Great Things Happening in the Chester Area!

Hello!

I can't tell you how great this past week has been! We have been flying all over this place, and with that being the case, time just seems to run...

This week I spent 4 days out of the area due to some exchanges. From Tuesday to Thursday I was in Wrexham, and from Thursday to Friday I was in Birkenhead. 

I need to tell you about a great young woman I met while in Wrexham by the name of Asa. 

With Wrexham being a bike area, we biked all around town. Well, when we were biking to an area we decided to pass through the town centre (a.k.a. downtown). Once doing so I just honestly felt like I should stop this young woman who was a little to my left. So I just did. I stopped my bike, got off and stopped and talked to her. 

She was from India but spoke Chinese, and was not Buddhist nor Hindi, she was Christian, and spoke great English. I was like, “Great! well, we’ve got a great Christian message we would love to share with you!”  She agreed, and we sat on a bench in the middle of town and taught her about the restored gospel. She was so prepared to meet us and it honestly was a miracle to meet and teach her.    

I've got another… 

With Elder Cunningham and myself having a car we like to “car contact.” Which is just when you pull up to red light, you roll down your window and either speak to a person in the other lane or if next to a sidewalk, street contact someone. Usually you only have time for a couple of words and to invite them to look at the Website. 

But this past Thursday Elder Cunningham and I pulled up to a red light near the University.  Myself being the permanent co-pilot with no license, I rolled down my window and spoke to a large group of college students to my left.

One of them actually responded and came closer to the window. He was quite interested in what I was saying, and I just said, “When are we meeting up to share more?” He quickly responded saying, “Yeah, give me your number, and I’ll text you.”

Usually that’s the polite way of saying no, as I have given out our number to countless people, with only one person actually calling us. And that was Cathy (who was baptised). So, with the little time we had, still sitting in a car at a live stoplight, I just scribbled down our number and told him we’d be expecting his text. 

Well sure enough two days later who texted us?  “Joe, the believer from India” which is how he introduced himself in the text...haha. Well, we called him up and he wanted to see us the next day. So we met him on the campus and taught him with a member we brought. And it was such a good lesson! He is so down to earth and has such great faith in Christ.

How amazing is that?  A stoplight conversation turned into lesson, and new investigator.  We take it very literal when in Preach My Gospel is says “speak to EVERYONE”... Well, we did, and look what happened!

As for a quick update on our 5 dated investigators… (all came to church on Sunday)

Richard and Bianca:

Wow, still doing so great! We are still seeing them four times a week and have scheduled to have their wedding at the end of October. Which means they will be baptised on the following Saturday! It is amazing to see the rapid growth they continue to show. They have demonstrated great faith as they have courageously cut out all addictions. They express how much happier they are and it shows! We will still be seeing them quite often...

Nicky and Mathew:

They are doing well. She is coming from a background that has no foundation in God. And so things are moving a little bit more slowly for her, as she has been an atheist her whole life.  A lot of changes for her, but she is doing so well! We taught them 3 times this past week, and accepted a baptismal date!

Lorna:

Wow, this woman is amazing! She was not feeling well on Saturday, and so she rested all day and prayed that she would be able to come to church. Well her prayer was answered and she testified to us that she was strengthened to be able to make it. We then taught her after church in the evening in a members home. There she expressed her love for church, and how she knows that it is true. She spoke with such conviction and surety. She accepted a baptismal date for the 15^th of October! But she is just so solid!  She is so down to earth and just on top of things. She is proactive in class and keeps all of her commitments.   

One great scripture I liked this week Alma 4:19-20. It describes what I strive to be as a missionary.  One who brings clarity, by “pulling down” pride and contention through the word of God (the Book of Mormon) and through “pure testimony.” While also keeping in mind the devotion or diligence that it takes to do such a thing. Verse 20 shows us how Alma is the perfect example of this: “[Alma] confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.” That’s what I call consecration!

So many great things happening in the Chester area! And serving with Elder Cunningham has just been a blast!

I hope you're excited for Conference!

Ta’rah!

Elder Eliason