Elder Benjamin Michael Conover Mission Blog : Week 70: The Atonements Ability To Heal Hearts

Hello Everyone!

This week was so hard at moments, but we were able to see the healing power of the atonement this week more than I ever have been able to in my entire life.

First off, we had an AWESOME pday last week. A member drove us to the mountains, and we were hanging out with two other missionaries, and it was so incredibly beautiful. It felt so so so good to do something so fun, since here in Tunuyán, there isn't much to do on Pday, so the Lord blessed us a lot last week.

This week we also got on another radio, and it went even better than last time! My companion didn't want to speak on the radio, so I got to have a personal interview with the host about the Christmas Initiative, and our beliefs as members of the church. He was so respectful and did like a full commercial for the Church, and invited me to give my testimony. There truly is nothing like testifying as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We also got to teach a woman yesterday named Mercedes, and her daughter was there too. We read Alma 7 with them, since they hadn't done their reading before. While we were reading, we got to talk about the Atonement. It was a great lesson, and at the end, we asked the daughter to give the closing prayer. She seemed like a pretty serious person, but by the end, she was bawling, and after, we asked what had happened. Come to find out, she just found out that the father of her children does drugs, and they said that the words that we said were perfect. They told us that they know that God sent us specifically to them.

Anyways.....the subject.

I said last week that Silvia and Maria had a problem. Well.....it went really bad.

Maria´s boyfriend is a member. They broke up. It destroyed Maria.

Well, the mom of the boyfriend (active member) started calling them to say really mean things to her. And, the Father went to their house to tell her things that made her feel worthless.

AND, Maria found out that the boyfriend was cheating on her (Can you see how this might be a testimony rocker?)

On Monday, Silvia explained everything, and we read Doctrine and Covenants 121 with her. The spirit was strong, and she committed to come to church again, even though that family would be there.

Well, we then went by on Tuesday, and Silvia told us that they are leaving to Neuquen (15 hours away) until March. That hurt. But, by a miracle, Maria showed up.

We sat down, and Maria lost it. All tears, telling us what happened. We listened, and then asked if she was reading her scriptures, and she responded, ¨No.¨ We then explained the iron rod analogy. Then, we read D&C 121 with her. The spirit was so strong, and it was amazing. The Lord guided us. We read the part in the section that says, ¨and if though endure it well, ye shall triumph over all thy foes.¨ We explained that to endure it well, they have to go to church, and not go to Neuquén. They committed to not leave.

Then, we got to give blessings to them. That was so amazing. After the blessings, they said that they could feel at peace. The power of the priesthood is real!

Well, that night, the member called to say mean things......and the miracles started. Maria, after the call, read her scriptures instead of getting mad, and she has done that every day since, and she takes notes on what she reads, as well as Silvia. We have taked the Branch President, and the whole Branch Presidency is working to fight this. The whole week, Maria and Silvia got kicked in the teeth over and over again, but they have stayed strong, saying, ¨We want to do what the Lord wants, and endure it well, and we know that this is the true church of Christ.¨

And, they came to church!!!!! Despite the incredible challenges. They took such a leap of faith. We made a lot of plans, and there was a mob of members to protect Maria and Silvia from the other family, and Me and Elder Plumb always made sure we were in between them and the family.

This week was so hard, but we were able to see the restoring and healing power of the atonement. It is real, if we act with faith, and trust in the Lord. I will always remember the incredible example of Maria and Silvia.

Funny

We were teaching a lesson, and as we were leaving, the Jehovah´s Witnesses came up to the house. As soon as they saw us, they turned around and hauled off hahaha

I Love You All!

Pray for Silvia and Maria! And Be Like Them!

Elder Conover