Top Week of My Life

Hello everyone! How is life? I would rate this last week as number 1 of the weeks of my life. Just amazing spiritual experiences. Its been raining here in Murcia, quite a bit, its been impressive. I almost forgot what the rain felt like. Goodness:) We made the best of it and made some great contacts. It was really fun honestly. We just don't have the best access to the news and so we weren't prepared. My poor Orlando Florida companion was shivering but happy. I love him. Speaking of him, wow he impressed me this last week. Hes now all but running the area, making calls and contacts. As well, we had a lesson that I thought was going to take a bible bash crash, but while I was getting heated, and prepped to whip out scriptures to "defend" the faith, Elder Calderon simply got real quiet and waited for to her to finish her rage on organized religion. Thank heavens I kept my mouth shut, for Elder Calderon then as sincere and lovingly as possible explained the apostasy, and showed how our beliefs coincide. She got very quiet and thoughtful, and you could feel the spirit touch her heart. I am learning from my companion marvelous things. I had some very interesting leadership responsibilities thrown at me this week, this transfer has been full of "first times." I was forced to decide the worthiness of a candidate for baptism but because of her situation with her family and such was very tricky we felt president should be involved. He stated that such a decision would be up to the bishop. So the bishop was called, and he stated it is whatever Elder Gardner feels is best... so it came right back to me. HA:) I testify that the Book of Mormon is an amazing way to force revelation. Haha I studied very purposefully, and the Lord helped me figure out what He would have done. I also lead my first church meeting. I directed a baptismal service, which was fine and dandy, but it was to an English and Spanish speaking congregation, so it made for a translating challenge:) It went really well, I then announced my own musical number. I played the violin like a champ, and RAN to teach these two Guana brothers how to baptize and be baptized. The spirit, during the ordinance, the happiness in his eyes was all worth it. The days following we taught S. Two powerful lessons. We met with S, and after a couple lessons we were hoping to figure out if he really was going to commit to his baptismal date. So with that in mind we sat down, before we could really get started in the lesson, he looks at us both, "Look I know this church is true." He the related to us an amazing dream he had received recently. "I did as you told me to and I asked God." He then went to bed, and because it was very personal I will withhold the details of his dream, but he felt in his words, "a joy more powerful than he's ever felt before." We then the following day met with him again, we explained the organization of the church and tithes. He expressed his great gratitude, and desires to comply. He explained his experiences in other churches, filled with Pharisaical tithe payers and guilt tripping pastors. "God is not there." "There may be thousands there but God is not there, we are only three but God is here. For we are speaking truth there are no lies. " we all could feel the spirit and we all left with hugs and full of peace. I love that man. I really have been thinking a ton about unity lately. Your classic D&C 38:27 "if ye are not one yea are not mine." In 4 Nefi probably the most happy group that's ever lived. And unity is a crucial portion of this. I cant imagine getting to heaven and thinking about another, "wowzers how he make it?.." those kinds of feelings will not be there, it just doesn't work like that. When you're filled with God's love you wont have those feelings. Pride, competing, jealousy, the desire to be better than one another, they're all forces that drive us away from one another. There is no race to heaven, because heaven would be really quite empty and not quite heaven if it worked that way. Love and unity Elder Gardner:)