Transfer calls were this Saturday and it turns out I'm
staying in Nanaimo!!!! I couldn't be happier! I love it here so much!
I'll sadly be saying goodbye to sister Yraguen who will be transferring
to Surrey! I've loved being companions with her! I'm also excited for my
new companion, Sister Bawden! She was in Courtaney last transfer so
I've already been on a couple exchanges with her and she's awesome!
As
always, it's been a great week! I love being a missionary so much.
We've been meeting so many amazing people lately. A couple of days ago
we met a man who moved from China 2 years ago. He was excited to see us
and said he's been wanting to learn more about Christ so he's been
trying to study the bible. We told him about the Book of Mormon and he
got really excited. He wasn't raised with a Christian background so he
was wanting any opportunity he could find to learn more about Christ. We
set a return appointment for Sunday night and brought a member with us
so we could go inside his home and teach him. When we got to his house
on Sunday night he wanted to walk to the Tim Hortons across the street
and have the lesson there since his house was a little messy. However it
was Sunday we didn't know how we felt about having a lesson in a Tim
Hortons. We remembered that a member of our ward lived a couple of
houses down so we gave them a quick call and asked if we could bring him
over and have the lesson in their home. They readily agreed and we ran
over to their house. It was pouring rain as we knocked on their door, so
it was quite dramatic. They let us in and quickly set up some chairs.
We had a powerful lesson about prayer and how to receive answers from
God. All 3 of the members who were there added to the conversation and
the spirit was so strong. At the end of the lesson the man said that he
had heard of some Christian people in China and had gotten to talk with
them a little before he moved here. He said that talking with them led
him to finding us. It really made me think about how God is truly
preparing His people to hear His gospel. Even people who otherwise would
not be able to.
I am so grateful to those
members who spontaneously opened their home to us and our friend. It was
so kind and I really admire how willing they were to help us and
participate. It really shows me that if we put the Lord first,
everything that matters will fall into place. I want to be someone who
is willing and ready to respond to the promptings of the spirit as
quickly as possible. There is nothing better than being the answer to
someone else's prayer.
Speaking of which, we
experienced another miracle that really showed me just how much God does
listen to our prayers. On Saturday afternoon we had a lesson with
another new person we had just met. The lesson went pretty well. As we
were driving away we passed the house where a less-active member of the
church lives with his daughter who is not a member. The ward council
asked us to find a way to contact them. We had stopped by before but
they hadn't ever been home. Randomly I pulled the car over and we
decided to try and see if they were home. We walked up to the house and
the front door was already open. We knocked on the door and this lady
came and invited us in. It turns out she is the man's mom and was just
visiting for the week. We had an amazing visit with the three of them
and set up a time to come back. As we were leaving the lady walked us to
our car and told us how her son and grand daughter were going through a
really hard time. She didn't want to push the church on them but had
been praying that we would stop by. She thanked us for being an answer
to her prayer. It was a miracle.
Honestly we saw so many miracles this week I could write a book about it.
I
love serving in Nanaimo so much! I am so grateful for the gospel. It's
what motivates me to be here. I know that because of Jesus Christ, I can
overcome and accomplish anything He desires me to. I think most of the
time we don't realize the full power of prayer and faith. Sometimes it's
easy to just say a prayer without thinking about it. But in reality
we're not just randomly talking to no one. We're literately talking to
God, the most powerful, perfect, and loving being in the universe. And
He listens to us! Not to mention He has given us the gift of the Holy
Ghost! I don't think we realize the gravity of that statement! He has
given us a power that is beyond ourselves to accomplish things we
couldn't otherwise do on our own. Moroni 7:33 says "and Christ hath
said: If ye will have faith in my ye shall have power to do whatsoever
thing is expedient in me." Whatsoever thing means whatsoever thing!
That's anything! We can actually receive answers to our prayers! And
better yet, we can actually be the answer to someone else's prayer. I
don't think there's anything more rewarding.
Have a great week everyone and don't forget the divine reality of who you really are.
Sister Bloomfield
