Side notes I love:
1. My Welsh ward mission leader and I performed in Sacrament meeting. I accompanied on the piano and in the middle of the song, a sheet of music fell down. I have never dove to the ground faster in my life. Somehow, the song didn't completely fall a part...most people didn't actually notice. And to make it even funnier, one of our investigators, Anne, clapped as the song ended. Thank goodness she is a spitfire and doesn't care that she clapped alone. I love that woman. All the members LOVED that she clapped and somehow that one moment helped break the ice with everyone. Anne is the ward's new best friend. Hallelujah.
1. My Welsh ward mission leader and I performed in Sacrament meeting. I accompanied on the piano and in the middle of the song, a sheet of music fell down. I have never dove to the ground faster in my life. Somehow, the song didn't completely fall a part...most people didn't actually notice. And to make it even funnier, one of our investigators, Anne, clapped as the song ended. Thank goodness she is a spitfire and doesn't care that she clapped alone. I love that woman. All the members LOVED that she clapped and somehow that one moment helped break the ice with everyone. Anne is the ward's new best friend. Hallelujah.
2. My darling dad sent me flowers on my birthday (aka July 1st). Those flowers arrived on the 23rd. The woman in the apartment office was very upset for us and ready to call FedEx to complain. Sister Ashcraft and I were giggling too hard to even care. The smell coming from that box was strangely hilarious and the woman kept holding them.
3. I didn't know how much I had missed mashed potatoes. I don't know how the South missed the memo, but apparently their equivalent is mac and cheese. This week we were fed mashed potatoes twice, and I felt so at home. I'm pretty sure this cute recent convert family that feeds us every Wednesday is going to feed us mashed potatoes now for the rest of time because I got so excited about them. I didn't even realize I like mashed potatoes that much.
Miracle Notes that I LOVE even more:
1. A man, named Fred, that we've been teaching for quite a while now (husband of a member-Pat) finally set a baptismal date. I've never met a man with so many questions in my life. I'm still stunned that he agreed to a set date, and though the date is NOT solid, he still is finally working toward something and is opening his heart little by little to this actually being the fullness of the gospel. Fred and Pat feel like my grandparents here in Mandarin. They are this darling couple in their 70s that just got married in May. Love 'em.
2. Anne and Sean (also people we've been teaching for AGES) clicked with a recent convert family we brought over to their lesson. And because of that incredible relationship, Anne and Sean came to church this Sunday. There really are two parts to conversion-the social (hello members-that's you) and the spiritual (hello missionaries-that's me). The desire they have now to read the Book of Mormon, come to church, take the lessons, and learn more is awe-inspiring. I can't tell you what kind of answer to prayer members in lessons really are.
3. I learned a BIG lesson this week that I somehow wish I could imprint on my mind and heart forever and not forget it. This past transfer my area that I've been serving in has been struggling a bit. Sister Ashcraft and I would go to other areas, serve there and see incredible miracles, and then come back to our own and see things fall a part. It was throwing me off my groove. Then, come emails last Monday, an old companion of mine sent me a CES devotional talk to read from Elder Bednar called "That We Might Not Shrink." It was the perfect answer to my fears and prayers. All my mission, especially since January, I've been learning all about faith in miracles-incredible miracles. From the Facebook Event with #discoverthebook to the Starlings being baptized. But at some point, I need to have faith in God's will, even when His will is NOT to have those miracles. It doesn't mean He can't perform them, it just means they aren't part of His plan. It really helped me to pause and ponder my faith. Do I have the faith to continue pressing forward if those miracle baptisms don't happen this month? Do you have the faith to press forward and choose the right if something you've been praying for doesn't happen? I'd like to say my lesson has been learned, but I'm still in the midst of learning it. All I can say is that God has perfect timing. Even in the midst of trials, tender mercies surround me more than I can ever adequately email about (1 Nephi 1:20).
I love you all. I love the Lord. And I LOVE this work. Oh and by the way, a new facebook event is coming up on Called to Share! We'll be releasing it on Wednesday. I'M SO EXCITED FOR "I FOLLOW HIM." Join us in spreading WHY you follow your Savior. I'll be bullying y'all more individually next week through email. Happy Monday!
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