Hello hello!
Well I hope everyone is doing well, wherever you may be! Shout out to Nathan for graduating high school and seminary this last weekend! Now entering the life of a grown-up haha.
This week was pretty awesome. We started off the week (after a relaxed p-day with the other sisters serving in our ward whom we also live with) on Tuesday with a lesson with Julian, an eternal investigator and our Stake Presidents brother who is the only non-member in his family. We were also very blessed to have President Brown (yes, that really is his last name, haha) come with us. We had previously visited Julian with President Ardila and, because the only thing keeping him from being baptized is receiving his answer that this is the true church, challenged him to pray with a sincere heart, real intent, and with faith in Christ (Moroni 10:4). On Tuesday he said he still didn't feel anything different and I was a bit frustrated because we have been teaching him the whole time I've been here and with both of my companions in this area we have literally been praying for and studying for him every day. We have taught him everything from Alma 32 and Faith to the story of Enos and also stories of Christs apostles in the New Testament. President Ardila taught him about Joseph Smith and how he planned to ask God and went to a place where he knew he could ask in peace and also set apart a time to do it. Seriously we had tried EVERYTHING. We talked to him with his brother that afternoon about asking in faith and decided that the next time we would review all of the commandments so that he could commit to live them and recognize his answer that way (John 7:17). We were going to finish the lesson with a prayer and Julian called on his brother to say it. President Brown said, "I'm not the one looking for an answer, YOU are. YOU say the prayer." Julian began to pray and right there in that moment we began to feel a slight earthquake that got stronger and stronger. Everything was shaking and we could hear people running out of their homes outside, freaking out. It was the strongest one that I've ever felt and I admit I was a bit scared. I opened my eye to see if everyone was still praying (because I couldnt hear too well) and to my surprise, Julian was still praying!! He finished his prayer and the earthquake ended a few seconds later. We were on the first floor of the house so we didnt feel it as strong as others but everything was fine. I remember all of us getting up to look outside and I told Julian, "Brother, that was your answer!" Everyone laughed, but I was serious! His mom even said, "If you cant believe for the good things, you'd better believe for the bad ones." Julian always says he hears others experiences and wants to have his own, confirming of the truth, and THAT WAS IT!! We found out later it was a 5.4 earthquake with the epicenter in Chilca, another part of the department of Lima. We left him with all of that to meditate on and all of us were really in shock. You could say it was a coincidence, but I know in my heart that it wasnt. God really does answer prayers, in his own way, in his own time.
This weekend was Stake Conference and, along with an Area Seventy, President and Hna Ardila came. President came to greet us after the Saturday night session and told us that President Brown had told him what happened. On Sunday Julian came late to Conference but arrived just in time to hear Sister Costa talk about living below our privelages and Elder Costa, as a convert, share his testimony of the Restoration. It was amazing. We are sure that all of these events have impacted his heart and we will find out this week what the final say is!
We heard very inspired messages yesterday and I'm so grateful and happy!
Keep on keeping on! Love ya!
Hermana Bledsoe
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