 |
| It is cold here and we tract in the cold all the time! |
 |
| But we bought warm pajamas! |
This past week we have mainly done lots and lots of service. I love that part of the mission. Other than doing service we were scrambling to get everything done for Stefaney's baptism and to help her move to Minot, North Dakota. We finally got everything done and she is moved to Minot. She was so happy to be baptized on Saturday. I know that she is going to be an amazing member in the gospel and I wish she could stay in Bemidji so we can see her testimony grow more and more; but everything worked out in God's plan for her so she could move to Minot. Her baptism was beautiful. Her boyfriend's dad, who is the stake president in Minot, baptized and confirmed her. The spirit was so strong as we watched a stake president baptize his future daughter-in-law. She is looking forward to being able to be sealed in a year to her boyfriend Alex (soon-to-be husband). I have witnessed how aware God is of Stefaney, Alex, and Isaac. He loves their little family and wants them to be happy. He can move mountains, but even more amazing, he can bring two people together to help strengthen each other, and bring each other closer to God.
He Can Move Mountains
God can move mountains in all of our lives when we have faith and accept His plan for us. I know that He moves "mountains" in our lives all the time. We might not recognize it because the outcomes are not what we want. But He knows exactly what we need. He knows what we need to be happy but He also knows what we need to grow and learn. Sometimes we don't get what we want but maybe He moved a mountain to save us from what we thought was best for us. One day we will see the whole picture and it will all make sense. Remember, His ways are better than our ways!
Isaiah 55:8-9:
8 ¶For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Boy on the School Bus
I have an awesome story! One day we were just going about the work but were not able to meet anyone. We were a little ways out of town when we passed the juvenile detention center. Sister Springer is crazy! She turns around and pulls in and said, "maybe they have service for us to do." I was just thinking, "oh heck no." But we got up to the parking lot where a school bus was picking up three students to take home. We watched the 3 boys get on and the bus drove away. As soon as the bus drove off, we both had the feeling to follow it. So we did! We followed it thinking that we need to teach one of those boys. We followed it all the way to the high school only to see it pick up a bunch of high school kids. We took a mental note that it was bus #40 and followed it when it took off but then it didn't feel right anymore. So then we started thinking that we needed to follow bus #60. But we followed both because they both were headed in the same direction. We decided we would just follow both buses until one turned another direction and then we would follow whichever one felt right. Well that thought quickly vanished when we realized we were following the buses to where ALL the buses were going... the middle school. Boy did I know we were in trouble when we pulled up. So many buses! So much traffic! How were we going to find this one soul on bus 40 or 60 that needs the gospel? So we just parked and waited. All the buses started leaving and going their routes. We saw #40 about to turn right out of the parking lot. But then we had the feeling to wait for #60. So here comes #60 turning left! So we go to follow it and get stuck in traffic! We watched #60 go and make a left turn and then disappear. Finally we get going and turn where 60 turned. We ended up downtown only to realize that bus 60 was lost. Refusing to get discouraged, I said "Let's just follow the next bus that we see." So we did... bus #48. Of course this is the bus that goes way out of town (but still in our mission boundaries) but we followed it into the forest. When it stopped, 3 kids got off. It didn't feel right to approach any of those kids so we kept following the bus. Its next stop was next to a long windy dirt road where a boy about 15 years old all decked out in camo and boots got off. And that was him. That was the boy we needed to find. I know it without a doubt. So we wrote down his address and took off. We are going to visit him this week. He doesn't know it yet though. There are 2 morals to this story:
- Always listen to the spirit and trust that God will lead you to where you need to be.
- We always hear missionaries tell these stories about the crazy people they meet when they are out. I came on a mission only to realize that the craziest people out there are the missionaries.
Sister Park
No comments:
Post a Comment