Monday, April 20, 2015

Baptism and Transfer News - Elder Joshua Avery

Written by Elder Joshua Avery, serving in the Singapore Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Mandarin Chinese.

Dear Family and Friends,

I have witnessed many miracles, but I would say the biggest and best of all is the one that happened in the Avery home. Jared got a hair cut!!! haha!

We are waiting for transfer news and I am so excited but nervous also! I love Ipoh, and I hope I stay. The members, investigators, food, and everything is the best. Jesus Christ can truly allow us to adapt to any circumstance. (I'm being transferred to Malacca! My companion will be Elder Earl. He is super experienced and goes home next transfer. Elder Lallemant will be my district leader! I'll still be in West Malaysia, so I should be good for Skype on Mother's Day!)

We had so many miracles this week! Here are 3 awesome ones :)

1. We were planning the baptism for Li** and I had a feeling we needed to invite someone, but I couldn't think of who it was! Then it clicked. Jo**! I called and he said he had been in Penang, so that's why we hadn't seen him. He walked to the baptism, and then to church the next day. Not only that, but he brought a friend to church for Elders Baker and Cocq to teach!  :)

2. On Saturday we were busy getting ready for the baptism, but Elder Wadsworth and I felt like we needed to go out finding. The Spirit prompted Elder Wadsworth to go visit a woman who he and Elder Baker had met on exchanges earlier that week. When we went to visit her there was no answer, but we were sure that the Spirit had brought us there for some reason. We began knocking in that area and the Spirit led us down a road we hadn't thought of going down before.

Every door we knocked rejected us, until we met Lin**. We knocked on her gate and she was excited to see us! She told us that she had met elders before, and she asked if the church had sent us. We told her yes (haha!) and shared a short message about the Plan of Salvation. She explained that her husband had died only a couple of years ago. She was sad because he died a Buddhist and she is a Christian. We explained to her that there is hope still for her to be with her husband for eternity.

She invited us to come back yesterday so we could teach her and her 14 year old son. The Spirit was strong in the lesson and afterwards the son told us, "Wow! I have learned a lot today!" He told us that he would read, ponder, and ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. We are excited to continue to meet with them.

3. Li**'s baptism was amazing! I have never been at a baptism where the Spirit was stronger. Everyone was crying! After the baptism, Li** shared a wonderful, heartfelt testimony about Jesus Christ and eternal families. I am so grateful that I got to teach her and watch her grow!  :)

Love You All!

Elder Avery

40 Day Fast (April 13, 2015)

Maleka  (April 27, 2015)