"I feel something different here"

Hello everyone!

Thank you for all the love and support. This week has been full of hard work, and tender mercies. The week started out hard because we had to drop some investigators with baptismal dates, because of their lack of desire and we have been praying and we have been putting almost all of our efforts in finding. It was a slow week in finding, but we just need to be more diligent and I know the Lord will put people in our path who are ready.

Vicente came to church and it was so great to have him back in the church! Earlier in the week he said he was not ready to get baptized yet. We told him we loved him and respect his agency, but he always testifies how he knows the Book of Mormon is true and that one day he will be baptized. He told me he loved me and he thinks of me as his son.  He said, “I feel something different here!”  I testified to him and told him to never, ever to forget how he was filling in that moment.  The Spirit was so strong and I will never forget that moment.

I am so grateful for this Gospel, for the Book of Mormon, and for the true church. God lives, he loves every one of his Children. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ to make it possible for us to return to Him.  Jesus is the Christ, He lives and I have come to know Him and feel close to Him. The Holy Ghost is real!  It talks to our Spirit and confirms all truth.

Love you all,

Elder Waidmann

"Ferviente Oración"

Hello Everyone,

This week was another fast one filled with tender mercies and miracles! The Lord has been so good to us. I wanted to share an experience that happened this week that taught me so much. We we had lost contact with one of our investigators for one whole week...we were praying for that whole week together and personally to be able to get in contact with him.... and we couldn’t. On Thursday we were walking to an appointment, I had my head down, filled with sadness and worry.  We were walking across a bridge and my companion said, “Look it is him”! I raised my head up and looked and saw him walking towards us. Joy filled my soul as we had found one of God’s children. We taught him and he has decided he wants to be baptized.  It is a miracle! I can't describe how happy that made me. 

This morning I was reading the parable of the lost sheep and of the prodigal son and I was and am still pondering on the messages. With the lost sheep, the Shepard left and did all he could to find this lost sheep, and after he did all he could, he found it and rejoiced with his family and his neighbors. With the prodigal son, I was thinking how the father was heartbroken that his son left.  After a long period of time of praying and pleading with God to help his son come back home, he did. Then, the father ran to his son and embraced him and forgave him for all he did. I was able to think about how that is exactly like the love that God has for us, as his children. He wants all of his children to come home. He is happy for those who have found the path, but is sad for his children that are lost, and he calls for them but they may not recognize his voice......and that is where the Savior, members, and missionaries come in. We are the "Good Shepard" and the father of the lost son. We must go out search, teach, and pray so that we can help all our brothers and sisters find their way home. One day we will all rejoice with our Heavenly Father in his kingdom for eternity.

I love you all!

Elder Waidmann

"La Verdad

Goodbye to Elder Hervias

Goodbye to Elder Morris

Me and my companion, Elder Reyes

La Casa

Me and Vicente

Hello Everyone!

Wow! This has to have been one of the fastest weeks of my mission. It was a week of pure Joy and hard work. The work here in Juncos is progressing and we are so grateful for all the Lord’s help. It is starting to get a little toasty here in Puerto Rico and it is my first summer here.  The sun has no mercy, but if you want to be a representative of Jesus Christ…you have got to do hard things. I have been able to feel so close to my Savior this week and I have been pondering about how He lived His life. Every single day of His ministry He was out finding, inviting, healing, and doing only good things, but yet He suffered more than anyone has or every will for us.  He set the perfect example. As missionaries doors are slammed in our faces, people throw things at us, swear at us and it is hard. But I have been able to feel so much comfort that someone greater than me, went through the same things, but still never complained because He loved us. I know that Jesus is the Christ, find Him and you will see and feel His love.

We had a lesson this week that was one of the most spiritual driven lessons I have been in. We had an investigator who felt he should stay in his church, but was still ok with seeing us.  We told him of our love for him and respected his decision and invited him to keep praying. On Saturday we saw him and he shared what he learned. The Spirit took over the lesson and I can’t remember too much of what we said, but he started to talk about his experience in our church and his skin stood up and he looked at his arm and smiled and kept on talking. I knew that Vicente had received his answer, and he looked backed down at his arm, smiled and shook his head and he said I know its true. I know he  feeling the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It was such a powerful moment and brings me to tears telling it.  He has expressed his interest in being baptized. I love the message of goodness and of God’s love that the gospel gives. I know God lives and He loves each of us.

Love,

Elder Waidmann

"Share and Invite"

Hello to all of you!

Thank you always for your love and support!  It sure has been felt here in Puerto Rico. Another week has passed, and as always, it has been a pleasure finding those who are ready to receive our message. Last Monday, we cut our preparation day short to visit a nephew of a member, Jean. He is such a great kid, and has a true desire to find the truth.  It has been such an amazing experience learning how to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know and have seen the Spirit help people understand gospel truths. Jean came to church and the ward was so wonderful to him. He was so happy and took pictures of all the pictures of Jesus in the church. We will visit him and his family tonight.

We are also teaching a young family with two kids and it has been a miracle to see the Spirit work with them as they have been reading and praying to know the truth. I have been reflecting a lot on our purpose as missionaries in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. At the beginning of the first lessons with new investigator, we talk about how our purpose as missionaries is simple… it is just to teach and invite.  It is really up to that person if they choose to act on our message. We teach in a way where the spirit can testify to their heart that these things are true and we invite them to act. We can teach others by our example of being followers of Christ, doing as he would do, serving others and inviting others to learn about Christ. I love each of you!

Elder Waidmann

Alma 37:6-7 - 6) Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.  7) And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-  15) And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!