Leaving the Ninety-nine to Find the One - 10/27/14 (his birthday!)

Bonjour mes chers frères et soeurs,

This week was absolutely phenomenal. The Lord blessed Elder Toscano and I with some beautiful moments that were so great that you get to hear about 'em! =D

So get this, about four months ago when I was an itty bitty green missionary (they call them blue here... idk) I got these crazy promptings to go through our ward list and call every single less active. Mind you, our ward list is ancient and our sector has a high move-in/move-out rate meaning that we were looking at making 130 phone calls. The task was formidable, but the Spirit doesn't lie.

We started making calls, and quickly came to learn that about 70 percent of the phone numbers weren't even in service, and the others had either moved, were no longer interested, or didn't pick-up. This job was getting very discouraging very fast. However, at one moment, we see the name "Jean-Claude Ganon" and I think Ganon??? Like Ganondorf??! (Zelda reference) This guy's gotta be golden! I give him a call and I hear a fairly older fellow pick-up saying "Oui? Oui? C'est qui?" And we began to speak.

Brothers and sisters, here I am a few months later and after many visits, phone calls, and encouraging, Jean-Claude is reactive in the church -- after ten years of inactivity! Yesterday marked his third Sunday in a row ça va dire (meaning) HE'S BACK! My heart jumped the moment I saw him show-up for Elders Quorum. The Lord really worked a miracle -- and it was a sweet birthday present.

This experience got me thinking, out of all of those phone calls that we made, Jean-Claude was the only person that found his way back to the fold. Do you know what this means? It means that our Father in Heaven is willing direct two of his servants to take time from contacting and teaching to make over a hundred phone calls to literally find one soul. Jean-Claude is so loved by the Lord, and I know that it was no concidence that we felt to call the ward list when we did.

In Luke 15 Christ teaches a parable that sheds a little more light as to why the Spirit touched us as it did:

"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninetyand nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them,Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more thanover ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

I know that the Lord loves each and every one of us just as he does Jean-Claude. He places people in our lives to help us -- intervene, they might say -- to stay on the good path that He would have us take. Love your brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors and never turn-down a chance to bring back one searching lost sheep.
Love you all!

Elder Wheatley

Check-it! I was at Napolean's Mansion! Le Fontaine Bleu! 

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These two studs will find themselves in the baptismal font in the next month! On my right is Jean-Pierre who has been taking the lessons from the missionaries for six years! He finally took the final steps necessary. On my left is Arsenne whose date is set for November 8th. He's made incredible progress and has the desire, but he could use a couple prayers.

While returning from a rendez vous with Jean-Claude, this little spectacle plopped in front of me. I love this country.

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