
How often would you say that you don't have time to fill your car up with fuel? The same thing goes with our lives - how often do we think that we don;t have time to refill our spiritual fuel tank? We need it. How does this apply to your life?
I love the church. It brings me so much happiness. Ask any convert to the church and they will say the same. Even though I was brought up in the church I wouldn't use 2 prime years to go out and share something if I didn't know it was true. A Book Of Mormon prophet said it perfectly. In Alma 5:45-46 "And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?
46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me." |
| Bunthong |
I know the Church is true - therefore I share this message with you - that through His Gospel we can have peace. I know that life is full of trials to make us stronger - sometimes they are difficult, sometimes not so much but God stands beside us and lifts us up and I know that to be true. The atonement is there for us. Let us use it. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love, Elder Kloosterboer
