This has been the hardest
week of my mission. I won't lie. I'm definitely not best friends with
this companion. AKA pray for my VISA? I would give you details, but when
you warned me a couple of weeks ago about companions and I laughed
because I hadn't had a problem. You were definitely inspired. Oh well,
the stories I'll be able to tell when I get home about almost being
punched during a Friday night planning session. What I've learned
though, is without adversity our character would never be tested.
Heavenly Father puts us in situations to learn and grow, wherever that
may be.
I was reminded this week of a story President Price
(Missoula Stake Presidency) told us at the beginning of last transfer at
a missionary breakfast. There is a road next to his house that is maybe
at a 45 degree angle. Every couple of days during the winter the snows
melt and this road becomes a literal death trap. Parents will go to pick
up their kids from various play dates at the bottom of the road only to
find they can't get back up. Try as they might they slip and slide and
end up rolling back down the hill into Bishop Olsen's driveway. So when
they are home they pull out their chains and drag the vehicle up the
hill with their truck. President Price went on to explain that sometimes
we need that little push. We can almost do it alone, but we need a
little extra help from our brothers and sisters. And we as missionaries
get the opportunity to be that pull for people. So we leave the
breakfast and as we go up the hill Sister Armknecht and I start to fall.
All the missionaries run up and start pushing us up this hill. At the
end we were all laughing as we realized that even missionaries need a
little push sometimes. That went from story to object lesson real fast.
Miracles of the week:
We
stopped by this less active's house "Sharon." And as we go to say a
closing prayer her neighbor "Rachel" comes in. Sharon asks Rachel if she
wants to pray with us and she says absolutely. So I pray with ALL my
heart that I'll say whatever she needs to hear during this prayer. At
the end she goes... I just got goosebumps. Afterwards Sharon told us she
has been helping them out with some health stuff and was looking for a
church. She found this church she loves, but it's only in Whitefish and
she has been concerned about what to do if she ever moves. We made a
return appointment when Rachel could be there and we are stoked. Some
people are looking for the truth and just "know not where to find it."
"Saul." Such a biblical name. We are completely out
of miles for the month as usual, and we were driving home on Saturday
night. We only had enough miles to get home and it was 8:00 so we
couldn't just tract. I ask Sister Wilbert who lives close by that we can
visit literally on the way home. She mentions someone who lives right
off the road, but hadn't been answering our phone calls all week
"Danielle". So we drop in, she lives in the smallest trailer I've ever
seen, so we have no where to sit, but she had a friend over named Saul.
As we try to share a message I feel inspired to tell Saul what we are
sharing the message from- "The Book of Mormon." He asks what the Book of
Mormon is about and I then explain the story of Lehi leaving Jerusalem
and essentially all the stories until Jacob. The spirit was SO strong so
I say- would you be baptized? He goes- why do I need to be baptized? I
say- why did Jesus Christ need to be baptized? He drops his head for a
second and goes- a light just went off in my mind and the spirit is so
strong. I think there is something to this. Let me think about it for
just one evening. The next day he showed up at church. He ran away after
sacrament with the explanation that he needed to digest all the
information (aka he got to come on the week that they talked about
baptisms for the dead? They should really submit all talks to us for
approval.) I don't know where Saul's journey will take him, but I know I
felt the hand of God in his life that night and I know he felt it too.
The spirit led us there I am sure of it. Afterwards I had to thank
Heavenly Father for letting us run out of miles. It always turns out to
be a blessing in disguise.
There are actually like twelve more, but just know
that this was a week of miracles- as all weeks are. We just have to look
for them and remain faithful.
I love you so
much and hope everything on the home front is going well. I know I never
give you homework, but would you read about Abenadi this week? His
story can remind us all that we stand for something, and that what we do
effects others. Abenadi may have felt his mission was lost when he was
killed, but little did he know Alma was converted through his testimony.
Only to propel the WHOLE list of miracles that then ensue from that.
I love you!
Sister Haley K. Mills
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