WEEK 74: SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

In response to some questions we asked Elder Pennington

about spiritual experiences he has had recently on his

mission, he wrote us the following letter:

Dad and Mom,

Dad, Mom and Son picture - they use this familial
relationship to describe who trained who!

So last Tuesday, March 28 2016 I went on exchanges to 'Spanish Land' with Elder Osberg.  Previous
to the exchange, I always pray for success and that I will be able to influence or help the missionary I am working with in any way.  So I prayed for the gift of tongues because I hate not being influential when everything is in Spanish.

We were in a lesson and I caught some of it because I have learned some Spanish, but I really wanted to bear my testimony to this person.  I prayed again and that night we had a lesson with an investigator named Claudio.  All we really talked about before is that he needs to come to church or the missionaries would have to stop teaching him.  We were in the lesson and I felt prompted to tell Elder Osberg to read John 14:15 and Elder Osberg said he had read that at the beginning but referenced it and I told him to ask if he loved God and why.  I kinda caught a little bit, but after they spoke I felt another prompting and heard Matthew 6:24 come to my mind.  I told Elder Osberg to read it, and he did.

Elder Smith & Elder Pennington's matching watches

In my head I was wanting to tell him, "Claudio, keeping the Sabbath Day is a commandment.  John told us that if we love Him, then keep the commandments and if you want blessings to pour down upon your family, you need to stop letting money deviate you from loving and serving God.  If you want good health, protection, and knowledge, it can only come from you taking the step of faith."

I wanted to tell Elder Osberg this but I didn't want to interrupt him again.  Right after I was thinking about this, Elder Osberg said exactly what I was thinking.  It was crazy and amazing to feel the comfort and love of the Spirit.  It was an amazing thing to feel and a huge answer to my prayers.  That has been a pretty recent spiritual experience for me.

As for general conference, I was able to reaffirm how important it is to read the Book of Mormon

Apparently floral ties are popular!

every day and to be worthy and to stay worthy.  It made me reflect on my life growing up.  It made me wish I lived a better lifestyle.  I really have gained a love for the Atonement and how it can help cleanse me for all the stupid stuff I've done, am doing, or will do in the future.  Also, I've been praying about basketball and if it should be in my future and if I should use it as an asset in helping me gain an education.  I've been able to have amazing things happen to me through the power of prayer.  I feel like that book you gave me has really helped my prayers become more heartfelt and sincere.

Is this a GQ photo shoot?