The Lord blessed the missionaries of the Florida Fort Lauderdale Misison with 153 baptisms for the month of December. How wonderful that 153 of His sons and daughters \u00c2\u00a0have started on the path back to Him!<\/p>\n
In his weekly letter President Anderson announced the new standard and shared some of the stories that made it possible…<\/p>\n
“WE DID IT!!! I knew being \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153Above Average Great Missionaries\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d that we could do this! We accomplished our goal of \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153150 Baptisms\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d during the month that we celebrate the Birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am so proud of all of you and more importantly, God is so pleased and proud of you and the amazing ambassadors of Christ that you have become.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Back in March when we baptized 100 souls for the first time, I told you that we need to replicate our goal so that the Lord knows that we are for real, that we are not short-term, or \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153flash in the pan\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d missionaries, but we are the \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153genuine\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d thing; that we are \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153above average great\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d. We achieved the goal of over one hundred again 5 times since which told us this is no accident and this is not luck. We actually are on the \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153next level\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now is the time for us to do the same for 150. It is time to replicate it to show the Lord that we have attained a higher level in this Mission, not temporarily, but enduringly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I love how we are being recognized as Representatives of Christ:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153While harvesting the other day we had knocked a couple doors with no success. As we approached the next house we met John who was cleaning his car out. We introduced ourselves and asked if we could pray with him. He said no. We testified again that we are\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0representatives and how the blessing would help him feel and asked again\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0and he said\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcyeah I would like that but\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0wait let me go put a shirt on.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 We said the blessing with him and invited him to be baptized. He immediately said yes! He asked us if we could come back and say this prayer with his wife on Sunday. We came back and also met his son Bryan. He also immediately accepted baptism and said \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcI know we crossed paths for a reason today and I know that this is what I have been looking for.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 It is so amazing to see how the Lord prepares individuals as well as families to receive the blessings of the gospel.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They want all the blessings that the Gospel has to offer. We need to be prayerful like Alma as to where to go:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153After the baptism we decided to go and get some harvesting in before the Christmas party. So we hurried over to the spot we had decided on last night during planning. The first door that opened to us was a family of 4 who let us in without much hesitation. We left the blessing and they accepted baptism willingly. Then we testified of the importance of coming to church and they agreed to come. They were so amazing. Then as we were walking out the door I had one last idea. I turned back and said, “Oh hey, just so you know, we’re having a Christmas party in an hour if you wanted to come you’re more than welcome.” Then we left. That night at the party they came! They loved it, made some friends, then agreed to come to church the next day and they came to that too. We found a few minutes to teach them during church so we were able to solidify their dates for the 30th and they were more than willing to accept the date.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And remember, like Alma, when God has directed us, it many times is the next door or the next person or the next street:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153It really is amazing how it is always the last door. But throughout the hour we were harvesting we\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0hadn\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122t had much success \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u00a6 and the hour was coming to an end so we decided to knock on one\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0last door. Debra opened the door and let us right in, she started to explain to us that this wasn\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122t their home and they were there for a couple of weeks \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u00a6 that it has been\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0a really hard, stressful time because Christmas is coming up and\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0her family can\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122t really have one because they are not in\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0their home and her husband gets his paycheck at the end of the month. So she was very much opened to the blessing and said she knew that Jesus Christ sent us to her home. During the blessing the spirit was very strong and when the prayer was over\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0I asked how she felt, her eyes\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0started to tear up and she said peaceful, calm and good.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0We testified to her that Jesus Christ did send us to her home and that Jesus loves her very much and that he wants her to feel those feelings always and she can feel of those feelings as she follows his example. Then we invited her to be baptized on the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a030th of December and she accepted! She has\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a05 boys and they are all over\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a08! I know that Jesus sent us to her because we prayed and\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0asked where to go. We must depend on the lord to show us the way, it is impossible to do this work alone and there is no better work.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n