Hey everyone! My time to write this week is especially short because we are going up to the Perry fair today!!! YAY :D It's just like a state fair. I'll send pictures next week. When something big happens, and it's on a Monday, we have to go to it :) Cochran and the beauty of a little town.
Anyways, this week I wanted to make sure I was able to share a really neat story. On Saturday night, we had a few appointments we were headed to, but they were all falling through. People couldn't meet, weren't home, etc. So 8:00 rolled around and it's super dark here by 8. When it gets dark, people in Georgia typically don't want to talk and many of them even go to bed. Kind of a tricky time for mission work. Well, one of our back up plans was to visit a lady who lived in an apartment complex near our house (well apartment). We also had planned to try and meet her neighbor (a young mom of a little boy who had often been outside when we were visiting our investigator) who we kept trying to talk to before this night but it had never worked out. Things just didn't line up right, or it was awkward, etc.
Anyways, this week I wanted to make sure I was able to share a really neat story. On Saturday night, we had a few appointments we were headed to, but they were all falling through. People couldn't meet, weren't home, etc. So 8:00 rolled around and it's super dark here by 8. When it gets dark, people in Georgia typically don't want to talk and many of them even go to bed. Kind of a tricky time for mission work. Well, one of our back up plans was to visit a lady who lived in an apartment complex near our house (well apartment). We also had planned to try and meet her neighbor (a young mom of a little boy who had often been outside when we were visiting our investigator) who we kept trying to talk to before this night but it had never worked out. Things just didn't line up right, or it was awkward, etc.
Well, we drove up and noticed that this young mom was sitting on the curb in front of their house talking with a man. Well, we parked by our investigator's house and realized we needed to go meet the young woman. We walked up to them, somewhat discouraged from the disappointing evening, and I began to introduce ourselves..something I have done hundreds of times..but the words weren't coming to my mouth the same way. Instead of a confident introduction, it was a more humble, softly spoken statement where I basically said, "We are missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. We have a really important message that we would love to share with you if.."and then I sort of trailed off because they kept looking back and forth between each other. Fully expecting the young man (who was covered in tattoos with a big chain across his pockets, and a cigarette in hand) to tell me they were in the middle of an important conversation and that we should come back later, he instead stood up to face us. The young woman followed, and he said, "My mother passed away 23 years ago to this day. I miss her dearly. I feel that she has sent you here to me today, and so yes. I would love to hear whatever it is you have to share. Would you like to come inside?" Woah. The way he spoke was filled with such sincerely and with his whole heart. You could feel that the spirit was testifying so strongly to him.
For the next hour he told us his life story. His mother, his first marriage, his second marriage, his wonderful kids, his hardships, his weaknesses, everything. We did nothing but simply listen. At the end he thanked us for listening and for following the prompting we had to come. He said he was warm all over. He said that he KNEW his mother sent us to him. We exchanged numbers and they invited us to come back any time. He told us of a friend that he felt we needed to go see. He said "I don't know why I just said that...but I suppose I was supposed to. He must need you as well." We were stunned by the experience. Looking back at it, that evening lined up perfectly so that we drove up right as he got home from a hard day, and sat down to discuss his inner turmoil with his wife.
I pray so, so intently that they will both keep this strong desire to hear our message of the restored gospel and how it can bless their lives. I know it can and I know it will. I love the truth we are fortunate enough to have. May God bless all of you! Look for His hand in your life everyday because I assure you it is there.
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