President Anderson’s letter for the week continues to share experiences of how the temple open house is continuing to bless lives by helping investigators feel the spirit and want to be baptized..<\/p>\n
As we shared with a family the pain of the death of a young son, I thought about how just a month ago this couple went to the temple and were sealed as an Eternal family. I reminded them of the promises that were given there and that they could have their son sealed to them in a year.<\/p>\n
President Anderson…<\/p>\n
\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153Thank you so much for initiating harvesting in our mission! It has changed my life and taught me that I can call down the blessings of heaven on others. In my setting apart my stake president blessed me that \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcyou will become a great prayer; many will [come to the Gospel] and come back to the gospel because of your prayers\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122. If that isn’t a reference to harvesting I don’t know what is!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n
This is someone who, with faith, has created circumstances with the wonderful tools and resources we have been trained on, and have access to. The Temple currently has been an amazing tool to increase desires and solidify conversion, and so many of you have \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153created circumstances\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d with it to progress those you teach:<\/p>\n
<\/i>\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153This past week we had the opportunity to go through the temple with 2 of our progressing investigators. First, we took one last Saturday, His reaction to the temple was unforgettable he said \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcit\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122s like a castle\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 and “I want to come back as soon as possible”. After, we went to the welcome tent and invited Him to be baptized the following day. The temple completely solidified His baptism and He was baptized and confirmed the following day. His mom came to his baptism and I remember Him telling us \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcwe need to get her to go see the temple\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122. The following Tuesday, we had the opportunity to take her through as well. When we asked her \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcwhat room was your favorite room?\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 She said \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcthe celestial one, I want to go back there someday!!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 as we all then felt the spirit of her response, we invited her to be baptized the following Sunday. SHE WAS BAPTIZED in between conference sessions! The temple has been such a blessing and the most amazing tool to have a 100% baptismal rate for all we take. Everyone we take to the temple, we will baptize!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n
Help others \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153act upon their circumstances\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d and answer their own questions of truth:<\/p>\n
<\/i>\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153We had the opportunity to go to the temple this past week with one of our investigators. He had read a whole lot of Anti-LDS literature throughout his life and has had some serious trouble accepting truth now because of it.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 We had him pray about the Book of Mormon earlier in the week and the next day he, indirectly, said it was true.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 This wasn’t enough, so we had him pray about a question we wrote: \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcShould I be baptized this Sunday?\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 and write out his feelings on the paper when he prayed.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 The next day we stopped by and we asked how his prayer went.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 He said it went \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcOkay\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 and we asked him to bring the paper where he wrote his feelings.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 He had only written one word to answer the question; \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcYes\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 It was a miracle.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 A member drove us up to the temple shortly after that day …\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 We were able to have a tour of just our group and it was amazing.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 The spirit was so strong.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 The spiritual impressions he received directly from God and from visiting his holy house sealed his conversion.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 He was baptized yesterday President.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n
Help others \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153act upon their circumstances\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d and experience the power of the Gospel:<\/p>\n
<\/i>\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u0153He came to church\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a03 weeks ago … \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0After church we\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0tried committing him to a baptismal date for the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0following Sunday but he still felt as though he wasn’t ready. So that week we continued working with him… we were able to help him leave behind smoking, drinking, drugs, etc… He was amazing. He was such a repentant guy! The next Sunday … he came to church again. He loved it. We tried committing him to another baptismal date for the following Sunday but guess what…. \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcI\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122m not ready!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 is what he told us. Sad but even more motivated to help him at this point we pondered and thought on what was next. What could we do as the Lord\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122s representatives to help him get baptized this weekend? We decided… Well he’s living the commandments, he’s repented, he’s coming to church, what more does he need?\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0He needs to have a spiritual experience at the Temple of God. This was on\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Wednesday\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 … we traveled\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0with\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0him over to the temple open house. Oh how beautiful it was. The spirit\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that connected … connected him with his Heavenly\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Father! … One stop on the tour of the temple was\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0at the recommend desk. There the tour guide explained that after the dedication each person that enters will need a recommend. Well\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0long story short we went through the entire temple feeling of the Spirit of God. That special connection that each of us has. Afterwards we encountered something\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that I will NEVER EVER forget. As we were looking back at the temple, this time from the outside in, we asked him a question, \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dchow did you feel inside God\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122s house?\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 his response was simply \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcI felt good. I need to prepare to get my little paper thingy (recommend)\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0so I can come back!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0It was at that moment we told him that the first step of preparation that\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0he was talking about\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0was his baptism this Sunday … he looked at us with a smile on his face and he said \u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u02dcI know, I’m ready!\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u2122 He was baptized yesterday and what an experience it was! … Now he is currently working on getting his family there to the temple this week.\u00c3\u00a2\u00c2\u20ac\u00c2\u009d<\/i><\/p>\n