Week 40--Alma 5:26

Hey Loved Ones!

THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN AS A MISSIONARY:

#31: Meet someone so excited for baptism. "If I got baptized a Mormon, I would celebrate. With alcohol."

This week was a miracle with the Linder family. We met with them for dinner and as always the conversation turned to the Gospel. They bring up eternal marriage EVERY TIME. Sister Linder, who is the only member of her family and has been less-active since a couple months after she was baptized, decades ago) brought up concerns she had with the Word of Wisdom. She said it had never made sense to her, since she has "never taken to drunkenness and Jesus drank wine and coffee is actually healthy and" blah blah blah. We read the WoW together, especially the part about "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all," and bore our testimonies and explained the blessings of living this law exactly, and that the blessings are much more than temporal. I happened to have a WoW pamphlet in my purse (which I never do--miracle) and committed her to read it.

When we came back, she said she read it and it clicked for the first time. All of the things we had said, she was saying in her own words. The Spirit really convinced her. Conversion really happens in between visits! When we asked them their NYE plans, Brother Linder said, "You're welcome to come over. But we will be having champagne." "No, we won't!" says Sister Linder. "Well, we're not having champagne!" says Brother Linder. Sunday morning they came to church and said it was the first time in 25+ years they hadn't had drinks for NYE together. "And still working on the coffee!" she said.

Just them being at church the morning after NYE was amazing! When we first talked to Sister Linder and invited her back to church, she said, "Well here's my issue. That would involve me waking up Sunday morning." And here she is bright and early the day after the holiday where ya stay up all night. They are giving themselves their own commitments, like participating in "exploratory classes" (Sunday School haha), meeting the Bishop, and finding their scriptures. "You know," said Sister Linder, "Since you girls started coming over this is the first time in our marriage we have really sat down and talked about faith in God."

This is just a few of the many examples in their efforts to repent. All of their efforts are based on coming closer to Christ. It's amazing to have a front row seat!

They are surrounding themselves with people who have similar goals as well. All their friends at work who are LDS they have really clicked with, and one of Sister Linder's friends is working for a temple marriage too, and encourage each other! They really are converting themselves. One things that touched my heart this week was when we asked Brother Linder if he has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. "Before I even knew what Mormons were," he said. He is praying about baptism this week. They both are working on their son too!

There is no better way to bring in the New Year than seeing people making the changes that only true repentance can bring.

This hymn comes to mind: Still let us be doing, our lessons reviewing, Which God has revealed for our walk in his way; And then, wondrous story, the Lord in his glory Will come in his pow'r in the beautiful day. Beautiful day of peace and rest, Bright be thy dawn from east to west. Hail to thine earliest welcome ray, Beautiful, bright, millennial day.

And the longest, but one of the best chapters in the Book of Mormon, Alma 5, which to me is the perfect chapter for a New Years Resolution: "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

I love you all!

But Jesus loves you best (;

Sister Pugmire