Monday, July 17, 2017

Week 19 - Aruba

Hallooooooo!!!!

Such a fantastic week oh my goodness!!!!
Family and friends Sebastian got baptized and confirmed!!! That was BY FAR the most spiritual baptism and confirmation that i have ever been able to witness. Everyone who was there kept on talking about how spiritual it was and we were all just absolutely BEAMING. The closing song was "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today" and MAN was that soooo fitting. I just cannot put it into words. That baptism was amazing and I am soooo grateful for the opportunity I had to attend. So the story behind Sebastian is that his mom's cousin and her husband are SUCH strong members of the Church here in Aruba. They are the best. So when we contacted him we didn't know that, but we made that connection a little bit later on. So Sebastian's mom's cousin (Michell Parra- I love her to absolute pieces) and her husband (Jose Parra) have been SUCH a major help. If it weren't for them i really don't think he would have been able to be baptized. Michell told us (before we received permission from Sebastian's mom) that we would never be able to receive permission... well all she really said was that she would pray for him because his mom usually doesn't like this kind of stuff... But he asked her and she was TOTALLY okay with it!!  The Lord has prepared him so much and everything is just lined up so perfectly for him. He is preparing to receive the priesthood next Sunday :) We love this kid.


Buuuut anywayyyy!!! HAPPY HAPPY  BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE NIECE ABIGAIL!!!! I LOVE YOU!!
Also 1 month left for the BOM Challenge!!!! I just wanted to include the talk given by Prophet Thomas S. Monson because this incredible man receives direct revelation from the Lord for every person on this earth. He is really really old and weak now, but he had the energy to give us a three minute message back in April. He could have talked to us about anything, but all he really talked about was the Book of Mormon, and the importance of reading it every single day. Please hearken unto his word, because his word is the Lord's word!!! READ THE BOM EVERY DAY!!!
Here's the talk...

The Power of the Book of Mormon

By President Thomas S. Monson

I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day.

My dear brothers and sisters, I greet you most warmly as we are met again in a great general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before I begin my formal message today, I would like to announce five new temples which will be built in the following locations: Brasília, Brazil; greater Manila, Philippines, area; Nairobi, Kenya; Pocatello, Idaho, USA; and Saratoga Springs, Utah, USA.

This morning I speak about the power of the Book of Mormon and the critical need we have as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated.

We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His gospel will help see us through to safety. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you. If it is true—and I solemnly testify that it is—then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Because the Book of Mormon is true, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church on the earth, and the holy priesthood of God has been restored for the benefit and blessing of His children.

If you do not have a firm testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony in these difficult times, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far. However, once obtained, a testimony needs to be kept vital and alive through continued obedience to the commandments of God and through daily prayer and scripture study.

My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives. I so testify with all my heart in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


I LOVE THIS TALK!!! Please read it and let it touch your heart!! I implore you, and so does the prophet, to read the Book of Mormon every single day, member or non member!
Buuuut so anyway hahaha....
This week we went to zone conference in Curacao!! It was such a great zone conference and I felt the spirit sooo strong there as well. I learned a lot and it was just a really really good conference. My companion, Sister Petersen gave her departing testimony and that was sad! She will be HOME next Thursday night! Ahhhh! 




Okay soooo Marlyn still is not doing great... She googled Joseph Smith which is a great thing to do if you are looking for information that is either completely false, partly true, or true but has a skewed perspective. Honestly I don't know what is going to happen with her but we are praying for the best :/

Also Belkis! She knows that this Church is true and she wants to get baptized and originally she wanted to get baptized fast, but after talking with her husband she wants to go "poco a poco" (little by little/ take it slow) so we are working with her now! It has been a little bit challenging because she keeps telling us she wants to be baptized but not anytime soon. Aghhh.
Other than all of that craziness, this week we also did a ton of senior couple stuff! Sooooo fun! We did a ton of senior couple stuff every single day for like half the day. I hardly have a Chaco tan line anymore from being in the car.  haha! Fun stuff! I love you and miss you all so much! Have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Woodbury

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