Personal testimony is the strongest tool

7/12   Another great week to be here in Valencia! Unfortunately, Manuel and his family were busy yet again all week long, and we were unable to visit them. We keep contact with them though, and they are anxious for us to come visit this next week. On the more positive side, we found another golden investigator!! Her name is Virginia. We actually found her and her son David on the streets a few weeks back, but this week we finally had our first visit with them. She is so prepared! In our visit she said that she felt like God had sent us to visit her at the perfect time in her life. We agreed!  She mentioned that she had been baptized in an evangelical church about a year ago, but she didn't fully agree with all the things the church did. She also admitted to being very confused over the doctrine of the trinity. She didn't understand how God, Jesus Christ, and the Spirit were all the same person. I was more than happy to explain to her that that's not how it really is. At the end of the lesson she accepted a baptismal date for the 30th of July, and we are going to work with her to make sure that baptism happens!

Alexia's baptism is happening for sure this weekend. We had to do the interview on Monday because she is going to girl's camp this week and won't get back till Saturday. She passed the interview with flying colors. We have already been working to prepare the program and the service so that it is something very special for her. She has been waiting a very long time, and everyone in the ward is very excited for her!

Elder Lightfoot and I have had a wonderful time together here in Valencia. We've found a lot of people with a lot of potential and had many fun experiences. It's a shame that our time together has come to an end, but it was bound to end some day. I am really thankful for all the things I have learned from him and hope I can apply them with my new companion.

One thing I learned this week is the power of personal experiences and testimony in lessons. I was doing an intercambio with Elder Gonzalez, and we had a really powerful lesson with a very less active member. Elder Gonzalez first shared a personal experience and his testimony of the Book of Mormon, then I shared how I received my testimony of the Book of Mormon. By the time we had finished testifying the spirit was so strong!  And then, just as we have been counseled, we ended with a prayer and got out of there while the spirit was still strong. I know that this member felt it, and I know he'll note the difference when it's not there. As missionaries and members, our testimonies are literally the strongest tool we have, and the interesting thing is that it grows stronger and stronger every time we use it. There's a reason missionaries return with undeniable testimonies, and it's because we are constantly strengthening them by sharing them with other people. If there is one thing that has changed most about me over these last 20 months, it's my testimony. It is such a blessing to serve the Lord and in return, He grows our testimonies.