Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Little Miracles and Big Storms

This week was full of little things that made a huge difference.  I'll explain quickly a few of the stories that came from this week that have helped me to realize that this truly is the Lord's Work.

Miracle #1
I was on exchanges with Elder Blanck again and this time we were working in their area.   The 2nd Ward was/is struggling.  Their investigator pool is almost down to zero and while I was on exchanges with Elder Blanck I was hoping and praying that we could change that.  One problem kept coming up: Elder Blanck hates knocking doors.  One thing I've learned from my mission so far is that if you knock 100 doors, you'll find at least 1 person ready for the Gospel.  So being a sneaky little bugger, I somehow managed to convince Elder Blanck that we should walk to the potentials houses and talk to people on the way.  So we walked and walked and walked and walked (like Pioneer Children) and the potential that we walked to wasn't home.  So I got to choose the next one and I chose the one furthest away.  While we were knocking we looked at our watches and realized we had 15 more minutes until we had to head home so we decided we weren't going to make it to the Potential's in time and we could knock 4 more doors until we were done.  We then said a prayer right there on the side of the road and asked our Father in Heaven to help us find someone prepared for the Gospel in these next 4 houses.  Elder Blanck chose 2 houses where we were and I chose 1.  Both of Elder Blanck's choices were Hispanic (The kid is like a Spanish bloodhound.  I need to take him in our area) and the one I chose wasn't home.  So we started walking.  Along the way, both of us just got really quiet and stopped walking.  I still don't know why.  But we looked to our left and saw a house and knew we needed to knock it.  So we did.  An older lady named Billie answered the door and said that she'd just been thinking about how her whole life she'd been taught that she needs to love Christ with all her heart and she wanted to know how that love plays in with the love that she has for her family.  Our message has EVERYTHING to do with Christ and Families!  She loved that idea!  She then quickly asked us to come back later in the week so she could learn more!   
Lesson learned: The Lord answers our specific prayers if we have faith to recieve the answers.

Miracle #2
Elder Shipley and I had an awesome lesson set up with Jaime and Araceli.  We were planning to watch the Restoration video with them and help them to understand the story of Joseph Smith better.  Multiple times Elder Shipley asked me if I had the movie in my backpack. Every time he asked I just said, "I've always got it.  Don't worry."  We show up to the appointment, I open my backpack to pull it out.... and it wasn't there.  "Well there goes that plan." I thought.  After a few awkward seconds of me looking through my backpack to find nothing, We decided to just talk about the Restoration rather than watch the 20 minute movie.  While Elder Shipley was talking, I got the impression to look at their movies that they had.  What I saw was in between 5 rated-R movies was The Restoration!  I couldn't believe it!  I walked up, grabbed the movie, they popped it in, and we had an amazing lesson with them.  They felt the Spirit, were asking inspired questions, and really came to understand who Joseph Smith was and what happened to him.  I'm thankful that Lord always prepares a way.  I have no idea how that movie got there but I'm so very thankful that it was.  That lesson wouldn't have been the same.   
Lesson Learned: The Lord will prepare a way.

Big Storm #1
This week was pretty much just a fun way of saying, "Welcome to Iowa Tornado Season!"  Saturday night while on exchanges with Elder Pulver (ZL) a big ol' storm came rolling through, and Elder Pulver started to get worried.  I thought it was just a normal, heavy, Iowan rainstorm until I looked up at saw giant swirling green clouds.  Apparently thats a good sign for a tornado.... After getting absolutely soaked with rain we ran back to our house and tried to wait it out.  We ended up just calling it a night an hour early and sat there watching the rain.  No tornado touched down in Sioux but one of the neighboring cities called Wayne got hit.  No huge damage from what I hear.  This should be a fun summer!
2 Soaked Missionaries
Green clouds in the Storm

Thats all from this week!  I love you!  Have a greet week!
Love
Elder Zack



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