Pioneers!

Have you seen the great Ensign this month on PIONEERS?! I love telling stories about pioneers (thanks Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandad and Grams for teaching me so many) and working with so many people who are pioneers in their own families!

Sister J is one such pioneer. Many years ago, when I was probably still running around in diapers, Sister J met the missionaries in her small town in Mexico. Her mother had nothing good to say about these Mormons, but Sister J was touched by their message, and was baptized. She attended church for several years, hiding it from her family, but in time, she forgot that confirmation of the spirit, and began to attended less and less frequently. She grew up, started her own family, and moved far away from her little town, but she continued to pray, secretly, talking with her Heavenly Father and pleading for him to bless her and her 3 beautiful daughters. One day, just a week after her 4th daughter was born, the sister missionaries knocked on her door. Her husband hadn't been to a church in years and never listened to missionaries, but this time, for some reason, he invited these two young women in.
Sister J. knew who they were. She and her husband listen as these sisters talked with them about the blessings that God has for our Families. They asked Brother and Sister J. if they were happy- if they had everything. Brother J said that he was very happy, and didn't need anything, but the sister missionaries boldly testified that he was missing something very important in his life. He was missing the gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift-- the ability to be guided, helped and constantly accompanied by the Holy Spirit of God is a great blessing that comes only to those who have been baptized by the proper authority of God, and put their lives in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ. The missionaries invited them to learn more, and then left. Brother J. felt something different. He knew that the sister missionaries had something special and he wanted to learn more. He and his wife invited them to come back.

They began to meet with the missionaries again and Sister J was able to share with her family the ways that she had been blessed by prayer and fasting for many years. Brother J and the two oldest daughters were baptized a month later. A few weeks after their baptism the sister missionaries again came to their home. "Who do you know that we could share this message with?"

"Actually," Sister J. said, "My cunada (sister in law) lives in number 13. She has never wanted to talk to the missionaries before, but tell her that we sent you, and she will listen to your message."

The sister missionaries went and began teaching Sister J's cunada, Sister R and her children. They are preparing to be baptized, and this Sunday Sister R brought 3 of her nephews to church.

When the sister missionaries stopped by to ask how Sister R's book of Mormon reading was going.

"Oh, I haven't read today-- I've just been reading in the Ensign all about how we should dress modestly, and that cute story about the man and his wife who walked around Walden Pond. Also I learned that even though I'm not baptized yet, I call share with all my neighbors how I invited in the missionaries and they are teaching me and my family, and I can tell them that they should invite in the missionaries too."

Do you know the church is true? Do you believe in modern Pioneers? Who do you know that you want to share THIS message with?

... you don't get any cool prizes if you forward this to 25 people in the next 10 seconds. But you get blessings in heaven every time you share you testimony!