Hi everybody!
We saw some awesome miracles this week! The main one being a man that we had a lesson with last night. He was a phone referral from over in Luzhou. He talked to some missionaries in the MRT and they sent his number to us. His name is L--- X--- and has had a very hard life. His dad before he was ten and his mom died when he was twelve right in front of him. He was then raised by his grandma and basically told us that he was tired of being unhappy. I could tell he had such a good heart and was really seeking for the truth. While we were talking to him I remembered a talk that Elder Holland gave about how people that don't know Jesus Christ will sometimes have good feelings when we talk about him and so I asked him if he knew who Jesus Christ was.
He said he didn't. We then testified that Jesus Christ knew exactly what he was going through and that through getting to know him he would be able to resolve some of the unhappiness and bitterness he had gained over the years. We testified that God was his Father in Heaven and that he loved him with a love greater than anyone. I have never seen the Spirit work as it did. The man burst into tears and asked us what feeling he was feeling. I asked him what it felt like and he said, "So comfortable. I'm content and peaceful." Man what a great opportunity to teach about the Spirit and
Elder Norris then introduced the tools that could help him to have that feeling with him all of the time. At the end of the lesson he prayed for the first time in his life and said a very heartfelt prayer. We asked him what he was doing after the lesson and he said he was going to read the book of mormon! What a prepared guy! I already feel like I knew this guy for months!
We had such a miracle yesterday after church. The ward mission leader set up a meeting with the Bishop and all of the ward missionaries to discuss a ward mission plan for next year. That meeting was definitely led by the Spirit. We talked about all of the problems we had been experiencing in Ankang over the past year the main one being finding. Ankang is a harder area to find because nearly every community has a guanli. Therefore it is harder to have effective tracting time. The streets are also a little difficult because there are only two places that have people. So we discussed how the ward can start helping the missionaries find and set up some great finding activities involving the ward for December and January. It will be a big responsibility for both the missionaries and the members and we are really excited to see our plans come into affect. The ward has recently started a schedule where the members have been invited to sign up for one night a month in which they can invite their friends and the missionaries over to eat. We hope this will be an effective finding tool as well.
This week was a little harder. I just felt like I was not an effective missionary. I was sick and just not feeling really good about myself or the work that we were doing. But we did see some miracles that definitely put the work back into perspective for me. My companion and I's personalities are very different but I hope I learning something from him and that we can work to become more effective teachers.
Our investigator A---- and W--- D----- are the two who have baptismal dates and I believe that both of them are going to be able to make their dates. We're praying for them and teaching them every week. We are hoping we will be able to meet with them twice a week. They are both really busy. The biggest problem will helping both of them start coming to church because they are both so busy. We have faith that we will be able to help them do this. We are really going to make sure we start having Peike's for the lessons that we have with them.
Overall the work of Ankang is on the verge of exploding. With the help of our ward mission leader and the help of our Bishop we are really starting to get the members fired up about sharing the gospel and working with us to help strengthen their ward. I'm excited to see what happens in Ankang in the next year. Miracles are happening and the Lord is using us the way He wants to. I learn more and more that my role in the conversion of others is minuscule. It all depends on the persons faith and their willingness to repent and change. The Lord then uses His power of conversion which is the Spirit.
Well ya'll so goes another week in Ankang. I will probably be here another transfer so till after Christmas. That will make it 5 transfers in my 1st area... Whew... As we say in Chinese 加油 (add oil)
Love ya'll,
Elder Meeks
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