I think there is something wrong with all the clocks here. Each day feels so long, but each week goes SO quickly. Someone should check on that. Let England know something is up.
BUT. This week we have had such beautiful weather!! I mean, it's England, so it's rained and been really windy and cold at times, but then ten minutes later it's magical. So as long as I utilize my selective memory it's been perfect.
Today has seriously been the coolest Pday ever. It's warm and sunny, and we went to City Centre with the Elders this morning. (In case you were wondering why my email was soooo late.) We explored the Birmingham Museum of something or other. And it was so cool! And then we ate lunch on the steps outside near a fountain. Awesome, eh? And now Pday is nearly over, and I'm just barely beginning to email you! Ahh!!!!!
But this week has been a week of miracles. We taught OT a couple of times this week. One thing we were nervous about teaching was tithing. I mean, come on. It's hard for people to LITERALLY put their trust in the Lord and pay it. Right as we were about to teach it, I felt inspired to ask “OT, what do you know about the Law of Tithing?”
And guess what he said.
You'll never guess.
So I'll just tell you.
“I can tell you that I'd never be where I am now, except for the blessings that have come into my life for paying tithing.”
Remember how often Ammon fell down in the scriptures?
Yeah. I finally understood how that works.
OT PAYS TITHING. Whoa. And so we taught the lesson. And then he taught us. OT's work is paying for his master's degree, including housing and food allowance and travel expenses. He said it worked out to about £30000. And he paid tithing on his scholarship, and feels that empowered him for his schooling and being away from his family.
We taught him again, and the million dollar question came up. Why do I need to be rebaptized? I'm already living the way you say I should. I was already baptized.
So, we explained priesthood authority. For about the fourth time. Understanding the priesthood is so difficult for investigators, but if they come to understand it, everything becomes so cleaer.
I showed him Dad's line of authority card, and suddenly the room was so tense. I think I may have had a heart attack.
Then the member in our lesson said the most beautiful, wonderful thing that has ever been said. “OT, it's not just about the symbolism. If it had just been a symbol of being reborn in Christ, Christ would have had anyone baptize him. But He went to John the Baptist. Because to make the covenant, we can't just have a symbol. We must have the power to bind on earth and in heaven.”
And there was dead silence.
And my heart stopped beating.
And then OT said “I finish my finals on Friday. When can I be baptized after that?”
Again. Ammon moment of me nearly on the floor.
(What ALSO blew my mind. We were chatting after the lesson. And OT shared that he had been a deacon in his previous church!!!! But he said he never knew anyone who could trace their authority to act back to Christ, so he knew this was were he needed to be.)
And our other miracle this week. We stopped this lady named Jeannette on the street. She was super....evangelical. She let us set up an appointment with her, but we were nervous about what to say and how she'd receive our message.
And then we started to teach her. I have only felt the Spirit so strongly about three other times in my life. I'm pretty sure the room was either on fire or filled with angels. I've never felt so empowered by the Lord. When we talked about the restoration, she said “I've been waiting for my whole life. I've searched everywhere. I've known I was missing something. I've never known what it could be.” And I said: “Jeannette, I have been called and set apart to be a representative of Jesus Christ. And as His representative, I can promise you that THIS is what you've been waiting for. THIS is what has had you searching.”
She said that she had been waiting her whole life for someone to share what we had. When we gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon, she held it so gently and so reverently.
And then she came to church. She LOVED it. She feels her calling in life is that of an exhorter, so she loved how much teaching went on. She went to Relief Society and then Sunday School, and she was almost floating. And about three minutes into fast and testimony meeting, she heads up to the pulpit.
Again, cue my heart stopping.
Within about two sentences, she had the ENTIRE ward dead silent (And Harborne is like 220 active members, and lots of children. Silent never has happened before.) She bore her testimony that she had been hungering and thirsting her whole life, and for the first time, she felt filled. That she was totally overwhelmed by the love of God and the worship of the Savior that she felt. That she could not wait to become a part of it.
Again, cue the Ammon moment.
After my whole week of nearly falling on the floor, I can just say that I am EXACTLY where the Lord can best use me as a missionary. You cannot convince me that the missionary program of the church is uninspired. You cannot convince me that we are not lead by someone who again holds the true priesthood authority.
I hope you have an incredible week!
TALK TO YOU IN.... 6 days! :)
Miranda
Sister Miller
Oh. And the picture is my companion and I at City Centre today. :D
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