La Pouvoir de La Priere

A beautiful testimony from Elder Wigginton about serving, acting, and listening to the Spirit. A family who has the chance to be sealed together forever.

"We started teaching her husband about two and half months ago. He seemed very reserved and is very active in his current church. He has a stone cold poker face, and while kind, he is an oak. In the first couple of weeks he would come to church and talk to us once a week. Then we started talking twice a week. I felt like he could be converted, but then he stopped coming to church. I have prayed about him so much, and I know Yvette has prayed for him much more. I saw Sister Yvette remotely discourage for the first time a week and a half ago. I knew it was because of Ben. She wants him to be baptized so bad, to go to the temple with him and their family, and to be sealed for time and eternity. I could see she thought the opportunity was slipping away.

On Tuesday we taught him about Temples and the Ordinances that take place inside. I said a silent prayer while Elder Chirwa was teaching that somehow we would know what to say and that when we extended the invitation for baptism that he would accept. As Elder Chirwa continued to teach I had a thought to share a principle not commonly taught in the missionary lessons- the concept of a sin of commission and a sin of ommission. I said to myself, "Okay, how can I integrate this into our lesson." As Sister Yvette talked about the difference between a chapel and a temple, the topic of worthiness came up and my opportunity came. I taught the principle and finished the lesson inviting him to be baptized again, asking how his prayers were going. He again said no. I then felt prompted to share two scriptures: Alma 34:32-34 and James 1:22. After simply sharing these and explaining the principles, he said something I did not understand too clearly, "On va," literally meaning "one is going." I quickly realized he had accepted the invitation.

I could not deny the fact that Heavenly Father had answered my prayer almost immediately as I followed the whisperings of the Spirit in what to say and to teach. To witness this miracle and the joy that it has and will continue to come to this family is enough for me to say that the past thirteen months have been worth every ounce of energy, every frustration, and every bit of other suffering that I have felt. Yet, I have been blessed far beyond that and continue to be blessed each day. I promise you that prayer is absolutely crucial in our daily lives, and that if we act in accordance with the laws of God that we will be blessed beyond our comprehension."

A Simple Testimony

I love this pure testimony of the power of the Gospel to change lives.

From Elder Wigginton:
Truly, this time here is incredible. I have never felt closer to my Father in Heaven, nor have I ever loved so many people. It is a great blessing. I know it is the work of God, and I do not sit back, but work and watch the miracle of the Gospel change lives for the better. It is amazing to watch how family relationships improve as we teach them to pray together. It is amazing to watch alcoholics leave the poison behind and to see others leave cigarettes. It is incredible to see boys transform into men, respecting the women around them and their parents at home. And it is equally miraculous to be changed for the better by the power of this force. We do have a Father of Heaven and he does listen to our prayers. I assure you of it. His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, makes it possible for us to be forgiven for the errors we have committed. The peace that comes from His Atonement cannot be accounted for by anything else but the divine. I know these things. I see their results each day in my life, and I pray that you all will invite Him into your lives.


Elder Wigginton and a family he taught and baptized

Elder Wigginton's Address

Here's Elder Wigginton's address. Now we can all write him lots of letters! :)

Elder Jared Wigginton
P.O. Box 1052
Pointe-Noire
The Republic of Congo

And a fun picture of him with some bananas.


And Elder Packer's blog with his address and all of his letters.
http://www.missionsite.net/elderpacker/main