It's Hard To Do On Your Own
This week was a really good week. We were able to see so many miracles and even though we were stressed preparing everything for the baptism we were able to meet with so many of our investigators and less actives. We were finally able to get in touch and meet with one less active who joined the church alone when she was 12 years old but has not gone to church in a long time. She is 25 now. Her name is Vanessa. It was so good to get to meet her and talk to her about the Gospel. She is so sweet and so nice and really has just needed someone to invite her and try and help her come back. Its hard to do it on your own. She then asked us all about our missions and if she could serve a mission. Yes!! We told her that we would love to help her prepare to serve a mission if that was what she wanted to do and she really is starting to think about it. We then invited her to come to institute the next day and she came! She is great and we are really hoping that we can bring her back and closer to the gospel as soon as possible so that she can serve a mission. It would honestly bless and change her life and be so good for her.
My First Media Referral
This week we also got to contact a media referral. Someone had found our website and wanted missionaries to come and visit her. We weren't sure what to expect when we got there but we were really surprised when we did. It was a young, really cute Finnish girl that has really been interested in religions. We were able to teach her all about the Restoration and she had so many questions but was really excited for the chance to receive a Book of Mormon and begin reading it. We are really excited about her and hope that she will really have an open heart and be prepared to receive the Gospel. This is my first media referral!!
It Will Make Them So Much Happier
Our other investigators are doing alright though. We have one investigator Timo that just likes to talk and talk and has so many questions. Its been really hard to stay on topic and members really want to answer all their questions but this week we were determined that we were just going to tell him that we would have to write all of his questions down and that we would answer them next time so that we could get through the discussion about the Plan of Salvation. The lesson ended up going surprisingly well and he got a lot of answers that he was looking for. We are hoping that he really does have the desire to change and learn about the Gospel and take it into his life. We also are teaching Katja. She is doing really well and really praying to know if this is the right path that she should take. It was so sad because she got sick last week and was unable to come to conference but we are hoping to watch some of it with her this week! Hopefully we can start to really help them both progress so that it can change their lives and make them so much happier.
The Best Weekend of My Life
This weekend was the best weekend of my life. Mac got baptized!! I honestly could not stop smiling the whole time. I was so happy for him and the decision that he made to be baptized. He made the best decision of his whole life and it is going to bless him forever. I am so blessed that I got to be apart of it and be an instrument in the Lord's hands in bringing Mac unto Christ. I have honestly never met someone more humble and full of love in my life than Mac. He really is one of my best friends. The baptismal service went so well. The members were so involved and ready to take him in and befriend him and make him feel at home. The talks were perfect for him and exactly what he needed to hear. We also got to sing "Amazing Grace" at the request of Mac. It was pretty funny because I had suggested that we sing that and Sister Dixon was like, "No way...." but then not even 5 minutes later Mac texted us asking us to sing it. So, thank you so much, Mom, for sending the arrangement that the Utah Valley Children's Choir sang. It was beautiful! We loved it and though we had to simplify a few parts it was a miracle because we actually got it put together and Sister Dixon, Me, Elder Richards, and Elder Wilson were able to sing it. It went super well... though the last note may have been a little sketchy at first.... But the song was ended up sounding really good and even made Mac tear up. Miracles happen. Mac was then baptized and it was the happiest moment of my life and I am sure it is just going to get better once he goes to the temple. After his baptism and a talk Mac bore his testimony. It was amazing and honestly one of the best parts of the baptism. He talked all about how when he decided to be baptized he was super excited and happy but then when members starting finding out about it he got super scared and was worried that he was getting baptized because members wanted him to or because we missionaries did. He also feared having friends reject him or that he would have to reject his friends but that now he knows that what he is doing is right. That he will be able to help his friends the right way now. That we don't have to sit in a dark room and that God really does want to illuminate our lives. He thanked Sister Dixon, Me and Sister Ladd for coming to Finland and finding him and teaching him. He told us how much we have changed his life. That was when we all started crying. haha. I love Mac and I am so grateful that I got to come here to Finland and to teach him. I love this Gospel. I love it with my whole heart and I would give up anything for it. It really is the hope and light and joy in my life and I am so blessed to have it and to be able to share it with others.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I promise that they are answered. I love you all!
Love,
Sister Knapp
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