Miracles Happen!!

June 17, 2013     Miracles Happen!!!!!

It sounds like everyone is doing well at home, except for the colds going around! I will pray for yall that you can get better quickly! I had a pretty bad cold a few weeks ago around memorial day, and it was physically draining! But it left after a week. Several other missionaries had it as well. Anyways, I hope you get better quickly!

 This week was another test of my faith and diligence in what the Lord has asked us to do. I have SOOO many stories I want to share in this email I hope I can share all of them. First I'll start with Andy!

So we met Andy about 1 1/2 months ago... He was dating a member (but they broke up a week ago). He has a Buddhist background and he is 24. He is in the Army and that is where he began to learn about Christianity. He has actually been going to our church for the last year, just not our ward until 2 Sundays ago. Well last week when I was on exchanges the sisters talked with him and he said he would feel ready for baptism in 9-10 months... they told him that he could be ready much sooner than that so they set a date for July 6th. We prayed last Sunday after Shannys baptism to know who could be baptized the next week and we felt really strong about Andy. The next day we took a member who is his age that was baptized 2 years ago with us (they've become good friends since he has been learning with us) and we had a powerful lesson about Baptism and trusting in the Lord. We told him we've been praying about it and we felt he was ready for this weekend. Anthony (the member) said he had fasted for him, and Andy was in shock that we would bring it up that soon. But after bearing testimony and him feeling the Spirit he told us he was ready! So we set the date for Saturday. Well.... on Friday we get a text from him saying, "Sisters I'm so sorry but my grandpa is in the hospital and he is really sick. They think he may pass this weekend. I think we will have to reschedule the baptism." So we prayed and prayed and prayed that everything would work out. Saturday morning we get a text from him that says,"My grandpa passed this morning." 2 minutes later we get another text saying, "my mom wants me to wait to be baptized untill everything is over with the funeral and everything." My heart dropped. I knew he was ready and I knew that God knew it too. We prayed as a companionship, and a few minutes later he said, "But I want to do it sooner, like tomorrow on Fathers day." I can't tell you how happy I was. The Lord had truly prepared him! 

So we call our ward mission leader and bishop and neither answer.... when they finally get back to us the Bishop said he doesn't want to do a baptism on Fathers day. I was like you've got to be kidding me! It's the perfect day for him to be baptized especially since his grandpa just passed. Anyways, so we told Bishop we would do what he wanted, but Anthony (the member that was going to baptize him) was going out of town on Tuesday so we wouldn't be able to do his baptism for 2-3 weeks. The assistants called bishop and he wouldn't answer, so they called President and he sent an email to our bishop (which President read to me this morning haha and It was perfect!) But basically saying that the Lord has asked us to help bring souls to Him weekly and that He knew we could. So he suggested that we do the baptism during the 3rd hour. On Saturday night after feeling very discouraged and disappointed we get a text from President saying, "Plan on a baptism tomorrow." Sunday morning we get a call from the Assistants saying that Bishop approved it! 

ANDY GOT BAPTIZED!!!! He is awesome! I hope that he serves a mission one day. :) The cool thing too about his baptism was that 1. we had another investigator Samuel at church with us and he was able to see the baptism and 2. Andy's family (extended family) came for the baptism!! There were like 10-15 of them there and it was so good for them to feel the spirit after them losing their grandpa and dad. 

Miracles happen according to our Faith. I told President this morning that I feel like each week it's gotten harder and harder, but it's because He is stretching our Faith even more each week.

Shanny left for her Grandmas this past weekend in Washington and we are praying that she has a great time there because it will be a much better circumstance for her to strengthen her testimony! Shanny is great, I just wish she had support from home. Her dad is not a good example to her of what a priesthood holder, or a father should be. :( It's sad. But all the young women LOVE her and they are excited to have her be a part of their group. So at least she'll have a good ward family when she comes back.

We are really trying to focus on retaining all the people that have been baptized! It's been a challenge with trying to get the ward on board with helping do the new member lessons, but we talked with bishop about that and we're hoping to get going with that. It's always hard and frustrating when not much effort is being put forth to people you've worked so hard with. 

Anyways, there are ups and downs wherever you go! 

