Elder Joe Wheat: African Party!!! 8/4/14

So we get a call from our investigator from the Congo call us on Saturday. She doesn't speak any english, but Elder Erekson was able to make out that she wanted to meet us at 5:00 at her sisters house. We brought a member with us to translate and we pull up to a house with a bunch of balloons. We were invited to a birthday party... We are invited in and immediately celebrated by about 40 Congoans (not sure what they are called). We look everywhere for Irene and we sit down and start teaching her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her friend who is a recent convert sat in as well as another who is investigating in the next ward over. It was powerful to hear there testimonies. The spirit is the same whether in French or English.

Near the end of the lesson, they start handing us plates and Irene stops us and says time to eat. Thank goodness we didn't have a dinner appointment... They brought out a major feast which included fried plantain, hamburgers, african donuts, chicken, and goat. MAN it was good. We asked Irene if they do this for every birthday and she says, "In the Congo, if we have and excuse to eat, we do it." All of this for a 1 year old! haha Naturally we had to take pictures with all them, so we start lining up and taking pictures. Then they say "you need to take a picture with my baby!" Before I could explain the rule to them, they just dropped their baby in my hands!!! Everyone was there and we had no idea what to do! haha Elder Erekson whispered to me, "you are so apostate!" and we just couldn't stop laughing! Funniest picture/memory I have so far.

We finished the lesson with Irene, and this is how it went. She says "you won't convince me I need to be baptized again, but I love church and I love the Book of Mormon." That has basically how our week went. Ken, the investigator that came to church last week dropped us because we had answered all his questions. It was heart breaking for me. You put so much into these investigators and these lessons. We pull out every scripture, analogy, and testimony we can, and it still is never enough. I started to feel a little discouraged. We have so many wonderful investigators. I see the spirit work with them in every lesson. I see their sadness turn to joy in one lesson, and it is like they forget as soon as we leave. If there was one thing I could say to every investigator, it would be this: Meeting with the missionaries can change the course of your day, but acting on their teachings will change the course of your life. I often feel like Alma when he cried out "Oh that I were an angel!" so that perhaps I might have a greater effect on them, but nevertheless, I know that the Lord is with us.

How I love the people of this city. I would do anything that I can to see just one of their lives changed by the power of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true. I often have to remember the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith when he said, "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." I know that everything is going to work out, because the Spirit is a better teacher than I will ever be. I know that those we are teaching will be changed by him if they will just read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. In its pages are the words of Christ, which are the words of eternal life. I know he lives!!! How grateful I am for him. It is I, who owe him my heart and devotion. I stand all amazed.

Love you all!!!

Elder Wheat