almost hit a 94 year old man with his bible

From: McKenzie Powell [mailto:mckenzie.powell@myldsmail.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 7:41 AM To: Kevin Powell; Mom; Sydney; Alex Subject: almost hit a 94 year old man with his bible This week was frustrating. But yet so great. So the first part of the week everything went wrong. My knee started to bug. But I started to do my knee strengthening excerices and it helped. Oh and then I think I got a stomach bug. But hey at least Sister Michelotto had cleaned the bathroom the night before. Sister Peterson had a break down about the language. But luckily I keep a very detailed journal that was able to show that she is no where near alone, and that it really does get better. Oh and then I almost hit Senhor Pedro in the head with his bible. Seriously, I actually thought about it. We have been teaching this man since last transfer. I love him. I really do. And for that reason I cant bring myself to stop going to see him. I know he has his answer, but he just keeps coming up with excuses. One day he says that he will be baptized but is just waiting for his family. Other days he starts going through the bible to prove the Book of Mormon wrong. That was what was happening Thursday. He was going the through the bible as if he was trying to find the perfect verse to prove this all wrong. I knew that he would never find the verse so I got up and took the bible and sat down. We had been studying inspired questions so I tried to go heavenward for a question (as they so call it) and came up with this..."Senhor Pedro, what did you feel the first day that we met you" The response proved to me that it was a question that was in no way inspired..."I felt excited to be talking to such two beautiful ladies." Although I knew that he was completely joking, it was that response that made me tempted to actually hit him on the side of the head. But instead I just chose sadness as a response rather than anger and looked at Sister Peterson. She said that we should go. I remained quiet and then looked down and said a prayer. It was a little strange how much the feeling in the room changed. I prayed that I would have the words to say to get this stubborn old man that I love so much to actually realize what needed to happen. When I looked up at him, I had no idea what needed to be said but I just felt impressed to go ahead and start to talk. The tone of my voice and the words that came out, I can honestly say were not mine. I didnt stop once to think about the sentences I was forming. I never had to search for a word. I just talked firmly and confidently. I told him that we were there as representatives of Christ, to tell him that God was calling him and he was ignoring that call. He had been putting it off for nearly three months, and if he kept putting it off he would miss his opportunity. I told him a lot of things. I made a plan that would have him be baptized with confidence. I invited him to be baptized for the very last time, and he finally accepted. He accepted so fast that I almost fell out of my seat. It wasnt a yes, if things go right. It was a yes I will be. We sat there in silence and then I asked him to pray before we left. He prayed thanking Heavenly Father for the two angels that had been sent to him with power and authority to teach even the stubbornest of old men to draw closer to christ. He thanked God for everything in his life that had led him to this point. And then he prayed for the power to do what needed to be done. I learned an important lesson that day. I had been relying so much on my own abilities that I had forgotten that I had the help of the Lord. He knows his children. He knows what they need to hear. We have the authority to receive that help so they we can have the power to bring people to Christ. I love being a missionary. I love yall Sister Powell. HAPPY THANKSGIVING