Alah, Kolob and Joseph Smith in the same sentence

What a crazy week! Let´s talk about some of the cool lessons we had this week. I´ll start with Cristian, the inspiration for this weeks title. He´s a Mapuche (which are the indigenous people of Chile) and has many interesting beliefs, however his beliefs don´t contradict the gospel, in fact, they support the gospel and there are many similarities, but they just have different names for things. He works in an observatory in Antofagasta and spends most of his time contemplating the stars and outer space which is pretty cool. Our first visit with him he explained that he believes that the beings who created us are extra-terrestrial aliens haha (true because Heavenly Father is not from Earth but dwells on another planet that is not terrestrial) and that they have an energy that can be transfered and gives light and life to all things on Earth (also true, this energy is known as the light of Christ) and that they have created many other worlds and not just ours (also true). As we confirmed the truth of his beliefs and explaiond the correct terms for these principles we taught him the plan of Salvation and left him with a Book of Mormon to read and explained it´s ancient origins and how these people were the ancestors of the indigenous people of the America´s including the Mapuche. A couple days later we visited him to teach the restoration and he read the introduction of the Book of Mormon and the chapter we left him Alma 22 about King Lamoni´s father who believes in a great spirit and learns from Ammon that it is God. He brought up that God has many names, like Alah or this great spirit that was mentioned in the Book of Mormon and then, the most incredible part, he said that he believed in Kolob and that he found it in the Book of Mormon. My jaw hit the floor and my companions and I just stared at eachother. "hold up, hold up, hold up...kolob?!", He said "yes, kolob, the beings that created us live on a planet near this star." We were all so taken back, no one knew what to say. "Where did you hear about that?", He said  "in my studies, and actually I found it in your Book of mormon in the back where there´s a dictionary of words (the topical guide) and it agrees with my beliefs, do you teach this to everyone you visit?" we answered "uhhhhh...no not really, but it´s true!" We then taught him the restoration of the gospel and testified of the truth of these things and invited him to be baptized. He said yes and we´re crossing our fingers it´ll happen!

We also found a golden family, David, Carolina & Benjamin their 9 year old son. Everytime you meet investigators with kids we eagerly ask for their age and once they say 8 or above I think every missionary gives a mental "YESSS!!!!" hahaha They aren´t married but planned on it before but things always came up and it never happened. They came to church last sunday and felt super comfortable there and really want to start going to teach their son the importance of God and to strengthen the spiritual aspect of their lives. A goal of mine since the beginning of the mission and that I set for this new year is to marry a couple who´s investigating the church so they can get married and to baptize a family and they are IT! I just know it! This family is so special, and they want to do everything together as a family. They want to read the Book of Mormon together as a family (and have been), pray as a family together to know the Book of Mormon is true and go to church as a family. It is something so unique, I´ve never seen a family of investigators so united and with so much love for eachother, they are just made for the gospel of Jesus Christ! We have an appointment with them today and are going to extend a baptismal date for march.

Latsly, we have Franco who I might´ve mentioned before. He and his parents are Jehova´s Witnesses, but his parents are sepperated, in fact, his mom got excommunicated from the Jehova´s Witnesses so he lives with his dad. He was listening to missionaries last year and was going to be baptized but couldn´t obtain permission from his parents since he was 17. But now he´s 18 and is dating a member of the church and said he loves the hope this gospel brings for an eternity of happiness after this life (the Jehova´s Witnesses believe in really different doctrine and that only a certain # of chosen ones will live with God and be saved...sad). We taught him at the branch president´s house since his parents don´t want missionaries over and it was such a great lesson! We taught him the plan of salvation as well and testified of the truth that all of Gid´s children have the opportunity in this life or the next to inherit the Celestial Kingdom based on their desires and merits in this life. It was so great!

So evern though everyone´s leaving on vacation and our sector is a bit closed-minded the Lord has been guiding us through His spirit to those ready to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and change their lives forever. This Church is true and this work is true, and I feel so blessed to be anxiously engaged in so great a cause!

Love you all family & friends...´till next week!

Spiritual cookie "This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life." -Pdt Thomas S. Monson

xoxo,
Hna.Ibarra