Brilliant Week!

Bora da!!!

This past week has been slow, rough and tough but oh so worth it! Actually the past couple of weeks have been like that, rubbish. Anywayysss, the past week the whole mission fasted for 24 hours for the elect of God. We fasted so that the elect will be put in our paths on the condition that we are working hard and have faith. The beginning of the week was slow because my companion was sick (not my fault! haha well maybe). The end of the week was brilliant! Saturday was the best. While we were leaving the flat after taking a lunch break, Elder Cadwallader made a phone call. As he was doing that, I yelled across the street to this lady wishing her a Merry Christmas. To my surprise she stopped and asked my what I said. I repeated it and mentioned that I was a missionary for my church. She then said I know and that she wanted to talk to me. I crossed the street and started talking to her. Apparently she had just started attending chruch again and wanted to find her faith in Jesus Christ again. I talked to her a little bit about faith as my companion crossed the street to join the conversation. He told her briefly about the message of the restoration, mainly on the topic of modern-day prophets. We told her that we have one today and his name is Thomas S. Monson. She then told us that she has been wanting someone to tell her that for a while now. I dont know about you guys but she sounds like one of the elect of God that we had just prayed for!!! So cool huh?! That just testified to me that as long as we are doing our part of the promise that the Lord will give us what we have asked for. The rest of our saturday was up to par of that experience...we gave out a few copies of the Book of Mormon and got some new investigators.

Another experience that we had this week happened yesterday after church. We stopped-by this former investigator that was found by the missionaries before us. We got a warm greeting when we knocked on the door. Only bad part about it is that the woman's mother who her family is living with right now doesnt like mormons so we had to talk on the doorstep. Anyways, the former investigator said that her family is moving soon, possibly before Christmas, and when they do move, she wants us to visit her again and start teaching her again! She is very open-minded and likes learning about the gospel. So she seems like she will be promising. Also, she has like 7 children so thats a big plus! haha

Thats pretty much all that has happened this past week. Time for a wee spiritual thought :) So onnce again my thought comes from my personal study this morning. The past week I have been studying the talks from the General Conference Ensign that just came out. The talk that I read today was "O the Cunning Plan of that Evil One" by Elder M. Russell Ballard. I think everyone should read it haha It compared fly-fishing to Satan and his tactics for catching us. The fly fisherman studies the trout closely. He studies what types of flies they eat, when eat fly is in its breeding season, the water current of the river/stream and the migration patterns of these fish. He makes his lures exactly to the specifications to what the trout will go after and eventually fall to the deception of the fisherman. This is pretty much the same thing that Satan will do to us in order to catch us. He and his followers watch and study us to figure out how they can get us at teh right time. For some its weaknesses of the Word of Wisdom or Law of Chastity. Or even little things as contention with other people. Elder Ballard warned us to be careful with the decisions we make each day. Be watchful of the things you do. One way you can keep yourself protected from Satan is by daily scripture study adn prayer. I know that we have been taught these two simple principles time and time again, but I can testify that they work! Elder Ballard definitely explains this analogy better than I just did so read the talk haha I want each of you the know that this church is true. Jesus is the Christ. Keep him in your heart always, especially during this season. I know that as you follow the commandments and all the things that the General Authorities advised us about this past conference, you will see the blessings of our Heavenly Father in your life.

Love you all,

-Elder Jaquish