This weekend was very exhausting!
Saturday we had an INTENSE lesson with Maria and Manoel. We got there
and Maria starting tearing us down....telling us we are not from God
that we have brought sadness and horrible consequences for manoel and
their relationship. That she knows we cannot be from God because of
the terrible atmosphere they have had since we began going there, etc.
A LOT of stuff....
I bore my testimony to her that we are servants of God and that we
have not broughten these feelings, but that Satan has.
She began to cry and ask forgiveness saying that she knows we are
trying to do our part but that she doesn't understand why Manoel is
being the way he is and why he makes sarcastic comments about going to
church just to see us (the sisters), etc. He had made a comment like
that to her just to make her mad and it worked. She used some
disrespectful words towards us, and I told her that she was not being
respectful.
The feeling was truly terrible in their house and I felt the power of
hell there...so strongly that I started bawling my eyes out. I
couldn't stop or control my emotions.
When she saw me crying so much it really softened her heart because
she started crying harder and started asking forgiveness to us and to
God. She pleaded and pleaded for forgiveness and said she really does
know that we bring peace. She was a bit hysterical. And I wasn´t
much farther from hysterics myself.
When I finally calmed down enough to talk I started testifying more
fervently of God´s love and of his plan and of how He wants to help
them and how He has sent us there to teach them. Then the spirit came
in. It came so strong as well and took away the evil that was there.
We sat them down and we said a prayer and we sang Where Can I Turn for
Peace?
The spirit intensified and we again bore testimony. Maria admitted
that she was at peace in that moment and again that she knew we were
sent from God. She said she had fallen into the hands of the devil
that day and really let him work through her. She said it was awful.
We invited her to pray and she said a most humble and pleading prayer
for forgiveness and for peace. It was very special.
I gave her a huge hug at the end and she hugged me back. We held
each other a bit and cried some more. She thanked us. I told her to
come to church, not for Manoel, but for her own sake and for her own
salvation. We testified that the Church of Jesus Christ is on earth
and that we need it to be saved. We scolded Manoel a bit for not
acting on the answer that God had given him. (Did I tell you he
received his response and knows that the church is true?) He said he
knows but that he is rebellious and doesn't know if he wants to give us
his beer and other drinks that we uses once in a while.
At the end of the night we had them both happy and laughing. And they
both confirmed their presence at church the next day.
It was a spiritually and physically exhausting lesson, but one that
showed me just how powerful the devil is and how much more powerful
the Spirit is.
Then on Sunday they didn´t go to church and I still don't know
why....but it made me terribly sad. Not discouraged, but horribly
broken at the fact that they are not taking seriously the amazing
miracles that God is putting in their path.
No one went to church. We had planned and confirmed with 6 and had
another 6 that were probably coming to. Satan is the worst....but he
will not win! We are stronger and we will not give up!!
We need your prayers and your love!! I know you are sending it already
and I do feel it giving me strength in the hardest moments. Thank you
for that!
But yeah...its been an exhausting weekend and I wanted to rest today
but then we had the zone activity already planned so that didn't work
out...but I will sleep really well tonight!!
The craziness of a mission!!!
Love you family!!
Sister Knudsen
Saturday we had an INTENSE lesson with Maria and Manoel. We got there
and Maria starting tearing us down....telling us we are not from God
that we have brought sadness and horrible consequences for manoel and
their relationship. That she knows we cannot be from God because of
the terrible atmosphere they have had since we began going there, etc.
A LOT of stuff....
I bore my testimony to her that we are servants of God and that we
have not broughten these feelings, but that Satan has.
She began to cry and ask forgiveness saying that she knows we are
trying to do our part but that she doesn't understand why Manoel is
being the way he is and why he makes sarcastic comments about going to
church just to see us (the sisters), etc. He had made a comment like
that to her just to make her mad and it worked. She used some
disrespectful words towards us, and I told her that she was not being
respectful.
The feeling was truly terrible in their house and I felt the power of
hell there...so strongly that I started bawling my eyes out. I
couldn't stop or control my emotions.
When she saw me crying so much it really softened her heart because
she started crying harder and started asking forgiveness to us and to
God. She pleaded and pleaded for forgiveness and said she really does
know that we bring peace. She was a bit hysterical. And I wasn´t
much farther from hysterics myself.
When I finally calmed down enough to talk I started testifying more
fervently of God´s love and of his plan and of how He wants to help
them and how He has sent us there to teach them. Then the spirit came
in. It came so strong as well and took away the evil that was there.
We sat them down and we said a prayer and we sang Where Can I Turn for
Peace?
The spirit intensified and we again bore testimony. Maria admitted
that she was at peace in that moment and again that she knew we were
sent from God. She said she had fallen into the hands of the devil
that day and really let him work through her. She said it was awful.
We invited her to pray and she said a most humble and pleading prayer
for forgiveness and for peace. It was very special.
I gave her a huge hug at the end and she hugged me back. We held
each other a bit and cried some more. She thanked us. I told her to
come to church, not for Manoel, but for her own sake and for her own
salvation. We testified that the Church of Jesus Christ is on earth
and that we need it to be saved. We scolded Manoel a bit for not
acting on the answer that God had given him. (Did I tell you he
received his response and knows that the church is true?) He said he
knows but that he is rebellious and doesn't know if he wants to give us
his beer and other drinks that we uses once in a while.
At the end of the night we had them both happy and laughing. And they
both confirmed their presence at church the next day.
It was a spiritually and physically exhausting lesson, but one that
showed me just how powerful the devil is and how much more powerful
the Spirit is.
Then on Sunday they didn´t go to church and I still don't know
why....but it made me terribly sad. Not discouraged, but horribly
broken at the fact that they are not taking seriously the amazing
miracles that God is putting in their path.
No one went to church. We had planned and confirmed with 6 and had
another 6 that were probably coming to. Satan is the worst....but he
will not win! We are stronger and we will not give up!!
We need your prayers and your love!! I know you are sending it already
and I do feel it giving me strength in the hardest moments. Thank you
for that!
But yeah...its been an exhausting weekend and I wanted to rest today
but then we had the zone activity already planned so that didn't work
out...but I will sleep really well tonight!!
The craziness of a mission!!!
Love you family!!
Sister Knudsen
