...I'm speechless...not really, cause i am about to start screaming of excitement! This miracle I'm about to share...As soon as sister kanee and i walked into the library, i noticed a young family (parents probably in their mid twenties, with a little child, probably 1 yr. old)...and thought to myself, "They would make a solid family in the gospel, we should talk to them!". Well, with miracles unceasing this week, (so, to no surprise)) the young father just leaned over to us and asked,"Do you know of any churches around here?!?!"...Ummmm hold on....Did i really just hear what i think i did...hahahah. I did everything i could to not just jump out of my seat, scream and give them biggest hug ever!!! We told them that they were in luck because as missionaries we share with people more about Jesus Christ's church, and how FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!!! Obviously we shared a little more, (trying our best again, to contain our excitement;) ) but they are just so excited that they want us to come back tomorrow during the day! I have a very strong feeling that they WILL join the church, and WILL raise a lovely family in the gospel- I really do have full faith in that! They were searching for the truth, and I KNOW that God placed us in their path for a reason. Just like Joseph Smith *and many others, there are many questions about WHICH CHURCH IS TRUE! I know without a shadow of a doubt, that THIS.IS.IT!!! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, really is Jesus Christ's church...they exact one he set up 2013 years ago! Each of us, can gain a testimony of this for the first time, or re-kindle our testimony of this when we READ The Book of Mormon, PONDER in our hearts the message it contains, and then ASK GOD the Eternal Father in the name of Christ, if this book is true. "Those who pursue this course and ask in faith WILL gain a testimony of the truth and divinity of it's truth and divinity, by the power of the Holy Ghost". This statement is real and powerful, but UNLESS we actually read the Book we will never know! We have to take this course if we want to know...and if we already know, then continue to strengthen your testimony of this! One way that helps me strengthen my testimony that this is Christ's church, is by reading about the first vision...i invite you guys to do this as a family! This is a remarkable and miraculous experience THAT REALLY DID HAPPEN! Study it, and then pray about it! It will strengthen your testimony..i can promise you guys that. Anyways, i know that the message we have to share with this lovely family is about to change their lives, and bring their family LASTING happiness. I have a feeling that this family is going to take off, just like Bryan did. They are elect. There are many who are elect, and i have such a strong testimony that when we give EVERYTHING to the Lord, he will trust us with his precious children, and will lead us to them! I love this work and know that God is apart of 100% of it!
Well for Bryan (the golden investigator that we found just 3 weeks ago)...get ready...actually let me explain what happened with him this week. So last weekend he came to Vickie's baptism, to church, and then to FHE at the Lekia's families home...so he just had a powerful 3 days! Well in the FHE with the Lekias family we taught about prophets and the power of the priesthood! Dad, this is again, where i want to thank you for holding the priesthood and blessing our family with it! I can't help but cry every time i bear testimony of the power within the priesthood and think back to you;) Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! But, i will say that I love nothing more than explaining to people, that worthy men within the church can hold the VERY priesthood that Jesus Christ himself has...Do you guys realize how powerful that is?! These men can HEAL and comfort to others around them by using the power of the priesthood! This is not just something that only the prophet has...but ALL worthy men of the church, and i find that very special that God has given us that special gift! Dad, try to go out of your way to exercise your priesthood for someone else's sake this week, i know it will bless you AND THEM if you do it! But ya we just had this amazing lesson with Bryan and the Lekias family, AND BISHOP and it was just unreal. Almost too special to talk about, but at the end, Bryan cried and shared how these past 3 days have just been "moving", and that he was feeling very "warm", and also that the minute he saw us sisters walking up to his house (*3 weeks ago) he knew that his life was about to change, and that we had something he needed...he straight up said that;) Well after this remarkable night with Bryan, I could hardly wait to extend a baptismal date to him...so Wednesday we went back and straight told Bryan that he needs baptism NOW! We explained how we usually don't invite people to be baptized so quickly (since we were extending the date of the 14th of September), but that God had told us that HE.WAS.READY! God needs him apart of his church, and we explained that to him! Again, as we sat outside his house, the spirit was so thick! I felt the spirit so strongly as we declared repentance and baptism to him, it was incredible! But that lesson ended by him saying that he is pretty sure he will be baptized, but just wants to think about it a little more. K, will then Friday night we had him over at our bomb ward mission leaders house, with our bomb stake high council who is now Bryan's best friend, and we taught the word of wisdom along with the importance of the Book of Mormon. again, i really cant even explain how memorable this lesson was. The book of Mormon is true! I know it! and because each of us were able to share our testimony about it with Bryan, he recognized why it was so important that he read it and asked God if it was true....soooooooooo, that lesson ended by him telling us that he would get back to us on Sunday about his answer for baptism! Well...He came to a baptism on Saturday and again was brought to tears by the power from within the ordinance, and Sunday came to us with an answer...Before i tell you the end of this story though, can you believe how elect he is?! Like really, I'm still just blown away, i have never met a more "golden investigator" in my entire life!...Each time Sister Kanee and I meet with him we are just like, "hold on. did that really just happen?"