A Mighty Mission Moment

 We love our mission but sometimes there is just something that stand out about all the rest in a week.  We had one of those moments and it hasn't come to an end just yet. 

Let me tell you about a beautiful miracle.  We were preparing for our Book of Mormon class.  I had decided not to make a treat-I’ve got to stop eating the treats.  Anyway, I was working at putting together 

3 Ne 24-26 about Malachi and tithing and turning the hearts of the children to the fathers.  About an hour before we were going to leave, the Sisters called, almost yelling in the phone about how excited they were that Katie’s husband would be coming to the Book of Mormon class.  Let me tell you about Katie and her husband. Katie is an adorable lady that the sisters found as she was walking her dogs down the street.  It was an immediate connection and she started coming to church before they even started teaching her.  She brings food to the parties (more than one dish), candy in her pocket to share at church, and she answers questions in class.  She is just incredible.  She is on date to be baptized and her little girl, who is 8, wants to be baptized too.  Well, Katie’s husband has a really bad taste in his mouth for church.  They had been baptized into the Jehovah’s Witnesses church in New Hampshire. Well her husband is a former Marine and their son is a Marine.  They were told that Robert and their son would go to hell because they are murderers because they served in the military.  Well, of course he has a bad taste in his mouth.  He told Katie that she could go to any church-just not ours.  He had heard bad stuff about us.  But she told him she was going to the our church and that she going to be baptized.  He told her that she can do what she wants but that Mary, the 8 year old cannot be baptized.  Katie and the Sisters have been praying for his heart to be softened so that Mary can be baptized too.  As of Tuesday, it was all a no, then on Thursday, Robert told Katie that he would come to the Book of Mormon class with her and that he was open to hearing what the missionaries have to say, but that he can change his mind about learning at any time.

Well, no pressure here!  I mean, I get to teach a class that will be his first exposure to the gospel???  And when I told them the lesson was on tithing, the Sisters begged me to change it-that tithing is not what someone hearing about the church for the first time needs to hear.  So, with an hour before leaving, I decided to make rice krispie treats because they were bringing their two kids with them. As I was making those and getting me ready, I was praying and praying.  We decided to start at the beginning and teach about the introduction of the Book of Mormon, using President Nelson’s video talking about the purpose of the Book of Mormon and how it was translated.  But the Spirit had bigger plans than that.

I had a thought come to me to ask Robert, being former military, to tell us how, in the Revolutionary War, the commander would get the word of a plan or strategy to the troops.  He said they would write it down and send it out by runners to the officers over the troops.  So then I asked him to fast forward to WWI and how would they get the word out.  He said the same way but using radio most likely.  Then I asked him to fast forward to today-how would they get the word out?  He said most likely using technology but basically the same way.  I told them all to keep that in mind.

Then I turned the time over to Mike and he talked about Prophets and how the Lord uses prophets to dispatch His will and words and how the prophets would keep records of the Lord’s will and covenants.  He introduced the Book of Mormon and then we watched President Nelson’s video.  After the video, we opened the Book of Mormon to 3 Ne 11 and started to read.  I had set the stage of where the people were and then we read.  As we read we discussed how the people had to open their ears and look heavenward to understand.  Much like we need to pay attention to really hear the Spirit today.  And then as we read about the people coming to Jesus one by one, the Spirit prompted me to talk about one by one and the length of time Jesus must have stood for over 2,000 people to touch His wounds, one by one.  We talked of how Jesus feels about us now, that He loves us, blesses us, saves us each, one by one.  When we got to verse 17, it was Mary’s turn to read (she’s 8) and when she read, “Hosanna, blessed be the name of the Most High God”, there were tears in more than a few of our eyes.  The Spirit was was strong and testifying boldly.  After she read that verse, we watched the new Book of Mormon video of Christ appearing in the Americas.  I closed by bearing my testimony of Jesus Christ.  It was a beautifully powerful evening.  

Robert told Mike that he wants to learn.  He has a million questions, and he would prefer men teaching him-so we will start with him and maybe, just maybe we can bring the Elders in to teach as well.  They are about 25 minutes away but they are our District Leaders so they might be able to come for a couple of times.  We are so happy.  Katie will be baptized on March 25!!!  But the icing on the cake?  Robert came to church with Katie and the kids on Sunday.  Not only did he pay attention, he read and answered questions in Elder's Quorum.  We were having our monthly potluck afterwards and Robert helped set up the tables and chairs and had a wonderful time visiting with other people.  WOW!  It's been amazing.  We hope it will continue.  Please pray for Robert-and us to know how to answer his questions about our doctrine.

We had other great events through the week.  Our Relief Society had a service project evening where we tied fleece blankets for foster children.  We tied quite a big number of blankets with not very many of us.

We had some snow, and some more snow, and we can't seem to get warm.  We even had our car encased in ice which was fun to chip through to get into it.

We had our tele health doctor appointment so that Medicare will know that we are doing just fine-but it was fun to visit with our doctor.  We love him.  

We loved District Council-just like always- and I have to say, we are getting better at real plays. (That's where we are put into scenarios for teaching-a couple of us are teaching and a couple of us are being taught).  Afterwards we had to run to Michael's to get a few things for Zone Conference and then headed back to Elder and Sister Park's apartment to grab a piece of plywood to use for a box spring for an air mattress.

Sunday was our Ward Conference and it was great having some of our Stake leaders there visiting.  We had the chance to get on a Zoom call with the other senior missionaries.  Technology really does tie us together in great ways.  We even had missionaries who aren't even in the MTC.  They will be joining us in April.  We get attached to these missionaries and are sad to see them leave but we know they have given their all and are ready to go home to their families.

We love being missionaries.  We are excited to see what this week holds for us. We pray for the Lord to bless you all with His greatest blessings.  We love wearing his His name on our hearts.  President Gentry tells us to always have His name on our lips.  We love our Savior.  We know that He is the Son of God and He is a God of Miracles.  We love you all!  We pray for you!  Have an amazing week.