Week 104 (last one!): How Great Shall Be Our Joy!

Hello Everyone!

It was a fantastic week. Like, one that when it ends, you just want to go out and talk with people more because you realize how blessed you really are.

As a few people have been flaky recently, we just prayed hard and went to talk to everyone on the way to some members homes. We particularly prayed that we would find those ready to be baptized each day. There were a few times I really felt that we did.

Here was one such occasion:

His name is Brother A. He felt that he is directed by meeting with people, and had good interest in our message. Unfortunately, he lives in Kansai, but he is just about to graduate and get a job - just the perfect timing to get his life started in the right direction! While the contact was a somewhat normal successful contact, after the contact, my companion and I just looked at each other and knew it was an answer to our prayers.

On another occasion, one of our New Investigators just messaged us and said "tell me the process of Baptism" followed up by the question "how long does someone have to study to be baptized?" He had been searching about our church, and is pulling the Gospel into his life. We will meet him on Wednesday this week.

I am so grateful to be able to meet great people like these who are ready to change their lives and come closer to their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They inspire me to want to do the same in my life.

I am also grateful to know that Christ lives, and allows us to draw near to Him! I testify that He was chosen by the Father before the world began, and we chose to place our hope, trust, and faith in Him there. Only by doing the same thing now can we have the peace and strength that comes with consistently staying true to Him.

He suffered for each of us, and He truly knows our circumstances. He experienced our greatest trials, and rejoices - probably more than we do - at our greatest triumphs.

As we daily repent, and change, and become more like the Savior, we experience great joy in this life, and as we guide others to do the same, "how great shall be [our] joy!" (D&C 18:15) it truly is a privilege to participate in the sacred work of the salvation of God's children.

Love you all!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder O'Reilly

Thomas is coming home!! He flies in on Friday afternoon, July 7th! His homecoming will be in the Manila 7th Ward at 1:00pm on July 16th. Food and celebration at our home afterwards. Thank you for all of your love and support! 

In his letter to Mom & Dad:

I'm honestly just boggled. I am excited to see the family, though! :) but I couldn't get my mind around it last night when I finished up all the prep for transfers, and I wasn't a part of it... didn't sleep for a long time, but I guess all good things come to an end. And I recognize good things are coming, too.

Love you both! So excited to see you all again!
Elder O'Reilly