We found lots more people to teach this week. One is a girl named IZY. She is awesome and is from Serbia. She played on Serbia's national basketball team as a 16 year old. She lives with members and came to school her senior year so she could go to a good college here in America afterwards with a little basketball in college. But recently, she got denied eligibility. It's really been tough on her. (sound familiar?) The Lord sure prepares us to help others pre- mission. So, I related very well and was able to help her see that she needed this in her life.
The story of how we got her to listen is a miracle in it's self.
We work at the Christmas Lights at the temple and go around smiling and asking members if they know of anyone we can help and potential members if they would be willing to let us come over and teach them. I had talked to hundreds of people all night; mostly youth, because it was a mutual night. I had gotten tons of refferals and many others to accept missionaries, but none mattered as much to me as the experience with Izy.
Isadora had found out earlier that day that she had been denied to play her lifelong sport of basketball that year. She was down and out and was really depressed. But a wonderful youth in the ward, Mary, invited her out to go to the Christmas Lights with her that night. Izy said no because she was down. Mary insisted and came over and picked her up. Isadora had felt the spirit before while she came to church, but had never had any interest in learning more until that night. I was able to talk to a group of 15 kids. I gathered them together in a semi cirlce to invite them to hear our message or provide a reference. Then I realized Izy was there. (I had met her at church before.) That night as I felt prompted, I was able to invite Izy to learn more by getting to know her and making a friendship, teaching her a short principle of the gospel, and testifying of its truth. The noise of the crowd seemed to fade, and it seemed as if the entire group of kids was praying she would say yes. I asked her how she felt at church and right then around that beautiful temple. She said in her accent "Good." I told her that was the Holy Ghost testifying that this was what God wanted her to do. She said yes, and we taught her that Sunday. She has currently read over 20 pages of The Book of Mormon and is loving it. She also said she would be baptized when she knew it was true. All of this was because one good friend of Izy's from church insisted on inviting her to something she wouldn't have gone to on her own.
Isadora is the only one in her family that could help them recieve the gospel at this time. Thousands might receive the gospel because of these lessons.
May we all be a little more bold and brave to share the gospel with our friends and those we love. It made a difference for Izy.
love elder jenkins!
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