The Book of Mormon is true!

Dear Family,

T'was a good week. We had a baptismal interview yesterday for Fulvio and he is going to be baptized this coming Sunday. His buddy Jose Taveras, who was baptized like a month ago and just received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday, is gonna baptize him. I am so stoked!!!! Fulvio is the one who has been taught for like 2+ years in Florida, but was living with a woman, but then moved up here and we reap the benefits of someone else's work haha!!! But it is ok. I am excited to see someone enter into a covenant with God through baptism. That is central to our purpose as missionaries. I am so excited to see that happen!

Another investigator, Martha, (pronounced, Marta. The H is Spanish is always silent) Will probably be baptized on the 23rd of December. She is basically a member, but she wanted to wait for her boyfriend/basically husband to come to the United States from Columbia to baptize her. He was supposed to come 2 months ago, then in December, but now in like May/never. She said she wanted to wait, but we tried to emphasize to her about the Gift of the Holy Ghost and how her life can be so much better with it. She will also be able to get sealed to him a lot earlier if she gets baptized sooner. I think that is the deal breaker. She says she will pray about it, and I think she is going to decide to be baptized. I am stoked for her and her decision!!!

Dunnigans, you people are the greatest. That package was fetching awesome! The candy is just about gone, as are the sunflower seeds. Thank you very much. Grandma and Grandpa Bevan also thank you for the card! Thanks for you thoughts and prayers. Family thanks for the letters as well. There is a great feeling when you open the mailbox and there is something in there, nothing much better. Except being guided by the Spirit, which leads me into my next paragraph quite nicely.

Cool experience. I went on exchanges with Elder Flake, from Snowflake Arizona (HILARIOUS I know) in Reading, and we went and taught some guy, who broke his leg and is basically confined to his house, which is kind of nice for those Elders. But anyways, we walk out of his house, and see this big black guy smoking on his front porch. He calls us over. His name is Norman. We go over and start talking to him. He doesn't look like your average church-goer, but he knew his stuff. He recognized us as men of God, and we brought up the Book of Mormon to him. We started to have a lesson right there on his front porch. He said that if there was more scripture, then he was interested. So we whipped out the Handy-Dandy Introduction to the Book of Mormon. He glanced over it, and said that he really liked how it said that we challenge people to find out for themselves whether it was true, to read, ponder, and pray. So we challenged him to do just that. We bore testimony, and the Spirit was there. Hopefully he can show his faith and open his heart to the Book of Mormon. He was an English speaker, so I am not sure if I will get to see him again, but that's ok.

Later that day, we were going to a cita (appointment) that the English Elders referred us to because the dude spoke more Spanish than English. On the way, we saw this woman on her porch, and we asked her how she was doing. She said that she was ok, but that it was her husband's birthday, and he had died two years earlier. She straight up asked us, "Do you believe that I will see my husband again?" Oh yes we do!! I bore testimony that I had no doubt in my mind. We talked to her a while about the Plan of Salvation. She told us that she didn't really want to live much longer. She was lonely, and just wanted to be with her husband again. Then she asked us, "Do you believe that we will still be married after this life?" Of Course!!!  We testified that God has provided a way that we can be with our loved ones forever. The English Elders then came, and told us that the cita with the Spanish dude had cancelled. Weird huh? It's like we were guided by the Spirit or something. Anyways, we had a long discussion about the Plan of Salvation, gave her a pamphlet, invited her to church with a ride from a member, and the English Elders set up a return appointment. These past two experiences I was able to see directly how I was guided by the hand of the Lord to two people who needed the truth.

Oh. Also, I experienced the Hispanic "Cheek kiss" for the first time. We knocked on this one referrals door, they opened, this Hispanic drunk lady smiled from ear to ear, and just went in for the kiss on one cheek, then the other. I don't think we are supposed to do that, but sometimes there isn't much you can do.

We spent another week in Staten Island stripping a house to the bare framing. I think I pulled out at least 492,364,592,379 nails and screws from the basement. The family also bought us some authentic New York Pizza, which was delicious.

In any case, this work is true. If you have any doubt, read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. God has PROMISED that if you read with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, that he will answer your prayer. It isn't something that may happen, or happen to some. God Himself has made the promise. It will happen, but you have to do your part. I didn't really get that before. I need to do my part to receive my specific blessings from God, as does everyone. We gain those blessings by obedience!!!!! If you are tempted to be disobedient, ask yourself, "Is this worth me losing or not receiving blessings from a Being who knows what I need better than I do?" I know that I can't get along without His blessings for me. I love all of you. Keep sending thoughts and prayers to Allentown. I and many more need them. Love you all!!!

-Elder Mike Dial