Email from Elder Lofthouse 5/19/14 Life is Great

We got to go to the temple today.  It was wonderful!  

We decided to wait on setting up the baptismal interview with R. He was going to get baptized on the 17th, but there's still a lot of things that he doesn't understand. I'm honestly a little unsure what to do with him, because he has a strong desire to be baptized so he can receive a remission of his sins and enter into God's kingdom, he has lots of member connections, has come to our church several times, and will most likely still continue to come for the rest of his life as long as he keeps getting a ride. We're just having a really difficult time helping him understand prophets and the restoration and helping him develop a personal testimony and not just the answers to the baptismal questions. He seems to think that there's supposed to be a specific answer to the question "What does that mean to you?" So, I'm not sure if we should baptize him and hope that he eventually understands and receives a testimony of the restoration or wait first. He meets every other requirement.

We had some great experiences with the Book of Mormon this week. One of our investigators, J, mentioned that the bible says stronger things than the Book of Mormon does. I told him, "Here try this chapter" and left him 2 Nephi 29 to read. When we followed up, he hadn't read it, so we read with him. As we were reading he looked up and said, "I realize that this book is true. The Spirit just entered into me." He received a testimony of the Book of Mormon right then and there before our eyes! My companion asked him if he believed the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ had been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and he said, "Yeah, based on what I just felt." Now we're just trying to help him have the faith to keep the Sabbath Day and also to set a baptismal date.

Another day, we were knocking doors and one man accepted our offer to leave a blessing on his home. As I said amen, he immediately asked, "Do you have a book called... Mormon?" I said, "Yeah!" He said, "Do you sell them?" I said, "No, but we can give one to you." "You mean, you'll lend it to me?" And I said, "No, it's a gift!" He said thanks and said that he reads the bible, but that the Book of Mormon was a different book, another testament, and he wanted to read it. We asked if he'd talked with missionaries before and he said, "No, not really." He had a co-worker who used to work with the missionaries and I think that's where he first heard about it. Then a couple days later we went to visit his neighbor, and her son was there laying in a hammock listening to something on his i-pad. As we walked up he asked, "Do you have a Book of Mormon? In Spanish?" We said, "Yeah, do you want one?" He said, "Yeah, I was listening in Psalms the other day where it talks about this book and I want to read it." I don't know where in Psalms he was talking about but we didn't question it. He's a less-active Jehovah's Witness. I'm excited to keep teaching him.

Also, for those who are interested, the Qs are doing well.  Sister Q is still very sick and hasn't been able to come to church the last couple of weeks.  But her husband has been coming with one of the sons (they switch off staying with their mom) and Brother Q and O received the Aaronic Priesthood last week.  They've started doing family history and have plans to do baptisms for the dead in the future and have a goal of being sealed onApril 11 of next year.  I'm so excited for them!

I also got to hear about all my recent converts in Merced last week.  I saw the Packs coming out of the temple (my stake center is right next to it) and they told me about them.  J is a ward missionary as is M.  She's also activities chairman and planned a great activity not too long ago.  I'm so happy for them!

I hope you are all doing well.  I know this church is true and that there are good things to come for the faithful.  Keep pressing on!

Love,

Elder Lofthouse