Eyes are windows to the soul

Mi familia bonita,

This week was just wonderful. We met with our investigator Jose on Tuesday night and had a really good lesson with him about the restoration of the gospel. We met with him for the first time about two weeks prior to that and still hadn't taught about the restoration of the church of Jesus Christ and the purpose of the Book of Mormon. Needless to say, he was a little confused, but he had come to church two times anyway! He's a dream come true--really. The elder who found him told us to invite him to the baptism because he had that much faith in Jose.

Jose has this personality that just fills the whole room. Our lessons are always Spanglish to the max and he is so eager to learn more, understand, and follow Heavenly Father's plan. We started telling him about the Book of Mormon, how it's another testament of Jesus Christ. He found out on his second Sunday that we use the Bible even though we used it to teach the lesson the night before, he must have been confused--oops. We explained about how prophets in Jerusalem wrote the word of God in the Bible and how prophets in the ancient Americas also received revelation from God and wrote them on plates as scripture--which we now know is the Book of Mormon. When we told Jose that we have a living prophet today, he said, "Does everyone know about this?!?! Why don't people know about this?" We told him that's why we're here spreading the message. :) He was so dumbfounded--his eyes were huge and wanted to hear more of the story. We explained to him that the prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is not just the prophet for our church but that he's the prophet for the whole world. Jose just couldn't get over the fact that people don't know about him. I felt the Spirit so strongly as I taught him about the restoration; how Christ established His church and that when he was rejected and his apostles were killed, truth was taken from the earth. God took away the gift of revelation and prophets from the earth for a time because people were so wicked and would not listen and sought to kill them because they spoke hard things. After this spiritual darkness remained for a time, we know that a 14-year-old boy, Joseph Smith, was called to be a prophet of God, to restore Christ's church to the earth again as it had been when he established it--complete with priesthood authority, or the power to act in God's name, saving ordinances, apostles, etc. This lesson really taught me the importance of teaching people, not just lessons. I understood when Jose needed further explanation, how to explain it more understandably, and what he needed to hear. Thank goodness I could teach him in English (don't tell anyone I cheated). During the lesson Jose said, "Your eyes--they're like windows of light." I kept talking and he stopped me. "I've seen those eyes before." By this point he was shaking his head and putting his head in his hands because he couldn't believe the things he was hearing and the "light," or the Holy Ghost that he was seeing and feeling. He called me an angel and asked me if I was an angel. "Is she an angel?" he asked my companion. "You're an angel, aren't you?" I had to confess that I was just human, just a girl. "I really feel an energy here, especially from you," as he pointed to me.

I'm not telling you this so you think I'm an angel or think that I'm so proud of myself for what I know, because I'm not. I'm telling you this because this was a very powerful experience of the Holy Ghost testifying that the things we were teaching are true. Jose experienced that--the Spirit was absolutely there. He felt it really powerfully and understood that Joseph Smith was going through exactly what he's going through--in not knowing which of all the churches are true. "So he was confused just like I'm confused!" I know that people misunderstand Joseph Smith's purpose. We met a man last night while tracting/finding people who was adamant that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. He said this and that and all we could do was invite him to learn more and pray about our message. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We all know about the prophets in the Bible--why would we not have prophets today?

We were able to teach Jose again on Friday and Saturday night and his wife was there both times (she's usually working). His wife made us food on Saturday,after we'd just eaten Panda Express, but Sister Carlos reminded me that Hispanic women don't make food for you unless they like you. So don't worry--we ate the quesadillas, salsa, pizza, Mexican candy, and soda. Jose and Maribel have a lot of potential and we are so blessed to be teaching them. Oh yeah, and Jose came to Primary yesterday because his daughter was crying and didn't want to go. So the theme for this month is missionary work and how the Primary kids can prepare to be missionaries. Of course I played the piano in Primary and Jose was just singing away with the kids. The Primary Presidency gave them missionary "name tags" and it was so funny seeing Jose and Jasmine wearing them. Jose was ready to "knock some doors!" Sister Carlos and I had drawn things that the children could do to prepare now (like read their scriptures, go to church, read Preach My Gospel during family home evening, make their beds, serve friends and family, things like that). We were in charge of sharing time and the kids really had all the answers--they're so prepared!

We taught a woman named Graciela on Thursday night--we met her at the beginning of August and hadn't been able to contact her since then. She was very receptive to our message and said at the end of it that she had forgotten all of her problems while we were there. She said that my Spanish was clear and she could understand all of it--bless her!! The language is still shaky but I'm so grateful every day that I get to learn Spanish but I'm also get to teach and testify in English. So many of our investigators can't feel that peace and happiness in their lives, which is what Heavenly Father wants us to experience. They're depressed, and I know it's because they don't yet have the knowledge of the plan of salvation and the understanding of the atonement. I'm so grateful that we know Heavenly Father's plan--that we're here to learn and grow and to overcome life's challenges so that we can progress and live worthily to return to God's presence. I know that eternal life is the greatest of all the gifts of God and that we can't fully comprehend the fulness of joy that we'll experience as eternal families, but I know I want to find out.

We met a woman last night while tracting who is absolutely miserable. She was interested in hearing the message we were going to share and knew that it's what she needed to hear right then. Her life is horrible right now and she has anxiety and no hope. I knew I needed to give her a hug, and she broke down in my arms. She said she needed that--she needs to feel love. During the lesson she gave Sister Carlos and me about 20 hugs each. At the end of the lesson she said the prayer and said, "I feel good... No, I feel really good. then she paused... Now I'm just trippin'." :) Like Graciela, she forgot her pains, she wasn't anxious. She felt the Holy Ghost comfort her--I know the Holy Ghost touches hearts and can truly change people.

Oh yeah. And the subject of this email? It had a little to do with Jose's comment, but also three other people commented on my eyes this week. It was unbelievable! Guess other people like my almond-shaped eyes, Dad. :)

Love you all,

kates