Over 700 souls have been won to Jesus! What a time of rejoicing it was. This morning, church was filled with many first time visitors. Bishop Totev from Bulgaria gave the sermon and greatly encouraged all of our hearts. This afternoon we were told pick out 4 converts and invite them to a celebration dinner to be held at the church this evening.
Many of those invited came. It was such a time of rejoicing. The children's department put on a puppet show and Eschelon performed some skits. The highlight of the evening was when an invitation was given to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Five of the new converts came forth. Praise the Lord! After the celebration, Pastor Gene invited people to come and be baptized in water. Three responded, one of whom was Justin. Justin got saved the first night of Utah for Jesus. He was a homeless man living in the park where we were conducting the healing/miracle service. He felt the power of God touch him where he sat and he came forward to give his life to Jesus. Justin worked faithfully with us the next 9 days to help us reap a harvest for the Lord. He even went on the streets several times and shared his testimony. Please pray for Justin if you think about him. He's decided to go and check out a Christian recovery ministry in Richfield, Utah. I believe that God has a very great work for him to do in the earth!
I praise God for these 10 days witnessing to Mormons here in Utah. I am a different person than I was when I came. I have an even greater fire and determination to be a daily witness for Jesus. I pray that these updates have blessed you. I also hope that you will pray about joining us next year at Utah for Jesus. If you want to become a greater witness for Jesus, come and get immersed in evangelism and win souls for Jesus. If you can win souls here, you can win them anywhere!!
DAY 10
Today was our last full day of witnessing. This morning, Pastor Gene informed us that over 600 souls have been won to the Lord! Our hearts were greatly encouraged. Mary Felty and I were partners again and we were excited about our assignment to witness at a huge apartment complex. We like apartments because we can reach so many more people in an allotted period of time.
With the passing of each day here at Utah for Jesus, our hearts have been getting hungrier and hungrier to reach more souls. "Give me souls lest I die" has become our hearts cry. It's not just our heart's cry, it is the cry of heaven! God's heart is so pleased that we care about winning a soul for him. Many times I can feel the anointing of God fall right at the front door of those who give their lives to Christ. There is no greater calling. There is no greater miracle than a soul saved for Jesus!
The apartment complex we ministered in proved to be very fruitful with 21 souls giving their lives to Christ today. So many people were coming to the Lord that Mary and I were getting drunk in the Spirit and full of God's joy. We felt like David and Jonathan when they went up to take the army. We felt that God had given them into our hands! Truly He did!
Pastor Lou Wooten from Delta, Utah conducted a healing/miracle service this evening in the park and many people were healed.
Tomorrow we look forward to the Utah for Jesus celebration. We're also praying that we'll see many of the new converts at the service.
God is good...all the time!
DAY 9
A special part of our day is the morning training and encouragement time we have before we go out. This morning Steve Corson shared with us his vision of Jesus. Steve used to be a drug dealer not really interested in God or looking for God. One day, God caught him up into an open vision and took him to the foot of the cross where Jesus was being crucified. He described in great detail all that occurred and how his life was forever changed by his encounter with Jesus. Mary Felty also spoke and encouraged us greatly regarding soul winning.
Today's plan is to witness in the morning and afternoon, then have a healing/miracle service in the park. (It should be noted that we're not in the same park every day. Pastor Gene has selected 10 different parts of the city for us to minister in each day.)
Evangelism went well today. I started out ministering with Linda Bartholomew and ended up ministering with Steve Corson. It was a little more work in this neighborhood as it was new ground but many were snatched from the fires of hell.
I was really praying for God's Spirit to overwhelm and touch me so that I could minister in healings and miracles at the park tonight. My body was "so" tired from knocking and doors and being in the heat all day. After witnessing, I found some shade in the park and just laid there worshipping the Lord. As I began to worship, His wonderful presence filled my being and touched my body and enabled me to go on. God did awesome miracles tonight! One Mormon couple came forth for prayer. The wife had swollen feet and ankles and was plagued with depression. The husband had a kidney that the doctors said was shutting down. God wonderfully touched and healed them! The wife said that the swelling immediately left her ankles and she felt something go out of the back of her head. The depression was gone! Her husband said that He knew God had touched and that he was healed! This couple gave their lives to Christ. They will never be the same. Glory to God!
DAY 8
What an awesome, glorious, day it’s been. Annette, a former Mormon turned on-fire Christian shared with us what Mormons believe. They believe weird things like Jesus is the brother of Lucifer. As we heard Annette, our hearts were pricked within us to try even harder to win Mormon souls for Jesus. In my heart, I kept hearing the phrase “compel them to come in!”
This morning our team won 11 people to the Lord. This afternoon we got the chance to minister to a young woman who had kidney problems. She grew but her kidneys didn’t. As we prayed for her, the power of God fell on her and she felt the heat of God’s healing power burning on the inside of her. Praise God!
