Last Sunday(1 week ago) was fast and testimony meeting. A member named Claudia bore her testimony. Claudia has been a member for about one year. She was introduced to the church through her younger sister Daniela. Daniela met with the missionaries and learned everything, but in the end her Dad wouldn´t let her be baptized (she is only 17). But Claudia was baptised, so was her boyfriend, then they got married, and now Claudia is the Young woman´s president(jsut got released from relief society president last month). Claudia is so firm. As she bore her testimony the tears streamed down her cheaks as she related her morning struggle to get out of bed and get to church. For the first time since her baptism, she didn´t want to go to church. She was angy and frustrated with God for the things that were happening in her life. But in the end of her tesitmony, she said that she finally decided to just come to Church, and that she already knew that it was the biggest blessing. It was a powerful testimony.
I didn´t know what Claudia would have to be frustrated with God about. But Irmã Speigle (my comp) with her gift of discernment knew. Claudia´s sister Daniela who introduced her to the church, but was not yet baptized, had been struggling the past year with lots of personal issues. In the past Daniela had tried to take her own life, and that weekend before testimony meeting, Daniela had tried to take her own life again. Claudia did not say any of this in her testimony, but Irmã Speigle knew from past conversations with Claudia that her sister had struggled with this.
We knew that there was something we could do. Something that the Lord had planned. We didn´t know how, and we didn´t know when the time would be right, but we knew we had to help Daniela.
This experience came at a strange week for me. The week of the aniversary of my dad´s passing four years ago. I had no idea how personal things could really become, until this week.
Sunday after Church we went to Daniela´s house to see if she would receive our visit. She let us in and was there with her friend Diogo, we talked. We expressed Heavenly Father´s love for her. We followed the spirit, and we scheduled another appoinment the next day. We had prayed as a companionship and knew that she needed to be baptized this weekend, that that was the will of the Lord.
As we studied each day for our lessons with her we knew that this weekend was her date of baptism, we knew it was the will of the Lord, we knew that the way would be prepared and that everything would fall into place so that she could start a new life.
Wednesday was a rough day for me, I felt the weight of the situation on our shoulders. We didn´t seem to be getting through to her the reality of the blessings that Heavenly Father had waiting for her. She wanted to be baptized but didn´t feel like she had received a response to her prayer about baptism. As we had personal study in the morning I read Alma 36:17-21(can you insert the scripture here) . As I read I felt sorrow for Daniela, I felt pain for her pains that she was suffering, and that no one but Jesus Christ could understand. But at the same time I felt hope for Daniela, I knew that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ she could be healed of EVERY SINGLE PAIN.
I thought of my Dad. How he hurt. How he must have felt alone. How he didn´t really know of that Jesus Christ who came to save us all. It hurt to think about. But like Daniela, I felt that hope. That real true hope. That my Dad has had and will have the oppurtunity to accept Jesus Christ as his savior and enjoy the unexplainable relief that comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us.
Sometimes we suffer and feel like there is nothing more, no hope, and no one that understands. But here is the good news, Jesus Christ Lives. He lives! He knows us. He knows Daniela, and he knows my Dad. Although I felt like I didn´t know how to help Daniela, I knew that Jesus Christ does. I am weak and know nothing of her pains and sorrows, but He does.
So we taught her that day, and for the rest of the week. And after many many miracles, including the permisison of her father, daniela was baptized yesterday, february 13th.
It was a joyous day in my mission that I will never forget. had the privilege of being an instrument in the hands of God, to help one of His children find access to the relief, peace and joy that comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is hope, and that´s the truth.
I love you all.
-Lizzie
