Colorado

We are Instruments in God's Hands

January 27, 2014

THIS WEEK TOPS ALL!  I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED EXCEPT FOR YESTERDAY.  Okay I guess there is some news, I am being transferred and I'm training again. but we don't have time to think about that, or the fact that I haven't started packing... BRAD WAS BAPTIZED YESTERDAY! I wish I just had a video of everything that happened because it couldn't have been more perfect. We couldn't relax all day because we were so excited.

We showed up, and Brad was super early, haha, and as you can see in these pictures, his 93 year old dad came! The one that I think I talked about before. He really dressed up for the occasion quite nicely. Anyway the program was awesome, and even his dad started singing the hymns! After the song Brad clapped even though he knew he really wasn't supposed to and he'd be the only one. haha.  Then he stood up to go to the baptismal font and waved to everyone as he went in the door. You literally could feel his excitement radiating off of him. When he came up out of the water, his smile was so big and he turned towards everyone and put both hands in the air like he was cheering! Then he turned to Brother Barton and at first they just shook hands and then they just hugged each other. God's love was SO strong in the room, it was almost tangible.

When he came out, he immediately went to the front and bore his testimony. I am so bad at explaining this and giving it justice!!! but what he said was so powerful. He said that he was so happy that everyone came. He had never been cared about before in his life, his life was like a birthday party that you invited all your friends to and no one showed up, but this was different. He said that these people at his baptism didn't even know him and they came to see this happen for him. He wanted to meet every single person individually. Then he talked about how he really hadn't felt a lot of happiness in his life, and how he felt like he was in a deep hole and he was just seeing the sunshine for the first time. He brought up the Joseph Smith video and how he felt a lot like him- searching for so much of his life, and he knew that this was right because all of the people at church had such a light in their eyes. THAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE WHOLE NIGHT. You could literally see a change in Brad's countenance. There was a light and happiness in his eyes that was so new and unbelievable.

As he was standing up there bearing his testimony, I was just in awe. He literally grew so much right before our eyes. This has increased my testimony SO MUCH that Heavenly Father truly knows each one of us and KNOWS what is going on in our lives and most importantly, knows what he is going to do in our lives to help us. Brad talks about how towards the end of the summer is when he really wanted to change his life around, and that is when we started coming around to see him. I KNOW that God is preparing His children to hear the gospel so they can experience this happiness that Brad has seen in his life. God knew that He was ready, and he sent us to his house. It amazes me that we found him by tracting. it really taught me the importance of listening to the guidance that we receive from God every single day. I know that God is real and His love is real. His love is for everyone and I know this because I saw the change in Brad. He sounded like he had been bearing his testimony in front of crowds for all his life. The greatest part is, no- he doesn't know everything. and we don't either. We are definitely not perfect teachers, but he does recognize the feelings he had when he went to church and prayed and read the book of Mormon. That's all that really matters. He has a lot of time to learn, and we do too. That's why it's so important to remember that God knows our pace, and knows how to time things. He timed this for Brad perfectly. When he was ready, we appeared. I couldn't ask for a better ending. I am so happy and I know that this is God's work. At the end of the baptism Brad came up to me and shook my hand and looked into my eyes and said, "you were very instrumental." and that's the truth. That's all I was, was instrumental. I can really say that Heavenly Father did it all, and that's why he needs us. He needs us to be instrumental in His hands because He has a grand plan.