Another wonderful miracle, is the fact that I am talking to everyone. And let me tell ya, I never used to do that. I would be way to scared to talk to people, but now I really am just trying to speak to everyone that I can. It is amazing the true power that comes from doing that. I love too what Elder Callister says about opening our mouths, its not that our mission president commands us too, or that the Church does, but the Savior does. He opened his mouth and talked to everyone and we can and should be doing the same. Something I have really come to appreciate on my mission is being able to look at people and see them as God sees them. I have really come to be able to see them as a child of GOD. Not just some other person. They are here on the earth just like me, and have the same purpose as me. And not everyone knows that so that is why I'm here. :) They are my brothers and sisters and they deserve the Gospel just as much as I do.
But the greatest miracle that we saw this week was Heavenly Father blessings us with meeting Alecia. Oh my life! She’s amazing. We had been praying and really trying to work hard this week to find new investigators. And so we were doing heaps of finding and just talking to everyone, and really didn't seem to be having much success. And the sad part is that I found my faith seeming to weaken because of it. But them I remembered a talk my sister had sent me by one of the 70, titled "But If Not." This talks all about having faith in Heavenly Father and relying on him to help us overcome trials and hardships in our lives. But most of the time it doesn't work out the way we want it too, but we still have faith in him anyways, because we know that he will only give us what is best for us. So I had the thought come to my mind, I know Heavenly Father can and will bless us with investigators, if we go out and do everything we can, but IF not at this time, then we will still have faith and work hard because we know it will come in the right time. So I really tried to continue having faith, and guess what happened? We literally had an investigator fall right onto our laps. One of the less actives in the area told her about the Church and she wanted to come along and check it out, so they came together. And he didn't know much, but from what he told her she wanted to come. So we were sitting in Relief Society and the Bishop's wife comes and gets us and tells us that there is a lady here who is investigating the Church and she wants to meet you. So of course we like run out there and we meet her. She literally is so prepared. Oh my goodnight! She told us a lot about herself and the hard things that have happened to her in her life, but she said she is still okay because of her faith. She still can keep going because of her belief in God. I was doing all I could to not shout for joy! haha :) Then she said that she had been reading the BOM with her kids already, she had already introduced them to it. And then she said that she had researched it online. And immediately I had a red flag go off, but then she said all the good things she found, like the Church’s website and all this stuff. It literally was incredible. She is so prepared. She has 3 little girls and she is planning on coming to church next week as well. She also wants to meet with us, so we are seeing her later today. After we left Church, I was so happy, and so happy that I almost wanted to cry. :) I was so grateful that Heavenly Father allowed us to meet her. I literally was so amazed that he answered my prayer so quickly and completely not in the way I expected, but it was the perfect way for it to happen. I absolutely love that. :) I'm so grateful to have a Heavenly Father watching out for us, guiding us and leading us to those who are prepared. It’s just like in Moroni 7: 29 "And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men." It was amazing. I literally love being a missionary. I love seeing the Gospel change lives, and I love that God is still preparing the hearts of people to receive our message.
Something I really tried to do this week as I was teaching was to testify. And something I tried to do even when we are finding. Because I feel like we meet lots of people all day long every day, and some of them have never met missionaries before. So it is a perfect opportunity for me to share my testimony. And most of the time they still aren't interested after that, but at least I did what I was supposed to do. I don't want to come home at the end of the day saying, I wish I would have spoken to that person, or I wish I would have said this. I want to be able to testify on the doorstep so there is no question that I know its true. I'm grateful for the example of the Savior in that manner. He always testified, he always taught with power and conviction so there never was a question that he believed what he taught.
I truly love this work. I can't believe that I am able to come and experience the wonderful gift of being a missionary. You literally are on the front lines of the Church trying to bring as many people as possible up the mountain into the rest of the Lord. I love it so much. And I'm not perfect and not everyone is interested, but if nothing else, my life has been completely changed because of it. And something I've learned greatly is that you never really appreciate the Gospel as much as you could unless you sacrifice for it. I have been trying to give everything I can to the Gospel and to my time serving, and I have never felt more love and appreciation for the Gospel in my life. I know that this Church is true with all of my heart. I love this work!
I love you all Heaps and Heaps
Have a wonderful week.
Sister Benjamin
Sister Benjamin
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