A Little Adversity and the Spirit Testifies

April 5, 2010

Dear Family,

Well, how are things? I have had quite a week! Por suerte, I’m doing just fine health wise and I feel that I’m progressing as a missionary. I don’t really know where it all started, but at the beginning of the week, we had several very normal days. We worked super hard and felt super good. We found a new investigator on Tuesday afternoon who is quite interesting. Her name is Natalia Ortega and she is 24 years old. Here in Miñas, she is a famous Latina singer. We sat down and talked a lot about music with her. I talked to her about how much music impacts our religion. Elder Maluff can sing very, very, very well and I sing okay, so we decided to sing one of our hymns for her. When we finished, she was tearing up. It was another one of those cool things that happens to me on my mission almost on a daily basis. I’m a little more excited this time though, because she was very interested. When we finished, she gave us her schedule so we can come by again. She said she had a desire for something like this in her life.

This week I dealt with one of the most difficult situations of my mission so far. On Friday, we found a young man who is a Baptist, who knows the bible through and through. He very kindly let us in and we began to teach him. All was normal and we felt good. We just started to go through the almost routine way of how we teach. In the middle of the lesson, he got up and stood on a chair with the pamphlet that we give out on the plan of salvation in hand. He declared that this is a sin. He then recited the second commandment to us and said that the picture of Jesus is bad. We explained that we don’t worship the picture. We then sat there and took heat from this guy about how Mormons are the most corrupt religion on the face of the earth. My companion was able to stay cool and he ended up teaching me so much. We did all we could to testify of the Book of Mormon and challenged him to read and pray about it. We went back the next day like we had planned and he had invited his Baptist preacher over to fight with us. Great huh? Well once again we were cool-headed. These men sat there and told us how Joseph Smith was a homosexual and how all the pioneer brethren of the church are now in hell. Way difficult… that’s MY heritage! It was very humbling and I had to really rely on my own personal testimony. We then did the only thing we could do…. we invited them to General Conference, testified of the Book of Mormon and challenged them to read it. The spirit at that moment was so strong and I can honestly say that it was by far the most strong I have felt it yet on my mission.

They showed up to General Conference and listened to the talk on Saturday night that Elder Holland gave about lust. It was perfect! They both felt the spirit. I know they did because they invited us back to their homes on Sunday morning. They told us how it made them feel and that they plan to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. This is just one more miracle I can say that I have experienced. It’s absolutely incredible. General Conference was also wonderful for me.

I love you all so much and I too can add my testimony that this work is of a divine nature and I know for myself that the Book of Mormon is the true word of God. It was translated by a true prophet in these latter days. I know that my Savior Jesus Christ is real and I feel his protection, his influence and his example in my life each day.

I have been enjoying myself here in Miñas so far and I’m very satisfied with my companion and our work. Have a good week and enjoy all that we have, because in reality we have much to enjoy and to be thankful for.

Love, your Son, Brother and Uncle,
Elder John P. Sluder