Motorcycle mufflers and more miracles!

Wow I cannot believe another week has gone by. Missions are hard but full of miracles. I am glad to hear you are all doing well! And I cannot believe school has already started again...that is just crazy, crazy. Praying for you all!!!

Miracles:

Calvin Kong (Hung) is incredible everyone. I cannot say it enough! We taught him the Word of Wisdom this week and he committed to live it 100%. We asked him to say the closing prayer of our lesson and he spoke so sincerely to our Heavenly Father saying he was sorry for drinking coffee and grateful that the Lord cared about him enough to give him  rules to make him healthy and strong. He is so ready..it is amazing.

Then we ended up teaching his friend Frenzy this week and Calvin was present for it! He started explaining things and bearing testimony and it was just so powerful! He has such a desire to come closer to Christ and help others do the same! He could be a missionary tomorrow...I kid you not.

Also Phoebe and Tim's son Kenneth agreed to start taking the lessons! He still lives at home and he is like in his 40's, but he is such a kind guy! We taught him the Restoration and Phoebe and Tim were all over it...bearing testimony left and right! It was so powerful! We asked him how he felt at the baptism and he said "I have really great parents." Any my heart about melted. YES YOU DO KENNETH! YES YOU DO! So keep him in your prayers. He's been reading the Book of Mormon and highlighting it like crazy lately...so we will see!

Ok other miracles this week...

Rosa is one of our investigators and we have been teaching her for a little bit but she has not been super progressive. This week we ended up taking a member with us and just starting over with the Restoration. We taught her the Restoration but focused all of it on eternal families and how because of the Priesthood we can be sealed to those we love forever. Sister Toronto (the member we brought) bore a powerful testimony and Rosa's entire countenance changed! She could not believe we could be married for time and all eternity and she was so excited about it! So pray that her heart will continue to change!

Also we were waddling along one evening and we decided to talk to this lady in her driveway. Her name was Katherine. We originally asked her for a referral and she referred us to herself. We sat on her porch and took turns teaching her and entertaining her three spunky daughters. She ended up telling us she had a just made a Mormon friend and he had explained to her how much the church had helped his family. So she had started to think about finding a church! Well BAM! We showed up, being led by the Lord, and she accepted baptism. She kept saying she knew that the Lord was gonna touch her through our message, but she didn't know how. She thought she would get emotional...but in the end she said she just felt overwhelmingly happy and relieved. Sheer joy! The spirit was so strong. I cannot wait to see what blessings come to her and her family as she journeys to come closer to Christ and hear more about the gospel. Keep her in you prayers as well!

Funnies:

We went to this thing called the Big Red Welcome last night and holy smokes I never want to go back to college. SO weird. We were right outside the stadium talking to as many college students as we could about the church and about the singles ward. People thought we were so strange, and way overly excited! But we did not care...these humans need the gospel! Anyway...long story short college kids are intimidating. So we were using all these tactics to try and get a conversation started and it was just a blast. Well I was talking to this one girl about glasses and all of the sudden I heard myself say, "One time a little girl told me I looked ugly in glasses (true story..it happened at church yesterday...haha) but it's ok because I have Jesus Christ." WOW. #desperatemissionarymove But it worked and we left her with a card and a Book of Mormon!

Also the other day Calvin came out of his house dressed in a pinstripe Yankees snapback, adidas, a red and black Michael Jordan t-shirt, and some bright red and black nike basketball shorts. We told him we liked his sudden change of style and his whole face lit up! "Really?! I am trying to look American dang it." Haha it was quite funny.

Oh! Yesterday this motorcycle's muffler went out on the highway right next to where we were parked and Sister Smith went all Mama Bear and grabbed me and was like "get in the car!" I started laughing SO hard and she got so mad....then I explained it was just a motorcycle muffler...not gun shots.

Spiritual thought:

Alma 10:5 - I came upon this verse in my studies the other day and it really got me thinking. "I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never HAD known much of these things: but behold, I mistake, for I HAVE seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people." I think so often we get caught up in daily life and we forget about God and we get held up on the little things and the little details of existence. However, when we take a minute to reflect on what we have become, on how we have grown, on what miracles have been wrought in our life, and on how many blessings we have...then it is impossible not see the hand of the Lord! We are all so blessed in so many ways...and the Lord has preserved the people of his church...he has prospered us, and his work is moving forward! What hope that brings! So I challenge all of you to take a minute and look for the miracles you have seen...you know of the mysteries of the Lord and you have seen his marvelous power throughout your own life. Do not ever forget that!

LOVE YOU ALL SO, SO MUCH!

Oh and this cute Less Active couple in our ward made me a cake because they felt bad I wouldn't be spending my birthday in Lincoln...HOW CUTE IS THAT?! They were so excited and saved up so much money just to make me a simple cake. It's crazy how wonderful people are...and how blessed I am to be here!