MIRACLES!!

God is good!! 

We've seen some amazing miracles this week. 

At the beginning of the week we both felt like something was missing. Like Heavenly Father wanted to bless us with miracles but there was something blocking us from receiving them. 

BUT THEN. the next few days happened. 

We continued praying and asking God for direction and to put us in positions where we would meet new people and see miracles. And He did!

On Tuesday we were doing service (gardening) and Marshall was there! He came up to us and told us that he wanted to get involved in our church and learn more. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he'd come to church on Sunday. He didn't end up coming which is SAD but. I have faith he'll come next week. 

On Wednesday we went to the beach and were getting some things done on our phones (calling a few people, Ed ap, etc) and then sonya walks up to us. She is the sweetest ever! She sat down on the bench we were sitting on and we just started talking. This was probably one of the sweetest moments ever. We got to know know and she shared some struggles she's been facing. Her grandma is about to pass away from covid. I felt impressed to share a quote with her, "So while we work and wait together for the answers to some of our prayers, I offer you my apostolic promise that they are heard and they are answered, though perhaps not at the time or in the way we wanted. But they are always answered at the time and in the way an omniscient and eternally compassionate parent should answer them. My beloved brothers and sisters, please understand that He who never sleeps nor slumbers cares for the happiness and ultimate exaltation of His children above all else that a divine being has to do. He is pure love, gloriously personified, and Merciful Father is His name." (Elder Holland) 

She started crying! We all cried haha. The spirit was so strong. And we're getting lunch with her on Tuesday! I know the Lord blesses us when we just love people as the Savior would. It was a normal and natural conversation that led to a discussion about the Gospel. Truly beautiful! Ya don't have to be a missionary to do it :) 

The day we met sonya, we were able to find 4 new friends to teach! And all of them were from being our and about and talking to as many people as we can. It was truly amazing. 

We had zone conference on Thursday which was POWERFUL as always! We talked about the temple. I'm I'm grateful for the temple and the peace I feel there. I've been studying up on the covenants I made there and it's been a blessing. As I've been on my mission, even though I can't physically attend a temple, I've felt like I'm inside one multiple times. I know God has blessed me to remember what it's like to be there. It's a sacred place!

OKAY. Here's another miracle I want to share with you all!! Seriously you gotta read this one. 

So, as you know, I had my cholesteatoma surgery last December. My surgeon let me come on my mission and said he'd do a second surgery when I get back, if it's even necessary. He was pretty confident he got all of the cholesteatoma out. (Which was the biggest miracle in the world. I know I'm supposed to be in MI!) 

And recently, I've had some issues with my ear. I noticed a couple months ago that even after using Flonase again, my hearing hasn't cleared up and I've felt like something moving around inside there. So I called my doctor, drove down to Detroit to get it checked out, and finally (after about a month) was able to get a CT scan last Monday. The doctor thinks there's fluid in my ear. If there's fluid, he'll put a tube in it and I'll be fine. If it's not fluid, then it might be the cholesteatoma regrowth and I'll need another surgery. So I've been praying hard this week. Results haven't come yet, but, this amazing miracle did!

In the midst of all that, my mom posted on a "missionary moms" Facebook group asking for prayers. She got a message from a lady who has a friend here in Traverse City! This friend, her name is Lisa, met with missionaries over 10 years ago. She's been reading the book of Mormon and watching general conference. And the lady that messaged my mom said she's been praying for years for a way to find the missionaries in Traverse City! And because she felt impressed to read my mom's post, she was able to reach out and get in contact with me and my companion. We're meeting with Lisa TOMORROW and I couldn't be more excited. CRAZY, HUH?! 

If that doesn't tell you that God's involved, I don't know what would. I've been wondering why I've had to deal with this ear medical stuff again. Now I know. If I didn't have to go to Detroit, didn't have to get a CT scan, didn't have to have the worry of possibly needing surgery and leaving my mission, then I never would have the opportunity to meet and teach Lisa about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I say that's worth it. I know that God gives us the struggles we face for a reason. And a lot of times, we never learn that reason. I feel beyond blessed that I get to experience my reason right now. I don't know how the lesson with Lisa will go, but I know that I'm going to give her everything I have! This Gospel blesses lives. It brings peace and heals souls as they turn to Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful God gave me the challenge of cholesteatoma so that Lisa could be found! 

I love the Lord and know He's involved in the details. I encourage you all to step back and look at the trials you're facing with an eternal perspective. Notice the blessings and little miracles God wil give you every day. It might be as simple as someone smiling at you, or a scripture making you happy. But I know that those things are from God and that He puts them in our path to help us through. 

Some of my new favorite verses: 

"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." (Alma 37:6-7) 

I'm so grateful for this Gospel. I love being a part of the Lord's work. I know it's His. He guides every step and works so that we meet the people we need in the timing we need them. He is there!! Pray, I promise He'll answer. He loves you! 

I love you all!!