Week of miracles! (3/2 email)

Oh my goodness! I can't even put into words how blessed I feel! This week has been amazing! Sister Tolman and I have seen so many miracles :)

The week started off a bit rough... 2 days of waking up before 6 to get to places...  Sister Tolman failed her driving test and got head lice to top it all off! Our investigators weren't getting back to us and it was horrible! The bad luck didn't last very long, the rest of the week was full of miracles!

Sister Tolman and I were working in Sandbach for the day, and we decided to go round to see a Potential Investigator. We went round to the house (what we thought was the house) and a young boy answered the door... we asked if his parents were home and he said no, but that his sister was really interested in that kind of thing... so we met his sister... her name is Emily and she is amazing! She invited us in and said, "so..tell me all about your religion!" :O She's only 16! This kinda thing never happens! After we explained to her about the restoration and the Book of Mormon, she asks if she can buy one from us!! We laughed and said no... but you can have one for freeeee! haha! After we left, Sister Tolman and I were jumping up and down and hugging each other for joy. lol.

Ok, so here's the best bit. We set an appointment to see her 2 days later. I was on exchange with Sister Campbell, and we used the map to find her address. However, when we got to the right address I was soooo confused! It wasn't Emily's house! It was the right address of the pIace we had planned to go see, but not where Emily lived!! I started stressing out cos I had no idea where she lived then! We walked up and down the street but it wasn't any of those houses :/ So we said a prayer, and I felt that we had to go out to the main road and look for a sign to jog my memory. So we did, and I saw a sign that I recognised! It was the street across the road! So we ran all the way to Emily's house! She greets us at the door with her Book of Mormon in hand and a huge smile on her face! MIRACLE!!! she had read 3 chapters and had lots of questions. We are seeing her again tonight and I am beyond excited!!!

I don't have much time to go into detail about the other great things that happened this week, but I feel so blessed!! We have 13 investigators!!! (may need to drop some cos we haven't heard from them in a while, but I just never want to give up on people!!) 

We got to teach Besy, the Albanian lady who walked into church one Sunday, and it was sooo good! She really wants to believe the things we taught her, and will come to church soon :)

We taught Sasha again, and we watched the restoration video. The spirit was strong. We are making good progress with her! She is coming to church next week! She said her first prayer after that lesson and it was so sweet! Listening to investigators say their first prayer is one of the most spiritual things I've been a part of! Their prayers are so sincere and straight from the heart... I just love it!

Last night we took Zane to the missionary fireside. It was so good! The chapel was chockers! He really enjoyed it. We're unsure about what date he will be baptised. He still needs a testimony first, but his desire is strong, and I know he'll get there soon!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! It is the best thing in the whole world! In 'Preach My Gospel' it says at the beginning: "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among his children." And it is SO TRUE! I am so happy! You wanna know why? Cos this is the Lord's work! I am set appart as a representative of Jesus Christ, and I can feel the love that He has for all his children! It is overwhelming some times! It is exhausting! But somehow I still have the energy I need to get up and do it all again every day!

I love you all so much! Life is hard! But as we pray to God and ask for help, I PROMISE he will lift your burdens! I feel like the term "endure to the end" makes it seem like a huge horrible task, but it doesn't have to be! It should be called "enjoy to the end" cos that's what God wants us to do! "Men are that they might have joy!" So stop whatever you are worrying about and smile! Life is good!

xoxo Sister Riley