Hurricane Florence and Zone Conference 9-17-18

Hola!

Thrre have been many more blessings this week! And zone conference which was so amazing! We learned how to teach repentance and to better find those who need the gospel. Our mission LOVES finding and tracting because it totally works!

A man named Juan came to church last Sunday and none of the missionaries knew who he was. We found out he was in our area and we visited him and taught him the restoration. Turns out a friend invited him to church, gave him the address and time for our ward and he came! He came just this past Sunday as well! He said that he wants to learn more and to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and he agreed to be baptized when he has a testimony of the truthfulness of these things!

We also had a video call with one of our inestigators named Nikolas. Our first visit with him was a tender lesson of how he is a son of God who loves him and hears and answers his prayers. We taught repentance and how he could find that peace he desired so much. When we spoke with him over the video call, he had turned a complete 180 and he said he now knew that God was listening to him and he felt so much peace through his prayers since we had last visited him! It was a miracle to see a smile on his face and to see the burden lifted from his shoulders as he came unto Christ.

Many of you probably watched the news and saw the hurricane in North Carolina. It has been an adventure this week of preparations and emergency plans but everyone is safe and prepared for it. We are getting hit pretty hard today and tomorrow with the rainclouds but we are prepared with our umbrellas and rainboots!

It has been a very powerful week of testimonies to many who question the love of their Heavenly Father. Many people have asked if God loves us then why does he make things like this happen? Why does he cause his other children to hurt and suffer? All we can do is look them in the eyes and testify to them that sometimes we dont know why these things happen. God has a bigger plan for his children and sometimes he lets these things happen to help bring us closer to him. Sometimes it takes a hurricane in people's lives to help them turn to God. He knows more than we do and his plan for us is more than we can comprehend. We just have to trust him and continue with faith. I know God's plan is not our plan. The storms of life can either make us or break us and through Christ we are kept safe.

I know this church is true! It is such a blessing to be able to bring the light of the gospel to others in those dark moments of their lives. I know this gospel is perfect just as our Savior Jesus Christ is perfect and he will always lead us back to him.

I love all of you so much!

-Hermana Barthlome