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Nampa Idaho, (October 19, 2000)

Signs of the Times®

Signs Saves a Life

"Thank you for saving my life," said the caller to the New York Van Ministries in the spring of 2000. The caller went on to share his experience. The day that the stock market took a dive a few months ago, this man lost a fortune in the NASDAQ. Despondent and discouraged he made his way out of his office building in New York City. He had determined to commit suicide that evening when he got home.

As he reached the street corner, one of the volunteers from the van ministry handed him a copy of Signs of the Times®. On his way home on the subway he read it. An article in the magazine touched his heart and gave him courage and confidence to face the future.

"Thank you," he concluded the phone call "for giving me the Signs of the Times®. It saved my life!"

Signs Reclaims a Former Member

Bill Cude of Mt. Cobb, California writes: "The very day I stopped attending church and ran from God was the day I began receiving the "Signs of the Times" magazine. No matter where I moved, no matter what state, there it was! I read them through the 15 years of rebellion for I do enjoy reading. The interesting thing is, if that is not enough, is the day I was re-baptized, is the day the "Signs" stopped coming to my house!

"I have since subscribed to "Signs" for myself and am involved with its subscription campaign. So even though someone may not read it or whatever, they will glance and then thumb through the pages, then look at the pictures and then be drawn to read a snippet, then an article and so on. Pray over the subscription form and send it to your children or whomever. It was my thread of rope that I hung on to, that led me to God once again."

Today Bill is an active member and elder in the Lakeport Adventist Church. He is also enrolled in Columbia Union College's distance education program working on a degree in Theology.

El Centinela

El Centinela Left in a Motel Room

Ana Zaldivar works for a hotel in Far Rockaway, NY. One day as she was cleaning one of the rooms she discovered a copy of El Centinela that someone had left behind. In her native country, Guatemala, she had family members who were Seventh-day Adventists. They had shared El Centinela with her many times before she came to the United States. She knew well that El Centinela is the missionary magazine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Being new to the country she wanted to visit the church many of her relatives belonged to. She noticed that in the back of El Centinela was an address. Coming from work she drove by the address provided and it happened to be the church building. The next Sabbath she attended church services. In February 2000, Ana was baptized in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and she is proud of it. It took a copy of El Centinela left in a hotel room to bring a person to Christ!

Eighty-Year Old Man Shares El Centinela

Juan Juarez shared El Centinela for many years. Recently he passed away at the age of eighty. His son, Dr. Armando Juarez, who works at Pacific Press® as associate editor of El Centinela, attended his father's funeral. To his surprise, over fifteen persons who also were at the funeral had joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church because Mr. Juarez shared El Centinela with them.

Dr. Armando Juarez was assured that there are many more people who came into the church because his father efforts who were not present at the funeral service. El Centinela does wonders in the hands of anyone who likes to share their faith.

Literature Evangelism

Literature Evangelism Leads to Baptism and Wedding

Doris Borg shares this story: A lead card came in the mail requesting information for The Bible Stories. Margarita and I went to the home and found that the man who sent the card was not there. Instead Albert, who answered the door, said he had The Bible Stories while growing up. We told him we had a set for Youth/Adults. He was impressed by the Holy Spirit to plan an order.

When Margarita delivered the books, she brought along a friend, Vashti, from church who showed an interested in the Literature ministry and was willing to help in the evenings. After delivery, Albert was invited to attend church. Albert attended church and the evangelistic series and gave his heart to the Lord. He was able to get a better job with Sabbaths off. He is also witnessing to all his family and friends.

Albert was baptized on August 26, 2000 and married Vashti on August 27, 2000 at the West Covina Hills Church. It was my privilege to play the organ for this special event.

Margarita and I were so thankful to see how the Lord worked everything out in bringing another soul to Christ through the Literature Evangelistic work.

Nine Baptized in Sonoma, California

Jose Sanchez, Literature Evangelists in Sonoma, California, writes: "Thank you Pacific Press & HHES for providing literature to many people whom now have the understanding of our Savior here in Sonoma. By offering our HHES service there are 15 precious souls that are attending our church, including their children. In October, 9 of those people were baptized."

Books

Kim Johnson, author of The Gift writes: "I received a very heart warming and inspiring letter recently from a lady who is in prison for murder. She has become a Seventh-day Adventist. Somehow she got a copy of "The Gift" and she wrote me to say how much it meant to her spiritual growth. She now understands Christ’s sacrifice for her in a much deeper way. She has even given copies to some of the staff at the prison. You never know where the Holy Spirit will send a book once it is made available."