I would like to begin with one of my favorite songs by Britt Nicole that I have told you all about before: "I wanna set the WORLD on fire, until it's burning bright for you." ***NOTE: Emphasis on WORLD. Serving a mission here is not only giving me the opportunity to share the gospel with His children in Independence, but literally the WHOLE world. I had an amazing experience this week. In fact, it is so amazing, that I won’t share anything else about this week until another time.
On Sunday morning I was working at the Visitor Center and two Asian men from Midland, China came in. Their names are Athos Wu and Nick Yang. They spoke a little English. They are currently working in Chicago for a short period of time to get some training before returning to China. They saw a picture of Missouri and wanted to take a weekend trip out here. Strange though... Because there really isn't much out here to see... Never the less, they were somehow guided to come into the Visitor Center. This was also not coincidence. These two men knew very little about God and had no religious background. In Midland, China there is no religious freedom, and therefore no religion. But they came in with beautiful hearts and a light in their eyes.
Sister Jacobs and I took them through God's Plan For His Family. The last room talks about the darkness of the apostasy, but how the light of the gospel has been restored to the Earth today. I was so overwhelmed by the spirit in that presentation. I had never thought before of JUST HOW BLESSED we are to have the restored gospel and to have a knowledge of Jesus Christ. Because in China, the great apostasy is STILL happening!!! These two men who came in knowing very little about God expressed to us their gratitude and testimony. They expressed how their hearts felt heavy and how they felt God's love. As they learned for his plan for them, they expressed with deep gratitude the "truths we had shared to their hearts", so they could know how to live with their families forever "in the sky." We taught them about commandments and obeying God. We told them the commandments could be found in the scriptures. They had never heard of scriptures before. My heart was so full. They were like sponges, just taking it all in. They were so excited about everything we were telling them. I could feel the spirit so powerfully. I knew that God was very aware of them and their searching hearts.
When we told them we would give them a Book of Mormon, their faces lit up! We played the Christus Statue in mandarin Chinese. They both sat in front of the statue quietly and a couple of tears trickled down Nick's face. Both of them talked about how their hearts felt good.
We let them watch a video clip of President Ukdorph and Athos asked, "Why are there so many languages?" We explained to him about the Tower of Babel and how it was a curse. The spirit prompted me to think of Christ. Christ may have had a "language" but his language was a language of spirit. No matter what the words are that come from our mouths we can all recognize the message because of the spirit telling our hearts. I was so grateful for that experience because after I expressed the feelings in my heart after hearing the presentation, they said they felt the same way. The language of the Lord is spoken through the spirit. His language IS universal.
We showed them a video called the "witness of Christ." It's about the miracles of Christ's life and atonement. I explained to them that just as Christ performed miracles on the Earth in ancient times, that he continues to perform miracles in our hearts today. I explained how when we pray with broken hearts, he can heal us. they did not know the word "pray." So I explained and asked them if we could pray with them. After Sister Jacobs offered a prayer we asked them if they would like to pray. They said they would... I had the opportunity to hear a man pray for the first time in his ENTIRE life... The words that came from his heart were so beautiful and full of gratitude and sincerity. When we looked over to see if Nick would like to offer a prayer, we found him, head bowed, eyes closed, offering a prayer in his heart. It was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had in my entire life. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father directed these men into the Visitor Center. We gave them both a Book of Mormon and told them we would have missionaries teach them while they were still in Chicago.
We had to go to a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader in the basement of the Visitor Center. The Assistance to the President is also in Independence 4th ward. After the meeting, the assistants and ward mission leader left and we got a phone call from Elder Seethaler (one of the assistance). He called us to tell us that the Asian men were sitting on the Temple Lot reading the Book of Mormon. My heart was filled with so much joy. It is amazing to me how Heavenly Father prepares his children; how these two men from Midland China, working in Chicago, found their way to Missouri, and into this visitor center and receive a Book of Mormon. THEN not having any knowledge of the area, they were lead by the spirit to go sit on the temple lot in the place where Joseph Smith stood and dedicated the area for Christ's second coming. They know little about Christ, but their spirit's understand what their minds are just starting to learn...
Monday morning we got a note that read: "Sis. Jacobs and Sis. Wathen- Chinese men "finding happiness." "
I was His instrument to plant a seed of faith in two men from CHINA who wouldn't have had a chance to find the gospel at this time in their homeland. If they grow in their faith and are baptized when they are in Chicago, they could be leaders of the Church when Midland opens up to receive the gospel. If there was one thing I could do my entire mission, it was teaching those two Children of God how to pray. If I do nothing else, that would make my whole mission worth it.
I love you all. Hope you're doing well. Expect to hear more from me soon!
Dream Big, Wish Hard, and Love Always-
Sister Jessica Rose Wathen
PS. While I'm on the subject of the world.... I received word from Elder Sathiyanathan in India. They have 5 baptisms scheduled for this upcoming weekend! MIRACLES!
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