OH MY WORD it has been a marvellous week. And we have
only Heavenly Father and the wonderful members here to thank for that.
Sister Whiting and I started a 40 day fast from sweets for our
investigators 8 days ago, and here some of the miracles that have come
of it:
-Tuesday,
we met with Chaise. We had planned on teaching him the Plan of
Salvation, but as we were talking before, he pulled out his pack of
cigarettes and said he was thinking about quitting. We said he could
crush them right now, and then HE DID. HE JUST CRUSHED 'EM! So we were
all freaking out so excited, and Sister Whiting and I booked it back to
our apartment to grab the quit smoking program for him to go through
it. He's still a non-smoker, DAY 6! :)
-We met with him again on Friday, and taught him the plan of salvation. He loved it and committed to baptism on MARCH 28th!!!!
And he got a hair cut!!! It's amazing, his countenance has changed so
much and the spirit truly is working in his life. He made the comment
that this is something that will completely change the direction he is
going in life, and he's happy about that. THE ATONEMENT IS REAL. We've
been reading the Book of Mormon with him just about everyday since. He
also came to church yesterday and everybody introduced themselves and
really made him feel welcome. We asked him how he liked it after, and
he said, "it was actually really good." he didn't think it would be
hahah...such a punk. but he loved it!
-Anita,
from the gas station came as well!!! She brought her little boy and was
just so enthused about church! She says she wants to be baptized and
that she's going to come every sunday from now on. :) We're teaching her tonight and planning on setting a date for her baptism.
-While
attempting to contact a former, we found Greg! This super sweet old
man that let us come back the next day. Sister Curry came (asked for
work off--such a gem!) and we taught him the restoration. He is so
ready for the gospel!!! So prepared. We'll be teaching him again tomorrow.
-We
were finally able to teach Laurence, he's one of the investigators that
the elders had before their area closed down, and it has been a joke
trying to meet with him. So many complications, but he came to church
yesterday as well, and when we had our lesson, he committed to baptism
on May 15th!!! He's such a sweet soul.
Fast
and testimony meeting yesterday was INCREDIBLE. The spirit was so
apparent, and my heart just couldn't stop rejoicing in the Lord. This
gospel is real. I know it is.
Just a few minutes
ago...Sister Whiting and I went outside the church for a second, and
tried to come back in when we realized we locked our keys inside. With
no jackets and the windchill of Alberta, we just huddled in a ball up
against the church building because we were sooo cold. We called Sister
Giddey, and she said she'd be right over. We sat there for probably 20
minutes (which doesn't sound too long...but felt like an eternity) and
just froze and our eyes were watering and we couldn't feel our hands and
we thought we were going to freeze to death. We just sang, "Come Come
Ye Saints" to ourselves and cried.
When we got to the part
where it says, "Grace shall be as your day" Sister Giddey drove up!!!
It reminded me of a lot of things...but mostly made me reflect on my
mission. It has been about 7 months now, (ahhhhh) and most of that 7
months has been working and working and not feeling like anything was
coming of it. But Grace always comes, just like this week came.
Miracles always come when we do our best and leave it all up to God.
And sometimes, you just have to keep working (or keep enduring the
windchill) for a little bit longer until the promises of the Lord are
fulfilled.
Ammon says it better than I can:
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| I just love the Book of Mormon :) |
35 Now
have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were
men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began;
yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he
has allpower, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all
things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who
will repent and believe on his name.
36 Now
if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my
light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo.
Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people,
who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body
in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has
been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.
Onward, Ever onward.
Sister Jones
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| Exchanges with Sister Cardona |
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