Elder Spencer Brady's Mission to D.R.: " A Token of that Same Price- Miracles"

February 29th, 2016

This week was both fruitful and challenging. Joselin, one of our investigators, had a baptismal date for the 20th, yesterday. She was interviewed the week before, and ready to go. She reads the Book of Mormon regularly, and attends church weekly. Her family are members, and she's been investigating on and off for about four years. Through many struggles, she accepted baptism, and was, and is, prepared mentally and spiritually. Sunday morning, when her sister, who is a strong member, came in without her, I turned back and mouthed "Y Joselin" And she responded, "No viene" (She's not coming). After sacrament meeting she told me that Joselin wouldn't be baptized that day, that she doesn't feel ready. She began to cry, and expressed a lot of other things she's been going through. It's impossible to comfort someone as much as you'd like with only a handshake. Luckily the Sisters saw from a distance and rescued her with hugs, saying "Vine a hacer lo que el Elder no puede" (I came to do what the Elder can't). After church, we went over to speak with her. The adversary is basically just at it again, inspiring fear in the hearts of those who have received the truth. It was a very spiritual lesson, and we were able to share personal experiences of when we've received testimony AFTER the trial of our faith that really helped her I think. Its a bitter side of missionary work to taste, but it gives us greater perspective. Its sad, but she just needs time; time, and many more spiritual experiences to strengthen herself. Our enemy is working hard, we just have to make sure we're working harder. Elder Holland teaches us that we must pay at least a token of that same price that Christ suffered. It wouldn't be worth it if it were easy.

Also, an interesting miracle I don't want to forget to tell you all- Over two months ago, I sent my scriptures to someone to put a leather cover on them. It takes about a week for him to do it, so I was deprived of my personal marked scriptures for the time being. That week I walked with a regular paperback Book of Mormon, the ones we give to investigators. Eager to get my scriptures back, the day he told he told me they'd be prepared by, I went ready to receive them. But they weren't ready. A little frustrated, I continued the day with my blank Book of Mormon.

That very night we had arrived at a lesson with Joselin surprised to see our other investigator, Jhon Caro, there visiting the family. We didn't have an appointment with him that day, nor plans to even go to his house, but we took advantage of the situation, and taught them both. Jhon Caro told us that the night before, he had had a very strange dream, and that he wanted our help interpretating it. "I was walking with both of you," he started to explain, "when you both turned to me, and you Mr. Brady handed me some kind of Bible, some kind of book... The letters on the front were golden, and when I opened it, the letters on the inside were also golden and they glowed brightly. I didn't understand what the book said, it was in Hebrew or some other language I don't read. Then I looked up at your faces, and just saw you smiling at me. Those smiles have stayed with me ever since I dreamt it, and in that very moment I knew you had given me the word of God... What does this mean?"

Almost speechless, I was able to bull out that little paper back Book of Mormon, and hand it to him. We testified of it's truth, but he had already received his testimony. "There's a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." His dream would not have come true if I had received my scriptures that day. There is no coincidence, there is only plan. Jhon Caro was baptized last week and is going strong.

Love you all!
Thanks for everything,

Elder Brady

Movie night with the Anziani Family!
The Joe Smith movie always brings a couple o tears to those
who see it the first time after having received the lesson of the first vision.