Monday, January 12, 2015

A new companion, tracting in 0 degree weather, and miracles

My new companion is Sister Haycock from Wyoming (the part of the state that resides in the Montana, Billings mission).  She also likes to sing and harmonize so we will be able to continue being the "singing sisters".  She is lots of fun and a very hard worker and we get along great!

Library Contact
Remember last week when I told you about the big black guy from Chicago we met in the library?  He is the one who thought he was already a member because he read the Book of Mormon.  Well we had a first lesson with him this past week.  He's pretty awesome.  One of his LDS friends in Illinois introduced him to the gospel a few years ago.  He is super open to the gospel and we hope things start going well there!

Faith and Miracles
On Saturday we tracted in the freezing cold.  It wasn't too cold to tract.  Luckily it stayed around 0 degrees all day and didn't plummet below zero too often so with our warm clothes on we were able to stay out all day.  We tracted from 10:00 in the morning until 9:00 that night. We practically froze to death but it was so worth it!  We ended up finding a ton of "potential" investigators, many of which were Ojibwe, but at the last hour of the day, we still hadn't found a new investigator or gotten to teach as many lessons as we hoped. BUT we knew we were showing the Lord our diligence by being outside all day in freezing weather and that we set our goals in faith, so we kept at it all the way until curfew- and then miracles happened!

We stopped by a house of an unknown member of the ward who turned out to be a part member family. They were super happy to see us. They let us in and we had a great conversation. We shared a message with them and showed them the Mormon Message, "The Hope of God's Light". It really touched their hearts and they told us to come by again soon and they would feed us dinner. So we found a new investigator there.  But we still had about 15 minutes before we had to be in for the night.

We decided to stop by one more house.  We knocked on her door, and when the lady answered she started laughing. She immediately let us in and asked us how we knew she was back. We told her we just felt like we needed to stop by this house tonight. She was in shock. She had just gotten back into town 3 nights previously after being gone almost 9 months and was just praying to get some direction on some big decisions she had to make and then we knocked on her door! That's why she started laughing. We had a great lesson with her about faith and shared Alma 37:6-7 with her.

It's amazing how Heavenly Father can direct you if you are prepared! I testify to you that miracles happen.  They didn't just happen in the scriptures.  They still happen today.  Miracles are based on our faith.  If we had more faith, we would see more miracles!  Ether 12 is all about miracles, you should read it!  In verse 6 it says: "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."  And then a great promise is given in verse 9: "Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith."

I might be going to a new mission this Summer!
So this is interesting news... In July, I might change missions! Our mission boundaries are being moved around because we have seen a lot of growth in our very HUGE mission.  The North Dakota, Bismarck mission will be created on July 1, 2015.  Aside from that, they are going to realign some boundaries.  So I will either end up in the North Dakota Bismarck mission, the Nebraska Omaha mission, the Colorado Fort Collins mission or the Montana Billings mission.  I don't care where I end up either because I know I will love all of them!

Shout-outs
Cammie, I found your husband (I will tell you about it in a letter).  

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