I just want to start off by saying thank you so much for the wonderful gifts and letters I received in my package! I have read the letters over and over and love the wonderful pure testimonies that are borne in them. I reflect daily on the blessing of my family but even more so this past Thursday for Thanksgiving. I truly am thankful for you.
I'm following up on my letter from last week about Hermas and Ednalie. We have been praying so hard for them this week that they would continue to feel the spirit of our lesson last week and turn it into action my reading the Book of Mormon. We had the wonderful experience of going and teaching them again yesterday. When we showed up Hermas was outside reading from the pamphlets we left them and also form the Book of Mormon. After his question last week about what was "bawal for Mormons." We got the impression that we needed to teach the Word of Wisdom. We started the lesson and explained what we were going to be discussing. We talked about the things that we shouldn't put into our bodies and then asked him if he had any problems with them (we were under the impression he was drinking coffee). He said along time ago he was a drug user, chain smoker, and an alcoholic but one day he looked into his kids faces and realized it wasn't doing anyone any good to continue in those ways and stopped then and there. He went on to tell us that as he has been reading the Book of Mormon he has lost all desire to drink coffee and threw it all after he finished the first chapter of 1 Nephi (this is also without even knowing it wasn't good for our bodies or against the Word of Wisdom). With a big smile on his face he said "Elders, this book has power to do miracles. I am watching them in my life right now." I testify that this book does have the power of miracles within its pages. The book in and of itself is a miracle.
Ednalie was at work when we stopped by and also wasn't able to make it to church with Hermas. We stopped by the fish market where she works on our way home from their house just to check in with her and see how her reading was going. She too has found peace and blessings as she reads and said she hasn't been able to put it down. She said as she reads she is gaining more and more courage to not work on Sunday and attend church instead. We committed her to come to church and know that she would be taken care of is she put the Lord first in her life. Please pray for her.
This is the church of Jesus Christ. We have a true and living prophet here on the earth today, President Thomas S. Monson. We are all children of a loving Heavenly Farther who knows us individually. I too love you and and grateful for you and your support in my behalf and in behalf of these wonderful people in I have the opportunity to serve in the midst of.
Elder O'Neil
