I've Grown A Foot Or Two!

Family!

That is crazy what happened to Trevor!! How scary that is but I am so grateful that the missionaries gave him a blessing and that he is taking the lessons!!! I have been thinking a lot a lot about Karissa and Trevor these past couple months. Such a miracle! I pray that even though he says he is just learning, his heart will be changed and he will want to be baptized and in the future enter into the temple to be sealed to Karissa! I am so grateful that he has such amazing brother laws to look to for an example! :)

So this week not a lot happened. We have been knocking and knocking and knocking to find people to teach. We have been knocking for about 5 hours a day. We still haven't found anyone yet but we have been planting lots of seeds. We have been praying to find a family of 3 from Honduras with a mom and a dad and son who is 12. We got super close when we found this Honduran family who has had lots of interaction with the church and even has family who are members! We thought this family was the one but they weren't quite ready yet. But that's okay because God is a god of miracles and things happen on his time table and not ours. We know he is preparing an amazing elect family for us and as long as we are faithful we will find them :) An exciting thing that happened is I almost got attacked by a dog! A huge American Bulldog. We were going to knock this house, so we opened the gate and clapped and whistled to check if there was a dog. After waiting nothing happened so we walked in and as I was almost to the door the dog came running fast. Sister Moise was close to the gate so she got out fast but I had to book it and had to push her out of the way. We made it safe but it was scary! Sister Moise is amazing!! We laugh so much! She has taught me a lot and is like my big sister! She is always positive and always uplifting.

So a while ago dad asked why we ask people to get baptized right after we pray with them and I still haven’t answered it so now I will! Yes it is a mission thing to invite people to be baptized right after we pray. In 3 Nephi 11:18-23, when Jesus Christ comes to the Americas, the first thing he does after letting the people touch his wounds is he invites all the people to be baptized. He doesn't waste a minute because he knows how important it is. We follow that same example. We know as we are bold (3 Nephi 6:20) the spirit will be there to testify and touch their hearts because like it says in D and C 29:7, the elect will hear his voice. We believe in only working with the elect. Being bold and inviting people to be baptized lets us discern if they are elect. If they say yes and have true desires to change we will continue to teach them. It seems weird and at the beginning of my mission it scared me but it has helped my faith and trust in Heavenly Father and it is true His elect will hear His voice. I have seen lots of miracles come from it! :) Although we do not do it every time because we do believe as well leaving them feeling better than before and sometimes if they are strong in their faith an invitation to be baptized can offend some, so we really try and listen to the spirit but we make sure that everyone is given the chance to be baptized by the priesthood power and change :) pretty cool huh? :)

My funny Zone Leaders

So this week has been revelatory during my personal studies! A missionary’s mom sends me talks each week and the one she sent me this week was amazing! It’s called “Why Didn't the Angle Just Take Him Out?” It starts like this, "I read Jane the story of Daniel in the lion’s den tonight. When we got to the part where the angel appears and shuts the lion’s mouths she asked, “Why didn't the angle take him out?” Don't we all ask that question sometimes? Why aren't you taking me out of this situation? Why aren't you taking away this illness? Why aren't you fixing this problem or relationship? Why aren't you answering my questions or taking my doubts away? I KNOW YOU CAN! Isn’t this faith? Isn't faith supposed to produce results? So Jane presents a valid question. If Daniel is a man of great faith, and faith produces miracles, why didn't the angles just take him out of the lion’s den? He could have. Because if he did Daniel would have missed the whole experience of being IN the lion’s den but not being eaten alive. He would have known God’s power to deliver him FROM difficulty but he wouldn't have experienced God’s power to deliver him IN difficulty. That is a whole level of power and requires a whole different level of faith. There was not just a single lion in the den. There was a whole group of them ready to rip him apart. But his faith was sufficient and God’s power was sufficient that none of them got a single bite. At times in our lives we feel like we have been thrown in the lion’s den. But instead of spending our energy wondering why God isn't taking us out we can step back and realize I am not going to be eaten alive here,.....even though I should be. Somehow I am going to come out of this alive. Then look around and see God’s angles who are holding back your lions."

Daniel in the Lion's Den

I loved this talk and often I find myself asking God why don't you give us people to teach, why don't you make this easier? Why don't you make my body feel better? There have been moments when I have felt like I am in the jaw of a lion but I am here and alive and stronger. As I reflect on my mission, I just stand in awe realizing I should have been eaten alive but I wasn't. Many people’s testimonies and faiths can be broken but mine isn't, it is stronger. I have grown in ways I never thought possible. My faith is deeper, and my foundation is stronger and my hope is brighter because of my mission. I have grown as a daughter of God in ways I never thought I could have otherwise. At times I have begged to just be taken out of this. But look at what I would have missed! I would have missed a deeper relationship with God and I would have missed the person I have become. So be grateful for your lions. When you experience deliverance IN the lion’s den, suddenly your faith and trust rise to a whole new level. One that never would have been possible had you just been delivered FROM it.