When Life(or missionary life) Throws You a Curve Ball

This week was nothing at all like what I expected. At the beginning of the week, we had 14 lessons planned. We also had joint teaches for most, if not all of them. Then everyone started cancelling. EVERYONE. We didn't end up meeting with 5 of our baptismal dates the entire week. It was really strange and unexpected. When everything was being cancelled, Sister Spencer and I began to be very frustrated and doubtful. How are we supposed to baptize 6 people and see a miracle if they don't meet with us? But then the answer came. We realized that the real miracles happen when it appears like it isn't going to happen. We had been so blessed with everything working out that we began to expect that and not really appreciate the miracles. We both realized though that when the 28th of June comes and these people are baptized that will be the true miracle because right now, we aren't entirely sure how we are going to make it happen.

I also learned this week that the Lord works in mysterious ways. Because we didn't have any of those appointments, we went and looked up people that we wouldn't have otherwise. We found potential investigators that we were truly prepared. Yesterday, we were contacting in the Centrum and there was this man sitting on a bench. He said before we came and talked to him, he was thinking about what he needed to do with his life. He was trying to decide if he should go to church or not. He said he had also been praying to know what God wanted him to do. He said it was no coincidence that we were there talking to him at that precise moment. It was as if the Lord was showing him the way. It was incredible!! We weren't even supposed to be contacting in the Centrum but one of our appointments had fallen through. What appeared to be an annoyance, turned into the Lord answering a man's prayer. We also met with a few of our potentials this week. I had forgotten how amazing they were. They are excited to meet with us in a few weeks when school gets out. Oh there are golden people everywhere!! We met with a few of our inactive members and it went really well. One of them was baptized 20 years ago and really hasn't been to church since. She has forgotten everything. She is searching so much right now and we love meeting with her!! She is making a lot of progress!!

I had a really neat experience this week. We went to one of our inactive members and she always has all of these excuses as to why she won't come to church. We were talking to her about Temple's and how we can prepare ourselves to go there. Anyways, I asked her why people don't come to church. She said that it was because it wasn't the right time. The spirit came over me a in a way I have never felt before. I knew that I was supposed to tell her that there is never a "right time" to come to church. If the Lord commands something, there is never a right time. He doesn't wait for us to change to make a commandment. The commandment is always there, we just have to decide to follow it. I was very bold and honestly surprised myself with what I said. My Dutch made perfect since and I spoke with power. I remember thinking, I don't want to say that. But I followed the spirit and told her that she needed to work out things with God and come to church because that is where she needs to be. After I finished talking, the power that had been literally guiding me left. It was an incredible feeling to know I was following the spirit. Being a missionary is an incredible blessing because you are promised that you will speak by the power of the spirit. I love being able to following the spirit.

This coming week is crunch time. We have two weeks to get the 6 prepared and ready for interviews and baptism! I know that though adversity may come that the 28th of June will happen and 6 people will be brought into the fold of God!! I can't wait to see what this week holds and to share it with all of you!!

Geloof in de handelingen van God!

Zuster Adams