Another highlight from the week.... The Velazquez! I seriously love this family! On Monday night we decided to go over for a bit to teach them about Family Home evening. Well we got there around 8 and guess what? They had already done it! haha We had never taught them about it. But I guess they read it somewhere online or in an ensign. They are just so excited about the gospel and about learning. Jessica and Anthony shared with us some dreams they had over the last few weeks and I know they are revelation from Heavenly Father, they were very specific and I couldn't help but cry because I know now how much the Lord is planning on having this family build up his church on earth. They have big responsibilities coming their way and I'm so excited for them. They were asked to speak last night at the investigator devotional and Anthony shared some things they had never told us. The day before we met their family (like 12 hours he said before we knocked on their door) he prayed to have the complete truth given to him. I guess he had been studying that night with all these religious books out everywhere and he wanted it all. And the next day we showed up with the Captain twins (the 10 year olds that referred us to them the night we opened this area). I am so grateful to see the Lords hand in each step of my opportunity to serve a mission. Seeing some of the recent converts I taught a year ago last night just brought up all the gratitude I've felt being a part of this great work I love it and I wouldn't give up this experience for anything else in the world. I know that God lives and loves each one of us, he is aware of our needs and he answers prayers in ways we sometimes would never think they'd be answered. WOW! It's cool huh? 

I still can't wrap my head around everything He can do, but I'm grateful for it! 

This morning the Velazquez (Jessica and the girls) left to Florida... :( It was a hard goodbye, but we went over to say goodbye before studies and after our Hurricane drill. Emma the 18 month old wouldn't let go of me. She always tries to get me to hold her (which we can't as missionaries) but I just got down and hugged her and she clung to me. I can't wait to come visit them soon.

Funny story for the week... haha so we go to Andys house for his baptismal interview and I park by a drain ditch on the side of the road... well Sister Hiatt opens her door and I hear something drop and she goes... "No way!" I thought it was the phone but she lost her water bottle in the 6 foot drain. After the interview we come out and Sister Owens goes to get in the car and I hear, "Oh no!" She dropped her shoe in the drain! haha I was laughing so hard I couldn't stop for like 10 minutes. We never drop anything out of our car, but the one time we do it falls into the sewer drain. haha Gotta love it. So Sister Owens walked around without a shoe as we walked into our lesson..... haha people probably think Mormons are so weird. Oh well!

Oh! I forgot to tell yall about Cindy! She is one of our progressing investigators. She loves it when we come over, well last week we had a lesson on forgiveness because she was having a hard time forgiving her aunt her really hurt her. As we were talking about that she brought up some deeper stuff she has been holding in, and it turned into something much deeper. We tried sharing about the Atonement and the Master Healer, but we had to leave before curfew and it was pretty somber as we left. She showed up to church on Sunday but as we went up to greet her she started crying and left before church even started.... We tried calling her and everything but got no answer. I was sitting there during Sacrament and couldn't concentrate. I keep having the example of Christ leaving the 99 and going for the 1 coming to my head. So after the sacrament Sister Hiatt and Owens stayed in sacrament meeting with our 2 other investigators that were there, and I took a young women and we went over the Cindy's. She explained that she felt like a hypocrite being there at church after what stuff she brought up and she told us she didn't know if she could do this anymore. We told her that church is not a place for perfect people, it's a hospital for sinners and every single person in that building has made big mistakes throughout their life... even the people on the stand. She texted us last night and said how grateful she was for us and all that we do and she said she had an experience that happened that she wants to share with us tonight when we got over. I can't wait! I'm kinda nervous, but I'm praying her heart was softened. The Lord has proved to me the past month how good He is at softening hearts and answering prayers I'm sure he helped her. :) We don't really do much as missionaries, the Lord does it all! But He just lets us experience the joys that He feels when we come to Him. And sometimes the disappointments that we feel too, but I learned why God is never discouraged... It's because He has perfect Faith. He knows everything will work out. I need to learn that so I don't stress as much. 

This next week is going to be crazy! I am going to be gone every single day... Tonight I go back down to clear lake on exchanges, Wednesday and Thursday is the sisters conferences we've been organizing the past month, and Friday I'm going to the temple with a recent convert from Maplewood who is getting her endowments :) Then that night I have exchanges with Alief. It's going to be fun haha 

Well, I'm sure I missed something, but that's all I can write for now! I hope yall are doing great! I love you and will talk with you next week!

I love you!!!     Sister Avery