This has been an awesome week! We picked up a new investigator and I am so excited to start teaching him because he actually prayed about Joseph Smith and his 1st vision and he feels good about it. Elder Collier and I have re invented tracting and are planning out where we are going each day. Every day something good happens to move the work forward. I am so grateful for all of the prayers and I am grateful that God is granting them. We had a really neat experience this week!
Every missionaries dream is to have 100% certainty that promptings are from God and not just personal thoughts. I am a firm believer that if God wants us somewhere he will get us there somehow if we have a desire to be an instrument in his hands. A couple weeks ago, we tried to contact a former investigator. After knocking on his door we walked back to the car to go to our next place. When we went to get into the car, the key to our car stopped working. We only have a fob because our car is a push start. After repeatedly pushing the unlock button we decided that we should just start tracking because there was nothing else to do. Soon after we started, a member drove by and hopped out of his car to talk to us. He bore such a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ and his second coming. Each of us were edified and filled with hope and faith in Christ. After about 10 min we had to go. When we walked back to the car it quickly unlocked.
Another time the car locked again, and we started walking to see if we could talk to anyone. We didn't see anyone. From an initial perspective this event seemed like a waste of time because nothing came of the car locking.
Another time the car locked late at night. We immediately looked around us to see if there was anyone we could talk to hoping that God needed us there at that moment. We saw someone so we began to walk to them. They saw us and ran inside and closed the garage. A little discouraged we tried unlocking the car but it was still off limits. As we walked through the neighborhood Elder Collier suggested that we pray. During the prayer the words "Door on the left" ran through my mind. Literally as we were closing the prayer, the door on the left opened and 2 people walked outside! We quickly ran up to them. Noticing their shock we gave them pass along cards and invited them to go to Mormon.org. When we got back to the car we were able to unlock it and go home.
Another time we walked into the church building to pick up a priest to come out with us. We stopped briefly at the Family History center because he needed to check something before we left. When we went out to the car it was locked. Being slightly more seasoned now, Elder Collier and I immediately said a prayer to ask God who we needed to talk to. We felt impressed to go back inside and talk to a lady at the family history center. We awkwardly re-entered the room and introduced ourselves to her. We talked a little about family history and then the conversation shifted. She said that she was not interested in converting, but she helped run some sort of hospital and they frequently ran services for a variety of faiths. In this hospital there is a large group of people who are seeking for something. Throughout the week the hospital brings in ministers of different faiths and has them present what they believe to help these people find God. She wanted us to come by and for 45 min explain Mormonism and invite people to join the church! Unfortunately this hospital was out of our area, but we quickly gave her phone number to the correct set of missionaries. When we went back to the car we could unlock it.
Another time we were contacting a media referral, but she wasn't home. When we walked back to the car it was unlocked but wouldn't start. Elder Collier and I said a quick prayer to ask God for direction on where we needed to go. We walked down the street a ways and saw a lady sitting in her car. We tried to give her a card, but she told us that the missionaries just came by her house and had already given her a card. She hadn't viewed the website yet so we re-invited her to do that. When we walked back to the car we could unlock it. As we were backing up, the lady that we were trying to contact opened the door. Quickly we re-entered her driveway and presented the bible she ordered. We set up a return appointment and received a referral from her!
Looking back on the second time it locked. I wondered why we didn't have miraculous success there. I have 2 hypothesis. First, it was a test to see if we would act in faith. Because we chose to go out God was able to work with us later because he knew we would work. Second, we forgot to pray. We thought someone would magically fall into our lap. I bet if we had prayed that night we would have maybe walked a different direction and talked to someone.
Needless to say, God is real!
I also had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting! My topic was showing your testimony through your example. It was pretty good ;)
Brothers and Sisters, I know that this church is true. There is nothing better than feeling the Spirit guide you. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Read it regularly. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
I know it!
I Love yall!
- Elder Shill
P.S. Not all of these experiences happened this last week, but we are blown away by these miracles
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