Saturday was insanity for us we had an incredible meeting with our Mission President and others that are involved in the program and boy was it an eye-opener on how much more we have to push ourselves. in the Language and directing the program from our side and how much more logistics and behind-the-scenes need to be done. Then we dash over to the Visitor Center to meet with an investigator couple however, we get a calll saying that they won't be able to make it at 10 but instead 11. so we do that. Well only the Husband (NAcer) shows up at 11 because the wife (Nahiid) had to go and help someone. So we teach Nacer and we watch God's plan with him and we talk about how the restoration and the gospel blesses families. He told us of how since he has been coming to church his worries about his property and family back in Iran(2 kids 28 and 25) have ceased and that he feels peace with us and at the temple. So we have a super powerful and wonderful lesson with him in which he probably said such a wonderful and sincere prayer, and then his wife shows up. So we turn around and start teaching her a tiny bit. We mainly watched the 20 minute restoration video with her and that is what she wanted and needed so they left. No sooner had they left and we were getting ready to go the next people we were going to teach later in the afternoon. When they call us and say they have time and want to learn about Mormons as well as if we could cancel the English class and teach them instead. We said Sure! they asked where at and since we were already at the Visitor Center we asked if they would come there. They did and we had such a powerful lesson with them and we helped them resolve many concerns about priesthood authority. it was especially powerful because they aat the end asked why and who was pulling them to this church? We simply testified of the hand of the Lord and how he operates to bless and help peoples lives. so that was like from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon and after doing all of that and a little more we were simply exhausted spiritually, emotionally and mentally
Friday was a really good day as well. We had an amazing ZTM (zone training Meeting) in which i realized some things that i need to work on to have more charity as well as we were able to have a good lesson with Sam. He is doing so well since his baptism in all aspects of his life. He also did me a big favor and let me record him reading some scriptures so that i can listen to him and practice my pronunciation.
Thursday we were able to go and help this lady move for a while. So she had some overs come and help and guess what they were Russian Muslims! Would you believe that! Super cool so i had a chance to practice my Russian and realize that i have forgotten quite a lot and will have a lot to re-learn if i ever go home. We were also able to meet with the Ganjineh family and they are good. We were able to teach a little about priesthood authority and the pattern of gospel dispensations but it got a little contentious. So yea we have some things to go back and work on with them but that is why the Spirit of the Lord is so important because when he is with you lesson go so differently and the things you say and do have such a greater power.
Tuesday a miracle happened. So we woke up with a flat tire on our car. We changed it quickly and went on with our day. We had some time we thought that we would be able to have out tire fixed and a new one with time to continue on with our plans. So we drop it off at the mechanics. We start walking around and we suddenly realize that it is taking to long so we have to call and cancel an appointment. However, despite this as we are walking we have some great conversations with people about the gospel and although they weren't interested or shooed us away it was good. In our wanderings we realized that we were near the apartment of one of our investigators, Marjan and Ali. So we decided to stop by and say 'hi'. They were home and we were able to go and teach them a couple of things about God being our Heavenly Father as well as answer some questions.
our Persian is getting better slowly and we are able to teach more and more in it as well as understand more and more.
That is it for this week.
The big events of the past couple of weeks are that Tina and Moin were baptized and we had about 15 non-member Persians there! To which they said they loved and we were able to help them all a little move forward because it was such a beautiful program and the Spirit was so strong.
Sam was confirmed in Sacrament meeting and it was very special for him.
We had interviews with our Mission President and they were very uplifting and great insights were found. Including me stop worrying about making things perfect and ways we can better serve everyone and do a little better today than yesterday.
We met MArjan and Ali at Los Angeles English and gave them a church tour and invited them to church and Tina and Moein's baptisim to which they came.
that is about all I remember. So yea it was good and i love the work and how wonderful the Lord is even in the worst of times.
Elder Craner
Remember BE HAPPY,
there is no reason to be in all honesty if you are doing what is right and keeping the commandments then even in the hard and sad times we can rejoice and be happy. Alma 8:14-15
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