Hearts are changed, Lives are saved

Javier met his wife, and they began a happy life together. He believed in God but didn't really worry too much about Him. Life was life, and he was happy. Then three months after their third child was born, his wife was diagnosed with terminal caner. Within weeks she was gone. Alone with three kids all under the age of eight, Javier was left only with feelings of confusion, anger and disbelief. Although he could not deny the whole existence of God, it hurt to think of the injustice that he and his family had passed through to believe or adore any supreme being that could be the author of so much sorrow.

Within a few years as life continued, Javier meet Miriam, a happy, strong, spirited woman who brought a little light back into his life. Although she did believe firmly in God and liked to go to church now and then, he made it clear that he would not accompany her in that.

Miriam took in his three kids as if they were her own, and soon two more kids became part of the family.

A few months before the birth of Javier's second daughter, two sister missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to his home. His wife listened to them with interest. Although Javier was cordial and did sit in on the lesson, he could not believe that these young girls could explain anything about God, and he made it clear that although he would listen he would not read or go to church.

The missionaries only came by a few times, then they stopped coming by. Jaiver one day thought to himself, "If they come back again, I will listen to their message. Who knows; it couldn't hurt anything."

A few months later while my companion and I waited for the bus, we saw a woman pushing her baby carriage up the hill. We decided to talk to her and invite her to the church. Her name was Miriam, and she was very friendly. She said that she knew a little about the church already and although she really liked everything she knew, she was not interested in going to church. She still gave us her address and told us to stop by sometime.

Within a few weeks sister missionaries stopped again at Javier's house. This time when we extended the invitation to read and pray, he accepted. From day to day, Javier began to change. He ate and slept with his book, reading the chapters that the missionaries left over and over again to really understand them. When they invited him to church, he exciteddinly accepted.

Three weeks later, a few days before his baptism, he told us, "The Book of Mormon opened my eyes again. It let that light enter that for so long I had blocked out. I feel happy, and my heart is changed"

Teaching Miriam and Javier has been a blessing for my life. We were able to be the eye witnesses of the converting power of the Word of God and the Holy Ghost. I know these things are tree and give powerful witnesses of the truth to anyone that sincerely searches and asks.

Some pics from the baptisms. Slow and steady wins the race; After weeks of 0 people in church, we had a great baptismal service of four amazing people and the members said that it was one of the most spiritual baptisms they had seen in a long time. Yay for the Lord's work!!!

I was showing a family in the ward how to make their own banana and chocolate milk and cookie shake. It was a hit!