Elder Laahche

Elder Laahche
Canada Vanvouver Mission 2010 - 2012

Monday, September 26, 2011

The Blessing Of Fasting And Prayer

 Hi everyone!
 
 Hope everyone has had a fantastic week! I know we did here in Burnaby, although it has been pretty clear that the warm weather has left us. It had been raining for pretty much a week straight!
 
 Elder McGahan and I were incredibly blessed with guidance from our Heavenly Father as well as one of his special witnesses. On Wednesday we had a member of the first quorum of the seventy come to give a training to our mission! We were visit by Elder Richard G. Maynes and he gave a talk at last general conference about having a Christ centered home. I remember I really enjoyed his talk so I was really excited to be able to hear him speak to us! So we had to be at the meeting at 7:45 A.M.! Which I thought was a little crazy, so we got up early Wednesday morning and left home at 6:30 which is when we usually wake up! I was actually really surprised because I wasn't tired once the whole day, so it shows that Heavenly Father will help us out as we rely on him to give us strength. 


So in the conference we learned the importance of teaching people who will receive and exercise their faith by living the commitments that we as missionaries give. I learned so much, in the training Elder Maynes told us that if we wanted to find people who were sincere seekers of truth that we need to have 10 "Quality Gospel Conversations" a day. A quality gospel conversation is when we go and begin talking with someone and listen to a bit of what they tell us, as we listen to what they say we have to listen to the spirit so we can be inspired as to which gospel principle we will be able to share with that person. As we do that the spirit will be there to testify of the truths which we will share, then we ask if they would like to learn more about the gospel. We were promised by a member of the seventy that if we do that everyday then our area will be successful! 


I can testify that is true! I've seen how Burnaby is being blessed as we have been diligent in our efforts and have been working hard everyday! The important thing for us to to always have a positive attitude and to NEVER get discouraged. Discouragement is the devil's tool and we need to punch the devil in the face!
 
 So remember last week how I asked you all at home to pray for Gordie that he will receive an answer to his prayers? Well this week Elder McGahan and were praying with all our hearts to Heavenly Father asking what we should do about Gordie. When we met with him in the past we asked him how he felt as he came to church and as he read the Book of Mormon, and when he described how he felt he pretty much described the spirit. But for him he felt that wasn't an answer to his prayers. So last Monday Elder McGahan and I decided that we should pray and ask our Heavenly Father what we should do. Should we 1. Help Gordie understand that he has already received an answer to his prayers or 2. Continue to pray with him and ask for a miracle. So we asked Heavenly Father what we should do and we both felt very strongly that we should wait and let Heavenly Father do his thing. I felt that was right because I know that Heavenly Father knows what each of us must feel or understand in order to be converted to the gospel. So I fasted on Tuesday and Elder McGahan and myself fasted on Wednesday, I had complete and total trust that Heavenly Father would answer Gordie's prayers. Gordie was praying and working hard for his answer so I knew that it would only be a matter of time. So Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all passed by and Gordie still hadn't received his answer. 


On Thursday morning just as I finished saying my opening prayer for my personal study we got a text message from Gordie that said "hey so last night after I finished talking to you guys, I read the Book of Mormon a bit, I prayed about it again. Only this time I got my answer." When I read that text message I jumped out of my seat and I started dancing around the room and I was just so happy. I was especially grateful to Heavenly Father, I was grateful to the spirit, it was just amazing! So Gordie wants to be baptized now and he has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. When we met with him on Sunday, we asked him to share his testimony, it was incredibly simple, BUT it was powerful and I was able to feel the spirit as he bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon. Since Gordie is 16 he needs permission from his parents to be baptized. Gordie talked with his mom about being baptized before, but I guess she never really took it seriously so when he went and told her that he received an answer from God and that he wanted to be baptized into the church it caught her off guard. So now we're working with her and we will probably start teaching her the lessons this week! She's going to meet with Bishop on Wednesday, I think it's good because she'll get a chance to see what Gordie has been experiencing, it's really exciting because now I can see Gordie's whole family being baptized and being solid members!
 
 So he should be getting baptized within a couple of weeks. So thank you so much for your prayers and for the continued support that you give me! I am so grateful for the chance that I have to be a missionary, because I get to witness miracles happen! However I know that the Lord works mighty miracles according to the faith of his children. My heart rejoices because  as missionaries we are bringing people the message of true happiness, that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and that there is a plan for all of us to receive all the wonderful blessing that out Heavenly Father has to offer us. Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice is central to that plan. The Book of Mormon is true! This is the Church of Jesus Christ restored to the earth, we have a modern prophet who leads and guides the church through inspiration that he receives from Jesus Christ. I love the gospel, I know if blesses us as we live it. I've never been so happy in my life! I just love being a missionary and I love my Heavenly Father.
 
 I got Ma's letter this week also so you'll have to tell her I got it and to say thank you and that I love her! I love everyone at home actually so you can just tell everybody! At least twice, but I think I would prefer thrice! 
 
 So this will be another week of working hard, but Elder McGahan and I are excited to be here working together!
 
 I Love you all thanks for you love and prayers!
 
 Elder Kameron Lahache

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