Trinidad Port of Spain Mission: Week 39--Garden Park, Georgetown, Guyana

Week 3--Elder Ortega

Hello Family,

This week was a great week. I got to have an interview with President Egbert, and then we had zone conference. It was sweet.

We are working hard in Garden Park. We have been really enjoying ourselves. Something that we are striving to do is to schedule out our week so that we can give priority to those who are preparing themselves for baptism, especially since there are quite a few preparing themselves for that. We are looking forward to continuing to work with the members to fellowship these wonderful investigators.

I really enjoy being Elder Ortega's companion. We are able to be happy no matter what happens to us in a day. That's something I enjoy. We have also noticed that we truly do teach and give input 50-50 as a companionship, so it has been nice to listen to each other and to follow the spirit as we proselyte in this area.

I do know that I feel the Spirit guiding me as I work. A lot of times, I do not recognize that I am being led until afterward, when I receive a confirmation from the Spirit that the things that we do here are what the Lord wants us to do. I am so grateful for the guidance and direction that comes from the Spirit in all aspects of missionary work.

I had a lot of spiritual experiences this week. I loved having my interview with President Egbert. He was led by the spirit to teach me what I needed to learn. Another experience happened later that day. We went to the return appointment that we had set for the man that Elder Ortega had felt prompted to speak to. He wasn't there, but a woman came to talk to us, and she said that her grandmother was a long-time member and that she herself had been going and back and forth between our church and the Catholic church. Then she said something very unexpected. She said, "I'm thinking about being baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." That was a confirmation to me that Elder Ortega had been prompted by the Holy Ghost to talk to the man. We are so excited to go back and help her find the truth.

Here are my 5 inspired answers
1. From Brother Terry in Bath: "Joseph Smith is just like me. If God answered his prayer, then he will answer mine." Later on, he said, "I did what you told me to do. I prayed about the church, and I got the good feelings."
2. From Brother Deo in Bath: "I don't know how to read, but I prayed about the Book of Mormon, and I feel it is true."
3. From Sister Trishel in Canje: "Ever since you've been meeting with me, I've been feeling those good feelings that I used to have with my family."
4. From Brother Shane in Canje: "After I prayed about the Book of Mormon, I felt a happy feeling all day, and looking back, I remembered what you told me. I know that I received my answer to my question. The Book of Mormon is true, and the church is true."
5. From Sister Abiola in Garden Park after being invited to be baptized after reading Alma 5:62: "Yes, I am ready. and I want my children to follow me."

Sister Abiola's answer is probably my favorite answer because of the confirmation I received during my interview with President Egbert from the scripture, 1 Nephi 8:12. She is going to love this fruit of the tree of life.

I know that writing down inspired answers in inspired. I read this in Mosiah 26:33: "And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words he wrote them down that he might have them..."

Mom, that's a really good idea to ponder and write what the family learns in scripture study. I don't remember the spiritual experiences I have every day unless I write them down, and Mosiah 26:33 is a confirmation to me of the importance of writing down things we hear from the spirit.

Love,

Elder Hanni