(**Note to reader: Clicking on the highlighted words will link you to more information on the topics and phrases Elder Madsen refers to in his letter. Also, the photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.)
Hej Mor (Hi Mom),
Good news! The Lord has really been watching out for this area. We had some really good stuff happen this week.
First things first, we had an appointment with an old investigator that had been dropped. Well, if you thought I was a procrastinator, then you would be blown away. This guy is funny. When we met with him, he told us that he is going to come to church in January...so we will keep working with him :) But he was our new friend for the week.
So that appointment we had set up with S** (name omitted for privacy) and her three boys got canceled because her middle son had a birthday on Friday, and his father did not call from the states for his birthday. She sent us a text and said he is very upset and it would probably be best if we didn't come over. But she told us to come by another day and we could teach them.
We had already planned to go visit her neighbor, Coach, so we did that while over there. S** sent a text to Coach and asked him if we were there. When he said, "Yes," her three boys came over to say hi and just chat with us. It was great. When they went home and started to get ready for bed, the little 8 year old asked his mom, "Hey, are we going to church tomorrow?" Unfortunately they really couldn't, but it was the best feeling in the world to know that this little 8-year-old boy is wanting to come to church, and we hadn't even taught him anything yet. This family is so prepared. The Lord really knows what his children need. Right after I heard him say that, the scripture popped in my head of humbling ourselves even as a child. There is much wisdom in the children...more then we can imagine. They are all born with the light of Christ, and they are much closer to Him then we know.
Then we had an appointment with C**. She is a wonderful, older lady who has had some struggles really finding out if this is what she wants to do. She recently had a grandson born in July, but her son won’t let her see him because she was investigating the church. So her brand new grandson is almost 4 months old with no grandma to be loved by. This had been something that she has really struggled with, but she punches through none the less.
This week we decided to change things up and invited the branch president and his wife to the appointment with C**. Right away, Sister Amdi (Branch President's wife) just clicks with C**, and they really start talking about all sorts of things. Me and Elder Zalewski just got really lost in the stories and in the Danish, so we just decided it would be best to listen for questions. Next thing we hear, she starts talking about baptism. We think it’s our cue, but Sister Amdi just runs with it. Then I hear the words, "C** will you be baptized and follow the example of Jesus Christ?" C** pauses, my heart stops, and then she starts crying and says, "yes." We shared a short message and left to get home on time. C** will be baptized on the 15th of February. Member missionary work is way more effective!
Well, C** came to church for the first time ever yesterday, and she sat next to Sister Amdi. We had fast and testimony meeting because of branch conference next week. And with only 11 non-missionaries in church, we have the opportunity to bare our testimonies all the time. It's great! After sacrament meeting we have a class where we teach investigators. The plan was to talk with C** about tithing, but for some reason it wasn't really coming out. Then Ældste Johansen (senior couple) just starts talking about temples. C** just starts crying, telling us how much she loves church, and how she knows she needs to be baptized even though she might have to give up her family and new grandson for it. But she knows it's true.
C** is truly an example to me. Her faith and strength to put the Lord first, even though for now it could mean the end of seeing her family and grandson, all to be baptized and to take that next step that Christ is asking us to take. Our Father has a plan for us and we need to follow it. C** has learned this for herself. Even though it will be very hard, she knows that it is the right thing to do. The Lord will bless her in her efforts to do what is right.
The Lord has come out and said very plainly that member missionary work is the Lord's work. We need to follow this. I know it works! The Lord does not say these things just for your neighbors or for the missionaries. He says it for ALL members of His church!
Jeg elsker jer (I love you),
Ældste Madsen
The Lord's Hand in All Things (November 20, 2013)
Thanksgiving in Denmark (December 3, 2013)
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| Danish art ~ Pig Man ~ with my name tag :) |
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| The Stewart Family |
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| Our district does a thing where whoever has the most lessons and new investigators wins this suit. It's pretty amazing that we won, considering they are all in wards and we are in the second smallest branch in the mission. The Lord loves us, and the suit is all ours! |
