Baptism and Possessed Child

 HOLY MOLY OKAY OKAY OKAY. Wow, this week was wild. So many crazy experiences. 

Lilian got baptized!! It went great, EXCEPT our key to the church wasn't working so we had some bike Elders come in clutch with their key. The Elders came at a perfect time to help us set up too cause she brought authentic African food so we had to set up the cultural hall too. It all worked out, though!! We had a family that we are working with come and they loved it. The daughter is on date, and we are working on the dad and mom right now:) Then on Sunday we had a Polynesian family throw leis on her and got her Confirmed!! HYPE, she was crying with happiness after, it was awesome. 

OKAY OKAY OKAY POSSESSED PERSON TIME

We got asked by the Talley Sisters (They are in my district) to give someone a blessing. Apparently, they didn't even know the family. We pull up to the house and there are a bunch of cars parked out front. And we were like huh, and knocked. A man answered the door and let us all in. And it was like a big family get together. 2 sets of grandparents, aunts, cousins and the family. Apparently, one set of grandparents are semi active, the father and aunt are inactive as well. Everyone else wasn't a member. And the person they wanted the blessing for was a 11 year old girl. Apparently she had been doing not great stuff legally (i won't get into it, but she had no remorse for it at all) at school, and literally the whole family felt they couldn't get through to her at all. They knew she wasn't herself. So that's why they were all there. I felt the spirit pretty strong and I testified simply of the priesthood, of its origin, and its power. They then asked me to give the blessing, and the moment I laid my hands on her head and said her first name, I literally felt an incredibly heavy weight come upon me. Like a legit evil Spirit. And the girl started shaking and LAUGHING and wow. (Literally possessed) It was so crazy. I REBUKED Satan immediately and then again halfway through I commanded the evil to leave this poor little girl. It was the most powerful blessing I've ever given. I was shaking during the blessing because of the Holy Spirit but also from the power this evil spirit was exercising. She basically was laughing the whole blessing. Afterward, a lot of people in the room were teary eyed and the Spirit was thick in the room, however, the girl was kinda just sitting there. In the blessing it was clear that she needed to choose and that she didn't need to be afraid. (The next day the girl said it felt like a fresh start so good sign!) After the Sisters read Mosiah 24 about how the poeple's burdens were made light, we testified of covenant power that they can have when they honor and make sacred covenants with God that bind us to him. I also wanted to put them on date, the Spirit was so strong, but I was like eh, this isn't my stewardship haha. The Sisters then put the family as well as a cousin on date for baptism the next day. WILD

Truly, the promise from the prophet is accurate that the power of Satan is gripping for those who don't have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, but also the promise that we will see the greatest manifestation of the Savior's power the world has ever seen. I saw both here, and I testify to y'all that you NEED to honor your covenants OR YOU WILL BE IN HIS POWER. Honor EVERY promise you make with God, and He will open the WINDOWS OF HEAVEN in your behalf.

Hurrah for Israel!!

Elder Higginson