Monday, 20 Sep 2010  (Nathan)

Subject: cool story!

Hey Mom/everybody!

Something really cool happened this weekend. I don't know if you remember, but when I was with a companion of mine named Elder Ritz (the transfer right before I got called as Assistant) we were having a rough day but decided to go contacting in the park one day anyway. I sat down next to an old man on a bench while my comp went to another bench to have a lesson with someone else. As I was teaching this old man, a woman named Franciska around 30 - 35 yrs old who was working at the park as a very poor cleaner lady came up to listen in on the conversation so I told her to join us for a little. Eventually I gave her a brochure about the Restoration and she went to talk to my companion because he had just finished his lesson with the other old guy. They talked for a little and then got her phone number and set up to meet her again next weekend at the park when work would be slower. Being skeptical about poor people, (because they just come to the churches and beg or ask us for $$$ and if we don't give them $$$ then we're not from God) we went to the park anyway to have a lesson with her. We found her sweeping all the leaves and so we helped her for a bit, carrying the bucket and enduring the laughs of the teens who were watching us help this poor lady in the park in shirts and ties. We sat down on some rocks and had a lesson and found she was a 7th day adventist, has 10 kids, and is divorced but still lives with her exhusband. We had another lesson or so before I got transferred but she was always stuck on the whole sabbath day thing and the fact that her exhusband is a pedophile... (her exhusband is a missionary for the adventist church...) Anywho, my old comp got transferred too, white-washed actually (which means both elders got transferred and 2 new elders come in not knowing the area/investigators at all) BUT, the new elders looked through the area book and found her and taught her. Same story, she was stuck on the sabbath day and said that it was Saturday not Sunday. Well, after 3 transfers, (5 months) much prayer and fasting, she was baptized this Sunday with one of her cute little daughters. The elders in that zone endured and loved her. It just goes to show that everyone you find has potential. Even if they may seem like the craziest, poorest, stupidest, stubbornest, or whatever person. They're all children of God and he desires the eternal welfare of all of his children.

Attached is the picture of the Elders with Franciska and her daughter. I was able to attend the baptism and talk to Franciska after the baptism. She still remembers that one day in the park and is forever grateful that we crossed paths and will be receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost this upcoming Sunday :)

Love you all,

the church is true.

Elder Smith