Referral From God

Email #76
Area: Murray Bridge
Companion: Elder Hirro

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Well just yesterday I had an opportunity that really opened my eyes and got me thinking a lot! There was a missionary fireside down in Adelaide that I didn't even know about until a member said she was bringing our investigator to it! Well I felt prompted that we really needed to go so we changed up our plans and I know why I needed to be there now. From the moment Brother Reed picked us up at our flat to when we arrived home, I was learning things. Brother Reed first off has a closeness to the Lord that I thought was crazy before. Visions, dreams, ect are gifts from God to the saints. From the hour ride there and then an hour back, I pretty much received training about the spirit. He answered all the questions I had openly. I learned so much I was so surprised! I wish I could share with you right now all that I learned. The whole time in the back of the car I was just taking down notes even before we got to the fireside!

Well we arrive to the fireside and start meeting the people as they come in. It just so happened that I started seeing old friends from past areas. Well guess who came around the corner super excited! Idk if you remember F... and his family do you? It was sooo great to see them! I just got to talking to F... and it amazed me what the Gospel has done for him! He is definitely one that will be a life long friend! The whole family no doubt. He is talking about how he plans to go to Utah and visit in the future and as well wants me over for dinner before I go. Not just that, but his son is doing awesome as well! He goes to church, seminary, and all the activities! I'm not sure why he is not baptized yet just hasn't taken that step but I can feel that he will soon. I'm surprised the missionaries there haven't jumped on that yet. F... wants him to make the choice for himself and does not want to pressure him so that might be why. Seeing them just got me to reflect a lot to what my mission has not only met to me, but to others as well. I forget sometimes that this just hasn't affected me. I am here for them yes, but sometimes I forget just the impact it has had. I'm so grateful for that experience to help me remember why I am here. Helped me remember that even through the challenges and through sooo much work, there are miracles in not just my life that I see, but miracles unseen. J... is trying to go to school in Utah! F... has a calling as the youth leader. They feel close together as a family more then ever before and you can see the light in their eyes! So many things that have come in consequence of the Gospel!

It has been a good week Mom! I hope you feel Him there for you to. I have realized just how close He really to us and this work and I had no idea before just how close!

Love you mom and hope you have a good week! P.S.-Go to the temple for me this week!


Excerpts from Dad's email:

Hey Dad!

Yeah that sounds like you have done heaps of projects what the heck? haha how much has changed? Dang I am excited for all the new foods and stuff to! Yeah they feed us really well here! Close to everyday here!

This week was a very good! We found 3 new this week, one of them being a girl named N..... She is interesting because she has PTSD and things so she gets nervous for new things and has a few obsticles. However, she came to church and the members fellow-shipped her soooo well! She even came to the fireside that we had down in Adelaide which I will talk about later! We simply were following up with her one day and she said "yeah come on in", so we just let her know we will be back in a few min with a member. We called up this awesome member, Bro Reed who just dropped what he was doing to come to this lesson with us. We taught her the first lesson and it just clicked to her. She really enjoyed the Book of Mormon and that was a huge focus at the fireside as well. On Saturday she was sick so we were afraid she wouldn't make it to church, but when we called to check again Sunday morning she was all good! So another member, we call her Mama Peck, went and picked her up just before church! She loved it even though she was super nervous at first. She is very unique for sure and I just loved how the members just welcomed her in.

On Tue was a cool start to the week when we went finding. We seriously had no luck all morning and for 2-3 hours we had one door slammed after another. However that morning we prayed for inspiration to know where to go using a method I call "Referral From God". We strongly felt this was a place God wanted us to go. We knocked almost both sides of this huge street and after a long start to the day, we knocked on a door at the end of the street that looked like any other to be honest. Well we met a man named A...... who first off didn't slam the door which was nice. We got to talking and he allowed us to come inside to share more with him. Well A...... has no religious background at all, barely thought about if there is a God before. However as we talked to him, he saw it as an opportunity to test it out. He saw it like a science experiment. Simply, if there is a God, he would keep his promises and would answer. If there is not a God, he would see nothing come from searching. Kind of a good way to look at it actually! Well he is determined to find out and we will continue to work with him through his night shift concern and all!

Love you heaps and have a good week!