After ministering to this young woman we still had about 45 minutes to hit the streets for Jesus and 4 more people were won to the Lord.
The children’s outreach at the Boulders Apartments was a huge success with over 150 children and parents in attendance. During the children’s program, workers were all over the field ministering to lost souls as God gave the opportunity. Many children and adults came to the Lord.
Oh, it’s so awesome to win a soul for Jesus. My prayer for all of us is that we’ll never be the same. We’ll never be silent again about our Savior who lived, died, and rose again for us. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!!!
DAY 7
Thanks for your prayers. Most of the workers felt better today and we were able to get back on track -- working in the harvest fields of the Lord here in Provo, Utah.
This morning our team evangelized in a neighborhood where there were many entrenched Mormons not willing to receive Jesus as their Savior. They thought they already had him. Oh well, the seed was planted in their life through our witness. We kept going, looking for those souls waiting to be harvested for the Kingdom. We found 5. This afternoon, our team reaped 5 for His Kingdom. This evening, 2 teenagers came to the children’s' outreach for the ice cream. In addition to the ice cream, they got Jesus!
It is such a blessing to be a part of winning a soul for Jesus. When I get to heaven, I want to see a replay of what happens every time a soul is saved. I bet it's awesome!
On the grand scale, we are getting closer and closer to Gene's goal of 500 souls. To date, about 375 souls have been saved. Tomorrow we are evangelizing in an apartment complex called the Boulders. We're expecting a
great, great, harvest here as many in this area have been very open to the Lord in the past. Tomorrow night another children's outreach is planned and we're expecting lots of children to attend.
We praise God for all he's done during Utah for Jesus. Personally, I know, I'll never be the same. I'll be going home from here with a greater determination to reach souls every day for Jesus. After all, isn't that why we're here?
Well, it's been a long day. Better retire and get ready for the "big" day tomorrow. God always saves the best for last!
DAY 6
God has been moving in marvelous ways during Utah for Jesus. After yesterday's great victory of 100 souls, the devil wasn't going to lie down and play dead. Since Sunday, nearly half the church and half the outreach team came down with severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. We had a skeleton crew when going to the streets today.
We ask your prayers for all involved in Utah for Jesus. At first we thought it might have been food poisoning from the Sunday meal, but people are still being hit with this thing and this is Tuesday. Pastor Gene was even hit this afternoon. I believe there might have been a demonic assignment sent to try to stop us from harvesting souls for Jesus.
The devil is a liar and he cannot stop what God is doing here in Provo and Orem, Utah or any where else! Please agree with us!
The few of us that went out today continued to see a wonderful harvest of souls. Teams went out this morning and this afternoon in South Provo. This afternoon our team saw a Jehovah Witness come to Christ. Praise the Lord. Also, after we led a Mormon mother to Christ, she allowed us to pray for her son that was autistic. God's wonderful healing power went into his body as we prayed and we know she's going to hear a good report!Many more Mormons bowed their knee to Jesus.
Soul winning every day is so awesome! I have to warn you though. The more you do it, the more you want to do it. The very compassion and heart of God will be deposited in your heart and you will feel the love that God has for a lost soul. While leading someone to Christ this afternoon, I began to cry. I felt the love God had for that Mormon woman and the joy of heaven when she gave her life to Christ.
Praise God! We have 5 more days to go and I know God always saves the best for last!
DAY 5
Oh what an awesome day it was! We had a Gideon's army of evangelists and workers, yet 100 adults and children came to the Lord today. That brings the total to date to an estimated 244 people that have come to the Lord since July 3rd.
Today, Mary Felty and I worked together again. It was awesome to see so many people give their lives to Christ. The time is short. If we really knew how short it was, I believe we'd all be doing more for our King.
In the afternoon we passed out invitations to the children for the Children's Outreach team. Over 100 children attended and their outreach was a big success with over 40 children and adults giving their lives to Christ. Yahoo! After the altar call, a bike was given away, a scooter, groceries and other fun stuff. We felt a genuine appreciation from all the parents that attended and I believe that Pastor Gene may have picked up a number of new church members as a result of our witnessing and children's crusade efforts in this neighborhood.
The weather was a bit hotter today but bearable with the Holy Spirit's help!
Praise God for all He's doing at Utah for Jesus. We appreciate your prayers as we getting ready to hit the midway mark in this campaign. 7 more days to go!! In a way, I don't want it to end. It's so awesome filling our days with winning souls! There's no other place, I'd rather be!!
DAY4
Today was a day of celebration.for us all. Worship ascended to God's throne and God's glory came down. Many of us felt as if we'd be perfectly comfortable staying in that place of worship for hours. The day will come when exactly that will happen. As we worshipped, God refilled and refreshed us. One precious sister was lost in God's presence on the floor and had dreams and visions from God.
