Elder Colton West

Elder Colton West

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Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Week 87: The Power of Testimony

Another week has flown by.  This is getting kinda scary.  I feel like I'm going to blink and be back in my house...  It doesn't help that both my companion and my mom have mentioned to me that this week I hit the 100 day mark.   I only have 100 days left until I go home!  Scary stuff.

We're working and working like crazy out here.  Some of our investigators have been having trouble progressing though.  We have spent the whole week agonizing over what we can do to help them.  We studied, meditated, discussed, and studied more, all without seeing an increase in success.  It wasn't until we had a lesson yesterday night that we figured out what we were lacking.  We were trying to help an investigator figure out his doubts with a bit of church doctrine.  We tried every scripture that we could think of, but he just couldn't accept it.  I got the thought "Just share your testimony."  It was so simple that I almost didn't pay attention, but since my companion was speaking at the moment I reflected on the prompting.  I realized that we hadn't shared a single testimony that entire day!  So as soon as Elder Martinez finished what he was saying, I shared a testimony.  After I finished, he shared his testimony.  The investigator and his family were silent throughout both testimonies, quite the difference from the semi-controlled chaos that is a normal lesson in that house.

We learned a valuable lesson yesterday: never forget the power of a testimony.  As a missionary, that is one's most powerful tool.  As Brigham Young once said:

"I had only traveled a short time to testify to the people, before I learned this one fact, that you might prove doctrine from the Bible till doomsday, and it would merely convince a people, but would not convert them. You might read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and prove every iota that you advance, and that alone would have no converting influence upon the people. Nothing short of a testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost would bring light and knowledge to them—bring them in their hearts to repentance. Nothing short of that would ever do. You have frequently heard me say that I would rather hear an Elder, either here or in the world, speak only five words accompanied by the power of God, and they would do more good than to hear long sermons without the Spirit. That is true, and we know it."

I feel rather ashamed for having forgotten that principle, for I have learned it before, but I share it in the hope that it will help someone else who is in the mission, preparing for the mission, or is a member missionary.  NEVER forget the power of the testimony!  Share it often, for it is the greatest converting tool that God has given us as missionaries and members of His church.

Have an awesome week!

They tell me that we're going to have an epic p-day next week, but I don't know what it is.  Expect photos though!

Love,
Elder Colton West

El Salvador, San Salvador East Mission

a manly challenge!

New straight-blade razor

Crazy awesome storm that put a
smackdown on Berlin!

Came out of nowhere and just
flowed down the mountain

the view this morning on the way to
Santiago de Maria...the storm really
cleaned up the air


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