...Ok, so yesterday at church testimony meeting was soooo awesome! I convinced all the ward missionaries and us 6 full time missionaries to bear our testimonies, so as you can imagine, our ward was slapped in the face (of course lovingly though ) with the importance of missionary work ha it was so awesome! but in my testimony i straight up looked at Bryan and bore testimony that BAPTISM really is the gateway back to God, and that without it, there is no way! He cried again;) Well after sacrament meeting he told sister Kanee and I that he wanted to talk to us. (moment of truth we were freaking out)....well he started off by telling us that last night he watched this documentary on TV (my heart sunk as soon as he started on this path)...well 5 minutes later (around his story) he said, "But sisters, i want you 2 to be the first to know, that I HAVE DECIDED TO BE BAPTIZED". K, that was it. the tears started and i just cried out of love and excitement.We were all crying! This man is incredible! I know He will build up the kingdom, and is already so motivated and excited to do it (he is working on getting our ward choir started hahah). But really, he went to gospel principles and then also in priesthood and announced to everyone that he has decided to be baptized! Our prayer and fast was answered that day, and Bryan committed to Heavenly Father to follow our Savior's example by being baptized on the 14th of September! My heart is so full, I'm just not even sure what else to say!!! But i do know that God prepared Bryan and that he led us to him for a reason. He is more ready than anyone else i have even met! He loves the joy and feelings from God he has gotten since he has started learning about Jesus Christ's church. We have a special relationship with him (and for me it came on Friday night when i looked at him at the dinner table, and KNEW that he was so special to Heavenly Father and that he truly was, one of Heavenly Father's "elect" sons!) He cries while sharing his testimony and see's sister Kanee and I as "his angels", it is so sweet! I cannot wait for him in these next steps he is going to take. Hopefully i can even join him in the temple before i leave Australia, that would be a dream come true!
Well i wish I had time to tell you about the UNREAL experience we have had this week, but my time is nearly up! I just can't even explain how much i love feeling the spirit, and at times i feel ILLUMINATED...like ....i don't even know how to explain it, but i do know that it is the spirit, and I'm so grateful for it!
I am just so humbled to see that when we give all our heart to the Lord and his work...we really do see miracles! While coming home from the missionary leadership meeting, the zone leaders, Sister kanee and i decided to find 10 investigators between the 2 companionship's of ours, over the weekend. Well Sister Kanee and I have been praying and working SUPER hard and found 5 investigators in the past 2 days!!! We have seen so many miracles with not only our investigators but all the people we are meeting and it is so motivating and encouraging, i just love it! I am grateful for my Savior and his atonement, my testimony was strengthened even more in this, while sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday. I'm so grateful for the sacrament, and also for my Loving Heavenly Father. Yesterday was Father's Day, and so (again) Dad, i just want to wish you a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY:) Both you and my Heavenly Father have been my rock, and without the 2 of you, i don't know where i would be. Thank you for your love and hard work! Yesterday the primary children sang, "I'm so glad when daddy comes home" and i couldn't' help but cry as i thought about how collie and i would always sing this when we were little, and then you would squat down and give us the biggest hug. i miss you and your hugs but i have to say, that i am so grateful to be where i am right now! I love all of you and just want you to remember how happy we can really be when we keep ALL the commandment of God (mosiah 2:41). Hope you all have a great week and thanks again for everything!
Love always,
Sister Diondra Ensign
The zone leaders told me (even though I'm not supposed to know for another week) that I'm going to be transferred to Kalgoorlie next week for transfers. Kalgoorlie is total COUNTRY (aka massive spiders and snakes everywhere haha). and is mainly filled with miners who go to the pub when they aren't working. It is also a place where most of the abos are (aboriginals). It was so sketchy that they just barely put sisters in that area for the first time just 2 transfers ago (and even then everyone was just like shocked that president did it...haha but with the Lord on our side, I know we will be protected AND the sisters currently there have had a lot of success, so I guess the time is work to 'HASTEN THE WORK" In that part of the Lords vineyard. It is going to be a great adventure and I can't wait! Also....one of the best parts about it is that I will be serving with Sister Atkinson...(the sister who I was sooooo tight with in Washington)....I'm seriously like freaking out, I'm so excited!
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