Instruments in His Hands

We had a super legit experience this week! So Elder C and I were on trade-offs that day and had only 40 minutes left to do tracting before we finished our trade-off... So we prayed and asked the Lord to lead us to those who have been prepared... The prompting came to us to go to a certain street... And we had never tracted the suburb before either so we went excited! The first door.... no answer.... second door... bunch of drunk party guys all screaming.... but the third door.... this mother answered the door with her 3 year old daughter... and it turns out her friend gave her a Book of Mormon almost 2 years ago... and from what she read.. she really liked it! So we talked on her doorstep for about 30 minutes... and she said jokingly... "Why on earth did you come to Kariong?!<-- (the suburb we never go to)... And then she added... "Obviously someone knew we were looking for something more.".... At that instant I knew that prompting to tract there was to find this family... who, little did they know, had been searching for this restored gospel!.. And as she said that, her sister with her own kids came walking up... and at first I was thinking... "Oh no... they're gonna start bashing and tell us to go away now".. But instead they were all SUPER friendly and joined in our conversation! Even as we set the appointment to come back... all her kids protested- "NO! NO! Make it a time when we'll be home... we want to be here when they come!!"... At that time it was just another reassurance that God is mindful of ALL his children.. and we were able to be used as instruments in His hands that evening.

We've been working with this YSA (Z) in our ward, preparing for his mission! And we planned to take him out to teach a member to get him some teaching experience.. and the members cancelled 2 hours before... so we called quickly to find someone to teach... and then this other member told us to come to her work.... so we get there and she goes... Elders... meet J... she's a non-member... teach her... and basically left... hahaha, so we got to teach her the restoration with Z... and at the very end Z bore his testimony about the Book of Mormon and she hardcore felt the spirit... she even looked like she was going to cry at one point! Then afterwards... the member gave us these HUGE family boxes of cereal, BEST. DAY. EVER! Hahaha. Twas pretty sweet! 

Spiritual Uppercut

Miracle #1- On September 4th, 2012... I met this small Japanese woman .. it was the 2nd transfer of my mission in the City... We had just finished finding and were heading back to the Teaching Center and we were like 10feet from going in when I saw one last lady walking past... So something told me to go and talk to her (obviously it was the Spirit).. So I stopped her to talk, she didn't have much english so I gave her a free english flyer and got her contact information.... over the course of her coming it was just for activities... But after a long time she finally started learning about the gospel... but had no progression whatsoever....I taught her for a little bit and shame on me... I didn't see much hope to be honest. And then I was transferred so I never knew what happened to her.... But let me ask... do miracles cease?....I just received a call just this past weekend to let me know... June 15, 2013... she was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! No effort is wasted! I never would've thought she would be baptized, let alone progress in the gospel learning.... I add my voice to Ammon's in which he says-"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."

 It was such a crazy miracle... That strengthened my testimony... That all the people we've ever invited... all the ones we never thought would've joined the church... could indeed be members at this very moment... I would not know she is a member if it wasn't for the mission being so small and all the missionaries knowing each other somewhat... So my message is to never lose faith in anyone! There is always hope! :D

Miracle #2.  This last week I had an experience which is very unlike me... we approached the door of this Less Active and immediately you could see she was not impressed by seeing us at her doorstep... she politely declined and tried to shut the door... but for some reason... which I don't usually do... I stopped her and kept being persistent asking her questions like how long she had been a member... when she had last seen missionaries?? Why she isn't interested anymore?... she then opened up and shared her dad passed away 6 months ago and she was meeting with Jehovah witnesses.... I shared her a scripture of where her dad is and taught her right there on her doorstep... Right there on her front door it seemed like time just stood still and you could see the spirit working on her.... After much silence she said she was busy now but we could come back and share a message!... In my mind I was like.... (WOOOOOOO! SPIRITUAL UPPERCUT!).... And the next time we went round she even said to us she told the Jehovah witnesses to stop coming around! Relying on the Spirit works wonders!!

 

Miracle #3. We went and taught this Part-Member family... The wife is inactive... and the rest of the family is non-members... So we had a super good visit with them and then we asked to share a message just before we left... So we read this scripture to them and instantly.... waterworks.... The mum started crying hard out... We were kinda taken back by surprise but... hey... It does hurt when the spirit punches people so many times so you cant help but cry hahaha. They then agreed for us to come back as well! And from both of those experience this week... it reminded me of the power of teaching from the scriptures! Just as it says in Alma 31:5- "therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God."