September 30, 2013

There's a member in the ward who lives in South Jordan and she's going home on Wednesday so she said she could bring stuff down for me :) I don't really need anything, but I was hoping to send some stuff home that doesn't work for me; clothes that don't fit the guidelines. So I'm going to give her your number if that's okay :) I have had such a crazy spiritual week! I can't even begin to tell you how much I have grown in even just the past 2 days. The heavens are definitely kept open to missionaries. Let me tell you a story :) It's gotten REALLY cold in Flagstaff. Our heater wasn't working...and I had a pretty terrible night on Friday night. It was cold like when you're camping in late May or early June and your sleeping bag is too big so every time you turn over you are all icy and have to try to warm up the bag before you can get back to sleep. That's how I was all night.....in my bed. So Saturday morning, we called our awesome District Leader and he said he'd come by during the day to look at it for us. He asked us to leave the door unlocked and he'd lock it behind them when they left. We left for the morning and drove a couple of blocks away when I just felt like we needed to lock the door. So we went straight back, but we went up a street we don't normally go up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man playing the guitar in front of a house. I kept driving a little, but felt like we should go talk to him. I decided to, reluctantly. I pulled over, sighed really big, and in an irritated tone said to Sister Connell, "there's a man back there and we need to talk to him." We walked back the block and a half that it took me to drive down before I decided to listen to my prompting. We walk up to him and just start out with, "hey! We saw you playing the guitar and wanted to come listen!" He was shy about it and just asked us where we're from. We said, "we're from Utah, we're on our missions." He asked, "like ministry?" "Well, kind of, we talk to people about Jesus Christ and help them to develop more faith in Him." Then he went into detail about his own religious background explaining about how he doesn't know what to believe and that he and his wife have been hurt by members of different churches. I pulled out a copy of the Book of Mormon I had in my bag and asked him if he'd ever read it. He hadn't. I turned to the Introduction and showed him the first paragraph that explains that the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel, as does the Bible (which he reads). Then I showed him the last two paragraphs and explained that if he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon that Heavenly Father would help him to know for himself if it is true. That's the part he liked. He said, "most people tell you what to believe. I like that you are saying we can know for ourselves." He also said that he felt good when we were talking with each other. He went inside for a minute and came out with his wife and asked me to introduce the Book of Mormon the same way to her. They were both really excited to take the Book and to read it together! We got his name and number and gave him as a referral to the Elders. They said they set up an appointment with him for tomorrow and that he's already read the entire first book of Nephi! What a miracle, right?! And this kind of stuff has been happening constantly for us! I know that the Spirit is REAL! The Church is TRUE! Well, that's my best story. I'm pretty sad to not have a very long letter from you. I guess I know how you feel now! Hope everything's okay with you and the family! I love you a lot :) -Kady