The guest speaker for this service was Paul Smith from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He's been the children's minister for the children's park outreaches. To date, 49 children have been saved in "Utah for Jesus". God has done awesome things in the children's ministry and today God brought the children's ministry to the adults! Many were touched by the Word of the Lord through Paul. At the end of the service many came forward and received deliverance from bondages in their life.
A few teams went out witnessing this afternoon and 20 people came to the Lord. Total souls won to the Lord to date is 144 which includes 49 children. We praise God from whom all blessings flow. Mormon souls are coming to Jesus! May their lives never be the same in Jesus' name.
DAY 3
What an awesome day it was! It was an early start for us as we had to be at the church at 6 a.m. to prepare to 'track' the thousands of people that would be lining the streets to watch the 4th of July Parade. This is my favorite part of the outreach. Each of us literally come into contact with hundreds of Mormons with the Good News of Jesus Christ within a 2 hour time span. It's interesting to see some of the people's response when you give them a tract. Some will take it and immediately deposit it in the trash. Others take it, may read it, then throw it into their back pocket. When that happens, I go "Yea, Jesus. A seed has been planted!"
After tracking at the 4th of July Parade, we went back to the church for some nourishment before going out witnessing in the afternoon. Our team led 4 people to Jesus this afternoon, two of which were college students. They were so open to the Gospel. Another couple got saved that were new in the area but could not find jobs. We prayed for them to find jobs, then gave them the good news of Jesus. They gave their lives to the Lord and I think they'll be in church today!
There was also a children's outreach in the park next to the church and an awesome brother from Tulsa, Oklahoma preached the Gospel with fun, games, candy, puppets, and illustrations. We praise God for all the children that have come to Christ.
Our day was capped off by going 'tracking' in places where people were waiting to see the fire works. This was a bit of a challenge because we only had an hour to 'track' the whole crowd ( a few thousand) before the fireworks started. We did it though with time to spare. Praise Jesus!
As we lay there under the stars watching the awesome fireworks lighting up the eastern sky, I began to praise Jesus for the priviledge of preaching His Gospel to the Mormon people. "Thank you Jesus for sending me here. There's no other place I'd rather be right now than doing your will."
DAY 2
Today was such an awesome day. We started out with breakfast, morning prayer, then training for witnessing. As we gathered our tracks, coins, and materials, there was an air of expectancy with everyone.
God saved many people today. There were about 60 adults saved and 30 children saved in the childrens outreach held in an apartment complex. That brings the total to about 90. Personally, our team won 7 people to the Lord today and one man's left leg was instantly healed of ligament and tendon problems. All the pain was gone. Several came to the feet of Jesus with a sincere heart and tears streaming down their faces. When you see things like this, you think to yourself that it's worth it to try and win a soul for Jesus!
Many people were also touched at the Utah for Jesus booth which is positioned right in the line of traffic to the carnival. Many came and had their dreams interpreted by anointed men and women of God. Other received counsel and the Word of God from God's servants.
The day was topped off with a healing/miracle service in Pioneer Park in Orem. As I preached, faith arose in the hearts of the people. God's wonderful healing power fell in the open air and many, many people were healed. Praise be to Jesus!
Tomorrow we prepare to pass out thousands and thousands of tracts along the parade route in Provo. We'll be tracking most of the day and into the evening. Tens of thousands of people will be going to the stadium of fire to see fire works at night and we'll have the honor and privilege of passing out tracks to as many as we can!! Go God!!
DAY 1
Tonight was the first night of Utah for Jesus! We had a wonderful dinner, awesome praise service, good preaching and encouragement, and an anointing service for all those involved in the outreach.
People have come from as far away as Bulgaria, Oregon, Illinois, Florida, and southern Utah to participate in this outreach. I'm sure as the time goes on more will be coming in from these and other places.
A highlight of this night was our trip up to Squaw Peak. Squaw Peak is nestled at the top of the mountains overlooking the valley where Provo and Orem reside. You can see for miles. As we all stood there praying, praising the Lord, and declaring Jesus is Lord over this region, the joy of the Lord hit many of us and we laughed uncontrollably in the Spirit for a good while. I believe we were laughing at the devil for all he's tried to do to hinder the Mormon people from coming to Jesus. The chains are falling off! Provo and Orem shall be saved in the name of the Lord!
Well, our full outreach schedule starts tomorrow. We'll be witnessing approximately 6 hoiurs per day -- morning, noon, and night. Tomorrow night I'll be preaching in the open air at Pioneer Park. We're believing for God's healing/miracle power to flow as we've never seen it before! We are believing for at least 500 souls to be saved by July 12th. Several have mentioned that this Utah for Jesus is going to be different than the rest. There's a sense that God's greater glory is about to be seen as we've never seen it before. Go God!! Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in this place!!!