Be willing and ready!

January 6, 2014

There have been so many miracles this past week!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!! 

So we were in Pep Boys getting our breaks changed. They had been squeaking. Elder Collins (who is in charge of the cars) insisted that it couldn't wait. And I know that that decision was inspired by the Spirit! As soon as we walked into the waiting room there was a man who told us he had put that Book of Mormon and Restoration pamphlet onto the table. And he's not even a memeber! He knows the Book of Mormon is true, and then we asked him why he wasn't baptized yet! He said he would tell us later, so we have an appointment with him this coming week. He was a really nice man and definitely understands how excited we should ALL be about missionary work!!! 

Last night (Sunday) we were going to check on a less active family. Sister Nowels was driving, and thought that she could turn on a particular street to get to where we wanted to go (well no, but the Lord knew why we needed to turn there!!!). We turned onto a street that Sister Randquist and I have already been on before!!! We had only knocked on 3 houses though.  As soon as she started turning onto the street I knew that we needed to tract there!!! And so we checked on someone that we had taught once. She wasn't home so we tracted the rest of the street. It was amazing! We handed out 3 Books of Mormon!!  One was to a man who wants us to come back! He said he wants to be better! Another was to a man who said that he was a religious studies major, but did not have a Book of Mormon. He said would read it, and we read him Moroni's promise. Then the last house we went to was another miracle. We knocked on the door and this man said that his roommate downstairs was Mormon!!! We gave him a Book of Mormon and told him to go show his roommate what he had just received! And we can't wait to get in contact with the singles ward sisters to see if they can follow up on it!! As we were about to get into the car, a car pulled into the driveway of the house we were parked in front of. Here's a little background story to this house:  Our ward mission leader had asked us to check on a recent convert, whose records had just moved to that house. This house has always had a for sale sign on it. We haven't ever seen anyone in the past, so this was a miracle that someone was here!! The lady that we were talking to was so nice and sweet! We found out that her husband had passed away. We testified of the Book of Mormon and how much peace it would bring to her life. Mind you, we had given out all of our English Books of Mormons. Well, she was Hispanic, and we had one Spanish Book of Mormon in the car!! She was so touched when we gave her the Book of Mormon! We can't wait to tell the Hermanas about her! And then as soon as we walked away and got in the car, she was getting in her car as well. She wasn't even there for very long! I know that we were meant to talk to her. And we also met an Indian man and told him about the English classes that we have. He said he would be interested in coming!!! All of that happened within an hour! The Lord truly put us where we needed to be! It was an amazing night filled with so many miracles and tender mercies!! That is a testament to me that the Lord is in charge. We just need to be willing to be humble and follow the Spirit. Just have confidence and move forward!! It was wonderful!!

Oh and earlier that afternoon we decided to stop and talk to a man that was outside on his smoke break. He was really nice and just sincerely told us that all he needed right now was a job. And we gave him the number for the Senior Sister missionaries who deal with empolyment. He was so appreciative. I just felt that we were there just for that reason :) 

And at one point we had thought about not teaching a lot of our investigators. As soon as we though about that, a few of them started to contact us again and want to meet with us! It's amazing how this is truly the Lord's work and he won't let us mess it up! :) 

We are teaching one of Bishop's friends. She is so sweet, funny and wonderful! She loves to read, but couldn't read the Book of Mormon that we had given her because it was too small. So when she had some time at the office, she would read the Book of Mormon. She only got to the intoduction and the testimony of the three and eight witnesses but loved it!!  And since she couldn't read any more of the BOok of Mormon, she said that she read the pamphlet 4 times over...and learned something new from it every time! I told her, "Well then you will LOVE the Book of Mormon!"  Her love for learning is contagious! It helped renew my love for learning. She also said that something she loved that we taught was that we can ask for truth from God. I love that about the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well! If we have any question or concern, just ask!! I know Heavenly Father will answer us. Now how he answers is a little more complicated, but I love how he answers us all so personally!! That means he loves us so much!!!

So all in all this week was amazing! And as I look back on it, I just realize that a lot of the miracles happened because I was willing to work and I put myself out there. Heavenly Father placed people in our path. We just talked to them, found out their need, and helped them the best we could! And I know that the love that they felt helped so much as well!!! 

That is all the Lord asks of us...to be willing and ready! To use our unique talents and abilities to serve others!  "... see that ye serve him with ALL your heart, might, mind and strength." (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2)

I love you all!!! Keep on being amazing! Keep on serving where you are...the Lord has you there for a reason (even if we don't know)!!!!!

Love,

Sister Udall