Apr 15th Letter

IT FINALLY HAPPENED. SHAWN BEARD GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!

A little bit more on that later I want to show you the cool things that have happened this week so here we go.

So on Thursday I was on exchanges with my old MTC Companion Elder Lopez. And what a day it was. First we had to go to this restaurant Called Cheddar's. Wednesday was Zone conference and my old ward Spring Creek provided the food and when I saw them they said that they would give me the left overs so I went into the fridge and grab everything in the fridge. When I got home I noticed that I grab someone's Meds I was like o crap so I called up the Elder and he told me to meet him at Cheddar's Thursday at 1030 in the morning. So that is what Elder Lopez and myself did we went and exchanged drugs. (Medical drugs) (I thought I would never do that on my mission exchanges drugs haha ). After Elder lopez wanted to go to this BBQ place called Rudy's so we went there and it is the best BBQ so far. So right when I was going to pay we hear this " Wo Wo i got yall" I look and this guy hurry gives the cashier his card without me saying anything. I was like thank you! Come to find out it was a first counselor of the bishopric in a ward close to us. He sat next to us and talked with him for a little bit. I guess he got converted in 2000 and he married the sister missionary that taught him! So that is pretty awesome. The rest of the day kinda went downhill. Here are some of the experiences that we encountered. So we were walking around this neighborhood called Spring Trails. We were walking back to the car when this white BMW was slowing down and pulling to the side acting like they wanted to talk with us. He said the following words ( Editor’s note: We are not going to put down what was said but trust me, it wasn’t very nice.) and he let us know that we were #1. haha. It was one of those things that I was like wow I hope you know that you didn't just say that to us but to the person we represent. Then about 1 hour later we got these teenagers driving past us screaming "PRAISE THE LORD, PRAISE THE LORD. DO NOT FEAR" man the people down here are pretty crazy but it’s funny to watch and it makes great stories to tell so I find no offense to them what so ever.

Michael LaBlanc.

Oh man good old Michael LaBlanc he is one of our investigators. He has been interested in the church for about a year and I am his 8th missionary that has been able to teach him. Well we went by on Saturday. We invited him to the baptism of Shawn Beard, and he said that he would maybe attend it which unfortunately he did not attend. We went over to his house afterwards and visited with him for a bit. In the beginning I didn’t know what we were going to teach him but I remember that we left him with a challenge about being baptized. So we ask him how his reading was and finding an answer. He answered that he hasn’t done anything like that. At this point I was really disappointed in him so I basically just said something on the lines of this. "Michael you know you need to be baptized, the only thing we are asking you to do is what God wants us to do, and just follow the example of Jesus Christ, in getting baptized. How hard is it to follow him" The rest of the time it was him crying we made it a point that he needs to get baptized. We sat there for a while talking and he said these things. "You know I have nothing holding me back, Your church is the fastest growing church in the world how can 14 million be wrong, and how can this be wrong if over 200,000 people got baptized last year". He said that he has a friend who is putting anti stuff into his head like how Joseph Smith is a false Prophet I had a huge prompting to go to the verse of Matthew 7 20-24 which talks about by the fruits ye shall know the truth. He said that is making a lot more sense because that is your church yall produce all the good fruit and not bad. We are finally making progress. It was just a really spiritual experience with him and just throwing out his concerns. Before we left I had this huge prompting that I needed to ask him this question "Michael will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of god?" He said YES. “we have a date of the 27th of April will you be ready by then?" He said let me pray about it. As we left he asks if it was fast Sunday tomorrow and we said Yes! He said Man this is perfect timing Thanks Elders!!!!

NEXT DAY!!

Fast Sunday arrives and Michael is not at church. I was like are you kidding me where is he at. So after Church we went over to his house and he just look so tired and look like he was crying all day. He told us that he woke up at 7 crying. He has been doing what we have been asking him to do and that was to pray and find out the truth. He said that the truth hurts I ask what do you mean. He said that I was finding out stuff about my old church The Catholics and it hurts me what they do and how they are so wrong. I have been doing a lot of research and its making me appreciate what your church is all about and I’m loving your church more and more which is good. I’m glad that he is finding the truth he said that he hasn’t received an answer about the date but he will soon.

SHAWN BEARDS BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday was the day!!!!!! Shawn got baptized and what a spiritual experience it was. I felt the spirit so strong and so did he. He was just crying after he got baptized I was so happy. After he got changed we ask him to bear his testimony and man was that really powerful!!! He expressed how he finally found the church that is Christ's church and is true he just became overwhelmed and it was awesome seeing him after the baptism. He just gave us a hug and didn’t let go for a while. It was amazing.

The next day I had the opportunity to confirm him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and receive the Holy Ghost. Now that was a way cool experience. I can honestly say I don’t remember anything that I said, I know that it was by the spirit that it happened. My legs were just shaking I felt the spirit so strong never have I felt it this way in my life.

I wanted to close with my testimony. I am so grateful that I was able to teach and confirm Shawn Beard. I know that if I didn’t come out here in my mission that I wouldn’t have been able to bring him in the fold and he would never find the truth. I know I have promised many people that I will work my butt off and find those in need. I know I promised Shawn I would find him. I’m so grateful that God knows where I need to be, I know I can touch the hard headed Texans here. I’m so grateful for the spirit testifying that these things are true and testifying to others that this is the true church. I’m grateful that yall can attend Saturday. I know that you were there in spirit but this is OUR baptism it’s just not mine but it our family effort and it’s another soul that God has coming back.

I love yall be safe and thank you for all the love and support and sacrifice you do for everyone.

Love

Elder Kendall Christensen