What A Miracle

This has been one of the most amazing weeks on my mission! There is always just SO much that I NEVER know where to start! But first, transfers are this Wednesday and I'm leaving Northport! I'm sad because this area has been all that I've known on my mission. But I'm also excited because I know I need to be stretched. I'm ready for a change. You tend to get more comfortable as you stay in the same area. So I'm excited and ready to go! (If anyone was planning on mailing anything, wait until I get my new address. If I can I'll email it to y'all Wednesday, if not next Monday. If you send mail to Northport I won't get it for a long time.)

An ABSOLUTE MIRACLE of the week! On Tuesday we had Zone Training. It was one of the best meetings we've had yet (although they are all amazing). We set a baptismal goal of 14 for the whole zone! We talked about setting a goal each day of invitations to be baptized. We also are trying a new thing - Baptismal Calendars! When an investigator commits to a date to be baptized you make a calendar so that you can track their lessons with them and they can SEE their goal! Sister Williams and I were pumped! That night we had a planned to go to Dequalins game and also use it as a way of finding. (We met Marquilla and Jay-Jay and Marquilla's three kids - one being Dequalin - a few weeks ago and started teaching them). About 2 hours before we asked if we could do a short lesson after his game. We were really excited to teach the Plan of Salvation with them using visuals for the kids. She said no lesson because it would be too late by the time the game ended. Then not even an hour later she sent us a text that 'she read about the Book of Mormon and our faith and her faith were not the same, and she didn't want us to continue teaching their family. Then it said that she didn't want us to come to her sons game. Thanks, but not thanks.' ... Can I just say I HATE anti-mormon literature. It's so sad! And there are even churches out here that just straight up teach anti-mormon as their service. 

But anyway, Sister Williams and I being "smart ones" didn't have a backup plan for Marquilla's fam so we went to the apartment to check the area book really quick to pick out some former investigators teaching records. I picked out 2 and Sister Williams picked a teaching record with the name Tekiela. It said that she was very open and loved the lessons but there was no description of her being dropped. But we took two records that seemed to be in the same direction, got in the car and started driving. A VERY faint impression came that we go see Tekiela. We get there, she let us in, we teach her about the Book of Mormon, we ask her to be baptized and set a date for October 25th! She said YES! ... I'm STILL in awe of what happened. ... But that's not all! .. She was taught almost 2 years ago and the missionaries stopped going by because she couldn't commit to be baptized. She was raised by her grandmother. Her grandma was sick, and so she said she would be baptized if her grandmas passed away or if she herself moved out. She's 20 now, her grandmother passed away which kind of tore her family apart, but the Lord has SO prepared her! She has such a light in her eyes! She is really special! I just loved her instantly! Ronald from Fayette was baptized on Saturday, and Tekiela came. Afterwards she said, "I'm so ready!" Everyone was SO welcoming to her! I was so proud of our ward. The ward members make ALL the difference! I can't even say that enough. And then Friday we had interviews with the President and then afterward Sister Williams, Elder Thayer, and Elder Jensen (from Demopolis) and I made baptismal calendars. We showed Tekiela after the baptism Saturday and she was so excited!! She came to church on Sunday and next Sunday she will go to the new YSA Branch! We are going to do team teaching with Sister Leifson and Sister Millard (YSA Sisters) so she can be fellowshipped into the YSA Branch. 

What's so crazy is that having a GOAL and a VISION in mind makes ALL the difference. You have to know what you want and the Lord can make it happen! You can't just say Lord, show me, guide me, we have to do our part in knowing what we want to happen and He will make it happen in His own way! I love my Heavenly Father! ... Other missionaries have shared experiences like that, where they meet someone and 2 weeks later they are baptized. ... Well I can now say I have experienced that! I still am in shock! Is this really real?! And although we were so sad about Marquilla's family, the Lord provided a miracle. This is His work! We are just the tools and instruments and spreading it. ... Because I'm being transferred I WILL come back for the baptism! I just pray I'm not in a city too far away.

Sister Williams and I had great birthdays! It didn't feel like birthday's at all, except when we opened our presents. But Saturday morning all the Sisters came for pancakes and cake! I'm sad I don't have pictures this week because I forgot to bring my camera to the library, but next week there will be lots of pics from birthday's and transfers.

It was an incredible week! I loved what Sister Isaak said in Zone Training, something so simple but it pierced my heart. "This work is real!" This morning I just yelled to Sister Williams, "Everything about this gospel just makes SENSE!" Shoot! I love how everything really starts to connect the more I study and teach.

I love all y'all and each y'all!

Sister Reyne