Strengthened Through Testimony

This past week has been really good. We are still struggling with getting our investigators to commit to come to church and setting up baptismal dates, but I feel things are starting to change. And maybe the Christmas Season is helping things move along. But I want to share an experience I had just yesterday in a lesson.

For a bit of background, we just met this man only a few days earlier and when we first contacted him, he said we could come back at like anytime to talk with him about "la palabra." So we returned yesterday to talk with him about the third lesson, El Evangelio de Jesucristo. As we started discussing some of the things of him, he immediately brought up the Book of Mormon. He started coming at us with all these questions concerning many different items of the church, and repeatedly stated that he accepts that the Book of Mormon supports the Bible, but isn't the Word of God. I knew that this lesson wasn't going to to anywhere if we let him continue to throw questions and attacks at us, or if we tried to convince him of the truthfulness of it. I felt impressed to just simply share my testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. 

As I shared my testimony, I could fill the Spirit change the room and the whole mood of the lesson changed dramatically afterwards. I told him that the Book of Mormon really is the Word of God, just like the Bible, and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet that restored the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. From then on, we gave a Book of Mormon to read and he said that he would read it and consider the message that we shared with him about it. We shared with him the invitation and promise that Moroni gives in Moroni 10:4-5, and that through the Holy Ghost he can know the truthfulness of these things as well. 

This experience was both very uplifting and strengthening, as well as a kick in the pants saying, "BEAR YOUR TESTIMONY MORE OFTEN!" Though the Holy Ghost never yells at us like that, it was as clear as day to me of the importance that our testimonies are. It is through our testimonies that the Holy Ghost testifies of the truth of these things. If we never bear our testimony, those people will never feel of the truth of our words. 

If I didn't before, I have a testimony of bearing our testimonies. No matter how funny saying that sounds, it is true. Our testimony is what holds us firm in the Gospel, and it is how we share the Gospel with others. I challenge all of you to bear your testimony to a friend, or a family member, or even someone random to help share the Light of Christ this Christmas and to #IluminaElMundo in atleast one way this season. 

Sorry, I don't have pictures for this week. But I'm sure the overload of pictures last week will do. But for now, #LightTheWorld, #IluminaElMundo, share the Light of Christ, keep going strong and please, tell me how Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi was. NO SPOILERS!!! Hahaha.

Love you all! FELIZ NAVIDAD, PROSPERO AÑO Y FELICIDAD!!

Elder Turner