Contrary to popular belief...Mac N' Cheese does expire.

Ahh it is so good to hear from everyone! I am amazed at how y'all are seeing the miracles in your lives and I am so grateful that I get to share the miracles I see with you! 

Miracles: 

So this week almost all of our appointments fell through...which was rough...but it gave us the opportunity to go finding, which I LOVE! We've been praying so fervently to find a prepared family and the Lord has answered those prayers! We were driving to see a potential and saw this couple walking (mind you it was dumping rain) so I pulled over as fast as I could and we jumped out of the car and raced after them. Well, the lady was NOT havin' it, so she said a few choice words and off they went into the dumping rain. BUT such is missionary work...haha so we girded up our loins, fresh courage take, and knocked on a nearby door. A man answered and we immediately asked him what it would mean to him if he knew that his family could be together forever. He looked at us for a moment, ran inside to take his steak off the grill, then came back and asked us what we meant. He explained to us that his wife was pregnant with his first child and that his family sure meant a lot to him, and he wanted to know what we were teaching. He invited us to come back and teach him and his wife together...and we are going back tonight! It was a total miracle. 

Also we have been teaching this islander from Pompeii who's boyfriend is a less active member of our ward. Her name is Pueleen and she has two children.  This week we went over and showed her the 1st vision DVD and the spirit was so strong. She absolutely loved it and asked us if she could keep the video! Haha so of course we gave it to her. After we testified and finished the lesson she told us that she had been talking to her boyfriend and that they had made the decision...THEY WANT TO GET MARRIED! And she wants to be baptized right away!!! Oh my goodness! I literally did not have words. Bishop is coming with us on Wednesday to meet with them and to get it all squared away. I cannot wait! 

Funnies: 

Elder Fallabella from the 70 came to address us this week and it was absolutely INCREDIBLE! Anyway, I got to speak with him and his wife for a moment and of course I took the opportunity to practice a little Espanol! For a minute they were both quite impressed, then I said something and they all of the sudden busted up laughing. so apparently I need some more practice....haha maybe someday I will be bilingual! But all that aside they are the two coolest people I have ever met! 

Also we skipped dinner the other night and so I was making some late night mac n cheese because I was real hungry. (By late night I mean 9:35 p.m.) Anyway, I had just shoveled in a delicious cheesy spoonful when sweet Sister Rook showed me the expiration date on the box. Yeah...2008. I'm sure you can imagine what happened next, expired cheesy goodness all over everywhere! I didn't even know those things expired!!! Anyway, I spent my "getting ready for bed time" cleaning up cheese off the wall. 

Side note - Sister Rook is the sweetest thing ever. And I love her. SO MUCH! Our first P-day together we went to the grocery store together and she challenged me to eating an entire loaf of french bread, which I gladly accepted. I think we will be great friends.  

Spiritual thought:

Today I was reading in Alma chapter 33 about Zenos and how merciful the Lord had been unto him. In verse 11 Zenos cries unto the Lord in gratitude testifying that he knew his prayers were heard because of his afflictions and his sincerity, but above all else his prayers were answered because the Son of God had been merciful unto him...and unto all of the children of God. The spirit witnessed to me that my prayers here in Chalco Hills have been answered because I have been obedient and sincere, yes, but above all else because our Savior lives, and because he performed the Atonement for each of us. Sometimes people claim that miracles cease to exist today, but I can testify that miracles occur every day. A miracle is defined as a divine manifestation of spiritual power, and the Lord manifests His power in so many ways. I see his hand in my life, and I see it in the lives of all those around me. He knows us. He cares about us. He assists us. And He lives for us. In reading this verse this morning I was reminded of the power of the Atonement and of something I already knew, something so powerfully simple, and so crucially important...My Redeemer lives. 

LOVE YOU ALL! 

Sister Bengtzen