Today in Fast and Testimony meeting several youth bore their testimonies.
Both were recently baptized.
Sygried is just 12 years old. She is a friend Melody brought to church last year. Several sets of Sisters taught her over the months when she was just 11. She is the only member of the church in her family. Her parents agreed to let her get baptized last December but they are very protective of her and she has been grounded from church a few times for coming in late and other infractions of the rules. She has been having conflict with her father about the rules of the home and just about growing up.
Today she bore her testimony about the power of prayer. She told of how the atmosphere at home was strained and not comfortable. She decided to pray that things would get better between her and her dad. She said, she prayed and prayed and then prayed some more and then one day he father sat down with her and told her how much he loved her and how he knew she was growing up and she told him how she felt. It was a good conversation and things are much better between them.
She bore her testimony of the power of prayer. I think what impressed me most is that this sometimes silly, flirty just 12 year old girl had the maturity to turn to her Heavenly Father to get help with her earthly father, just like she did when she went to Him to ask if the church is true.
At the next meeting for the Dutch "group" Freddie DePalm bore his testimony about the blessing of keeping the Sabbath Day holy.
Frederick was baptized at the first of the year in January. Freddy is also the only member in his family and is friends with the youth in the Branch. He was introduced to the gospel through Wednesday night basketball with the youth. He is more than 6 feet tall, skinny, soft spoken and had to be held back in school because he had cancer in his teen age years.
Freddy told about finals week before graduation. They were being tested on everything they have learned over all the school years.
The missionaries gave him a lesson on keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. He decided not to study on Sunday even though it was just before a big test on Tuesday. So, Monday night he stayed up late studying but gave up because he couldn't find the answers and was very tired. He went to bed but then he heard a voice say to get up and try again. He got back up, started to study again and finally found the answers he had been looking for. He studied till 5 am then took a little nap then took the test. He got like 95% on the test and a testimony of keeping the Sabbath Day Holy, and a testimony that the Lord knows him and cares about him individually.
We have been so blessed to know the exceptional youth in the Branch. They are faithful and trying to follow the prophet and keep gospel standards in a world where it is difficult.
The future of the church in Bonaire looks hopeful.
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