Monday, November 17, 2014

The Aponte Family

This week has been full of smiles!  Heck, every week as a missionary is(=I read this morning 1 Nephi 15:13-14.  A super strong spirit came over me testifying that I am fulfilling the prophecy:

13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the  fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the   space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of theMessiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the   remnant of our seed— 14 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to theknowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they  shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to   come unto him and be saved.

Am I teaching Lehi´s seed?  Yup. Are they rejoicing in the eternal blessings thanks to the restored gospel?  Yup.
So you are probably thinking thanks to the title, who is the Aponte family?  Well they are who Lehi profecied of in verse 14.  The Aponte Family had been less active for 6 or 7 years, and we contacted them simply talking with everyone in the street. They came to church for the second time last Sunday, and the Bishop came with us to visit them. He extended the invitation to them to go with the ward to do baptisms for the dead on the 28th of this month. They accepted joyfully and are going full throttle with their family history. Truly they had been prepared to accept the gospel at 100%, because they are as a family studying the BOM and praying together everyday.  It's truly beautiful to see a family fill that empty space once more and find that Christ has his arms open to EVERYONE, always.
Love,
Élder Bender




                                                                 My Roommates!
                                              Hump Day T-shirt, thank you Grandma Bender!
Zone Conference wearing the new belt and tie I bought with Birthday money from Uncle Dan and Aunt Tina!
                                                      pique machu.. my favorite bolivian dish!


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