"...it shall be given unto you."

alright peeps, buckle up and keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. I've got a lot to tell you about answered prayers.  such a stellar week.  HERE WE GO!

 FIONAH!!! We found her last week when i had a distinct thought to go contact at the west edmonton mall bus station.  She was the first person we talked to and she accepted a book of mormon and wanted to meet.  We had a split, so I went with a member (return missionary from this mission, Sister Cardona:):):)) and the mandarin elders to teach her the first lesson, and it was PRIME.  the best lesson i've had with an investigator in such a long time.  She asked such good questions and felt the spirit so strongly.  after she prayed, we paused and asked her how she felt, she said, "honestly, i feel this weight just lift off of my shoulders." it was amazing.  I then told her that when we found her that day, I had a distinct impression of where we needed to go and everything. Then she told us an amazing story.  back when her parents were in China, they already had 2 kids, which wasn't okay.  But then her mom got pregnant with her.  everyone told her to abort the baby, and she was really conflicted.  She then ran into two missionaries (not sure if they were lds but it's pretty cool) on a bus, they told her that God would watch over her and everything would be okay, and they gave her a book. (not sure if it was the BofM, but still cool).  Fionah has never really believe in God at all,  but about a month ago, her mom told her that she should go to church to thank God for the life he gave her.  She wasn't sure why, so she asked, and her mom told her this story.  Since then, Fionah has been trying to figure out how to find God and feel forgiven and basically give her life to him.  She said that she prayed to him and said, "if you want me to come to you, I need you to send someone to me so show me where to go."  Then we showed up at the bus stop. (ANSWERED PRAYER) We also had a lesson with her this morning and taught the Plan of Salvation and she prayed again and she's just GOLDEN.  She accepted a baptismal date of February 13th!  My last Saturday here!!! I just love this girl.  

JOHN!!!  We had a lesson with him after church and it was PRIME. This whole week, I have been praying so earnestly that his desire for baptism will increase. The first thing he asked us was, "What's the process i need to go through to be baptized?" And it just so happens (by revelation) that we were going to go over the baptismal interview questions with him so he could see where he's at with everything.  He was surprised.  After going through the questions, he said that he felt like he just needed to move forward in faith, and commit! (ANSWERED PRAYER) We're planning on moving his date sooner this week! :) We're just trying to help him recognize the answers he has already received.  

We got to do a Hot Chocolate stand on the U of A campus at the institute!  It was so much fun, people think we're kind of crazy running all over the place and giving people free hot chocolate, but it opens a lot of doors for people to talk to us.  We found so many chinese people for the mandarin elders to teach.  

We did lots of LRT contacting, and I got to give a Book of Mormon to this amazing Filipino girl named Patricia.  She was so grateful and I'm so excited to get teaching her more! My favourite thing about being a missionary is when you can feel the spirit testify through you and touch someone's heart.  It's priceless.  

Friday, before going into our supper appointment (which we have been getting a fair amount of for YSA) we decided to knock a few doors.  We had about 20 minutes, and I prayed that we would find someone that we could teach a lesson to.  Second door we knocked on turned out to be a lost sheep that had been praying to know how to get to church!!! (ANSWERED PRAYER!!!) Annnnd we got to teach her a lesson hahah. :) (answered prayer...again:))

We had a lesson with a less-active, Sara, that the missionaries have been working with for AGES and she never keeps any commitments.  As we were studying for her, we felt like we needed to actually hold her to her commitments, and if she didn't keep them, we wouldn't move onto what we had planned to teach.  We went over, and before going into the lesson, we prayed that she would have the desire to actually read the Book of Mormon.  We went in and what do ya know she didn't keep any commitments, so we decided to read the talk with her that the sisters committed her to read forever ago.  Halfway through the talk, we asked her what she thought and felt so far, she just said, "welll...honestly i feel tempted to just put this talk down and go dive into the Book of Mormon right now!" (ANSWERED PRAYER) we were just like OKAY SOUNDS GOOD!  So yeah she went and read. :) so cool!  

okay and now for one of the craziest/coolest/most miraculous happenings ever this week...

We got to go to the CES devotional with a returning less active, Danika!  it was AMAZING.  MAN I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!  okay first i'll tell you about Danika.  So, the Lamoureux's (ward mission leader in river valley) have a granddaughter (danika).  She's 22, and has been extremely anti to the church and God and everything for quite a while.  A few months ago, we stopped by the lamoureux's and she was there, so we kind of hung out with her a bit, didn't try to share anything because it would push her away, but it was all around a good visit.  Later on, she came with them to the ward christmas party!  The night I said goodbye to the Lamoureux's, Danika's parents were there.  I met them and we talked and I really wanted to reach out to Danika now that I'm in YSA.  They said it probably wouldn't work.  last week, we got a call back from the lamoureux's saying that Danika wanted to come to church.  WHHHHHAT????  So we got it all lined up and she came (her family came with her to ysa) and it was AMAZING.  oh my word.  She's a completely new person.  She drove us to the fireside as well and i asked her what made her decide to come back.  She told us this really long story that's hers to share but all i can say is...she is a legit modern day alma the younger.  no joke. at all.  She said that even two weeks ago, if you asked her if she would come to church she would have been against it.  But she went to her cousin's wedding (which was at the temple) and since she couldn't go in, she went inside the church right next door to use the washroom.  She heard a voice tell her that this is where she needs to be.  a literal voice! (ANSWER TO SO MANY PRAYERS)  and now she's thinking about a mission and everything and she has been studying for hours everyday.  i honestly can hardly believe this complete 180 turn in less than one week. when she walked into the church, she just gave me the biggest hug.  i cannot even describe the happiness I feel as i witness this miracle!!! Her countenance radiates the light of Christ!  so happy. so happy.  she's amazing.  totally alma the younger.  (if you're unfamiliar with his story, read Mosiah 27 and Alma 36 in the Book of Mormon) 

there's more but i'm sick of looking at a computer screen....haha

"20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name,which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you." [3 Nephi 18:20]

I'm just so amazed at the tender mercies and miracles that I have witnessed just this week.  God IS real and I know that he DOES answer prayers. If you feel you aren't getting answers to your prayers, take a step back and ask God if that's what he needs you to ask for.  Align your will with his!   If His will is our will, when we pray, he WILL grant unto us all that we ask!  I'm so grateful for a loving father that knows what I, as well as all those around me, need.  i just love life.  I love the gospel.  I love the mission and the change that the atonement has wrought in my life and in the lives of those I have come to love more than I thought possible. 

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones

Sister Cardona RM status :)