Baptism 31 July 2017

Liliana is getting baptized this saturday! Actually each of the companionships in our district have a friend getting baptized that day. Crazy! 

Today we went to a museum called Bunkart. It told the history of Albania. Poor Albania has just jumped from under one rule to another. The bunkers that were built (hence the name bunkart) that are now scattered all over the country. It's a normal thing to see. And then when all the religious buildings were destroyed. This is the history that we often here on the street when we are talking to people. They were a very religious people, and then their religion was destroyed, people who were religious were thrown in jail (Ded, one of the friends that is getting baptized on saturday was thrown in jail for 15 years because he believed in God) 

So given their history, a statement that we hear a lot talking to people on the streets is that life is not fair. Why would God do that? Why are their people suffering when some people are rich and comfortable? I just recently read a scripture that I think pretty well gives an answer. Alma 28:13-14

13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.

14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life.

Here's the thing. ya we have a lot of reasons why we can just sit here and sorrow about our situation. ya life isn't fair. but here's the better option: you can have Christ's light in your life and then you can rejoice in life no matter what your circumstances are. Pretty simple fix. 

Liliana never got married, her brother and mom just recently died. She was feeling pretty hopeless. Then she met the missionaries and when she started reading the Book of Mormon she found peace. Her life is not easy. Her circumstances are not ideal.

Ded is practically a modern day Job. In prison because he believed in God. His family left him. Right now he lives in a small house in which someone just recently broke in and stole all his money. To be honest it probably wasn't a lot but it was what he had. 

These two amazing people are getting baptized on Saturday, because Christ is the only way that we can find that joy in life. We need it. Even when we don't have anything else, we always have that opportunity to have Christ in our lives.