A Visit from An Apostle

The front door of a potential we were trying to visit . . .

I think they don't want visitors.

 

 
This week was busy and exhausting and full of struggles but lots of great experiences as well.
 
Tuesday morning we got a text from our golden investigator Eduardo dropping us :( He said he couldn't meet with us anymore because of his work schedule and that he is going to keep going to his Catholic Church.
 
Tuesday night was an awesome exchange with Sister Rogers, who is from Australia. I stayed in Elizabeth this time and Sister Rogers is an English missionary so I had to do all the translating. Even though she didn't know what most of the people were saying in the lessons, she testified to them in English and I translated and they were able to feel the power of her testimony even if they couldn't understand her language. We had 5 lessons back to back and they all actually happened instead of falling through, so that was awesome. 

Exchange with Sister Rogers, the awesome Australian

 
Thursday we were fed by the Realpes, an awesome member family. The husband is in the bishopric and the wife is the Primary President, and they've only been members for 3 years! She told us their conversion story. Long story short, she had been going through a rough time and prayed that God would send her some sort of sign of what she should do. A little while later, missionaries knocked on their door and they accepted the Gospel. Now just 3 years later they are super strong and do so much for the ward. 

Friday we went to Ellis Island again. I'm definitely getting more comfortable with helping people with the database there. This time around it seemed like everyone there was from either France or Italy... which made communication a bit difficult because I only know English and Spanish. But I did find an awesome family from Argentina and got to talk to them in Spanish and help them for a few minutes! I love all Latin countries, but Argentina has a special place in my heart because of my trainer. 
 

 

 
Yesterday there was a multi-stake conference in the Newark Symphony Hall to announce the creation of a new stake. They moved the borders of the already-existing Caldwell Stake, Scotch Plains Stake, and Paterson District (smaller than a stake) to form three stakes- the Soldier Hill Stake, the Scotch Plains Stake, and the Liberty Park Stake. Super exciting to see the growth of the church here! And Elder Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was there! He went to high school here in NJ, and he said that when he lived here there was only one stake for the whole state, and now there are three stakes just in this part of NJ! Wow!

Newark Symphony Hall. It's huge and gorgeous.

Reminded me of the Pantages Theater in Hollywood

 

After announcing the boundaries and leaders of the new stake, Elder Christofferson spoke to us. This was my first time hearing an Apostle speak in person so I was super excited. Here is some of what I managed to write down from when he spoke to us-
 

 That's Elder D. Todd Christofferson second from the left!

"I want to add my witness of the BoM, when I lived here in Jersey when I was a teenager we went to the Hill Cumorah pageant one summer. I thought this was the perfect place for me to have a confirmation. I went to the Sacred Grove. I was all alone there. I knew it was a special place. I took off my shoes and knelt down and prayed that the Lord would manifest to me in His way that these things were true. I was sincerely and diligently praying, but I didn't receive anything. I was disappointed and asked myself what I had done wrong make me unworthy of an answer. I learned an important lesson from that- You can't dictate to God and tell Him when and how to reveal things to you. We have to remain open for when it will come. The answer I was seeking came about a month later, when I was in my bedroom reading the BoM. Without asking, there flooded over me a communication of pure intelligence that comes from the Spirit that this book is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I was totally unmistakeable and came without words. The conversion that began earlier in life continues to expand in my study of that book. If you are seeking answers, don't stop; don't give up. Continue until you receive that witness directly from the Spirit, you don't have to be in any special place."

Another thing he said that I loved was "He could not love you or know you better if you were His only child." Wow. He has so many children, but he loves each one of us so much. I'm so grateful I got to hear and see an Apostle of the Lord in person. There was such a special feeling there.

I also saw a lot of the members from my first area, Union City! It was so good to see them after so long. Argus, who is the son of one of my converts and got baptized about a month after I left that area, recognized me and came up to me and said hi! He was also in the youth choir that performed for everyone and it was amazing. The Spirit was so strong throughout the whole conference and I feel so blessed to have been able to be there! I am so grateful that the Church is growing steadily in this part of New Jersey and that I get to play a small part in it. Miracles are real and the Church is true!

I love the Gospel. I love missionary work. It is hard, but it is so worth it!

<3 Hermana Harris
 
 

 I sat in front of Hermanas Campusano and Jerez from my first area!