Week 68: Teaching in the Muslim Mosque

Buenos Dias Todos!!

This week was a good week. Lots of work and talking to people, but lots of personal progress going on. 

Bueno, this week we didn't get to teach many lessons. We had lots of appointments with new investigators but none of them were home so we spent a lot of time in the street talking to people and looking for some good investigators. But it has been good because our work ethic has increased, our intensity to find people has increased, and our desire to help others has increased as well :) We are hoping that this next week is a good week to find lots of good investigators. 

This week we had a replica which is where we present the meeting we had with president, to our zone. It was very good and spiritual, and teaching the things to the other missionaries helped me understand a lot as well. So if any of you need a boost in testimony, go do your home teaching visits and teach, and you will learn so much and feel the spirit. It was a very good replica and we even made everyone breakfast. French toast, muffins, and juice was our 5 star continental breakfast. Not gonna lie, we are the best zone ever :)

The biggest part/highlight of this week was the presentation that we gave in the Muslim mosque. There was a cultural/religious meeting to talk about a theme with representatives from other religions. We got there and there was a representative of the Catholic Church (Pastor and college professor of theology in the university of La Serena), a 7th day Adventist (Anciano in the church and Lawyer), A representative of the Islamic Religion from the middle east, and us (19 and 21 Year old Missionaries). All in all it was really cool. I had to sit in front of a crowd of about 40 people and then had to give the presentation. I called my comp up to help me (We practiced it together) and gave the talk. The theme was "Be solidity with who, to what point, and in change of what." It went well but the funny part was in the end we ended with "In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen" And the crowd was awkwardly silent for a couple seconds and then some people said Amen. It was really funny actually. Then we listened to the other speakers and in the end they asked a question and I had to answer alone. 

The question was "If an atheist gives his whole life doing good, will he inherit the Kingdom of God?" 

The Catholic Priest said he didn't know, but it was most likely that he would achieve the kingdom of God.

The Adventist lawyer answered the question without answering (Like a good politician).

The Islamic Representative said that they would because in Islamic religious history a prostitute once gave a starving dog some water to drink and was saved in the kingdom of God.

After hearing all of those answers it was kind of intimidating to prepare to answer the question with the truth. I finally understood the situation of Jacob against Sherem in the Book of Mormon, or any prophet that had to deal with and Antichrist. I answered like this.

"Luckily I'm not God, so I don't have to judge, but we do know that Jesus Christ taught us by his example and teachings that we must make certain promises with God and live according to those promises to reach the Kingdom of God. Some of those steps being, faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Living true to those promises your whole life. Be it a christian, ashiest, or whatever person, one must complete with these to inherit the Kingdom of God. Like in the Bible when it says that "Unless a man be born of water and of fire he cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." I then talked about the need for everyone to have a chance to live those steps and that anyone who lived them could be saved, and anyone who didn't couldn't.

It felt awesome to testify and say something that most people find harsh or egotistic, but Knowing that they are true made it an amazing experience. It was also interesting to find out that we are one of the only religions that claim to be the only correct religion. All of the others said that it didn't matter what church or what religion. Crazy to think  how the world is changing. I'm just glad to be apart of the Church of Jesus Christ restored again to the earth, the only true church with the power, authority, and organization necessary to obtain the salvation. Can you say that about your life and path? 

That's about it for this week. The M and her son are still good for their baptisms this week, we are hoping that everything keeps going well with them :) 

Some announcements. On Christmas we are planning to call around 4 o'clock (I'm pretty sure that is like 1:00 in Idaho). And this next week we have a Christmas activity with some of the zones on Tuesday so instead of writing on Monday I will be writing on Tuesday :)

I love you all, Stay Golden!

Love,

Elder Nielson :)