Hello Family and Friends! Top of the Mormon to ya!
So it has been another fabulous week as a missionary, and boy do I have the experiences to share with you! They keep on coming! I have truly seen the miracles coming faster and more frequently lately, and I think it has a lot to do with our attitudes, faith, diligence, and obedience. We have been trying to really focus on the work and helping others come unto Christ. When you read that, it sounds like a given, but really, it doesn't just come without significant effort on your part. But all in all, I have seen the blessings of doing our very best, and striving to work as a team with the Spirit on our side!
Saint David is a blessed place. I have truly come to love it and the wonderful people here. has been so good to me, and I am well taken care of.
I have a testimony that God works through us, and that His timing is perfect. I know that He knows His sheep, and what they need. He sends aid to us and answers our prayers. If we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we will be the workers and witnesses of miracles.
To begin. Earlier this week, on Tuesday evening, we had planned to finish some weekly planning that we hadn't had the chance to finish the previous week. (I know, I'm slacking...) but we had planned to do that after we had made a few visits. So we finished the set lessons and visits we had, and were going to go home from there. So we went home to continue planning. But then we both felt like we needed to stop by one more person. We looked through our Area Book to see who we should see. Nobody seemed to stick out. Then a woman named Alice popped into my head. She was a less active woman, but she was the only other thought in my head. So we said okay, let's do it!
When we got to the address, we drove past this shed, and onto this nicer house. We knocked and knocked. Nope. No answer. So we began to leave, trying to understand why we had been led there, and talked about where we should go next. Then suddenly the porch light of the house flicked on. A woman came out, named Kaylee. She was just about to get into the shower, but stopped to answer the door. After briefly talking with her, we realized that Alice didn't even live there. So we asked if we could come back, and then left to go back to the truck. Once again, when we were about to leave, guess who comes and pulls right in front of the shed. Who else but the very woman we were looking for? Alice! The shed was remodeled inside and it is very beautiful! That's where she lives. We talked to her for a little while, and it was a good experience! She invited us to come back! :) We needed the slight delay, so we could catch Alice right as she was getting home.
Next stop. We tried an older lady named Naomi. It was about 7:30 or so. She was kind, but we caught her right as she was going to bed. So she invited us to come back the next night. So we left. As we were driving back, I went a little too far to safely turn left onto the street I would have turned onto, but instead kept going straight. We drove past a house with the lights on in the main room. I noticed 2 people inside. My first thought was, "They need the gospel.' I said, "There are two people in that house..." We talked about whether or not we should go try them, as they were in the other Sisters' area, and I wasn't feeling super urgent about it, but as we talked and prayed about it, and felt that we really needed to go talk to them, and about families and temples. We got to the house, and there was a sign on the door that said "Please no visitors. Roland is resting". We literally stood there for a solid couple minutes just staring at the sign, not sure what to do. Do we ignore the sign to follow a prompting? Do we leave and respect the sign?
Just as we were unsure what to do, a big truck comes to pull up into the driveway and a lady rolled down her window to talk to us. Roland was her Uncle, she said. He was on hospice and about to pass away any time so now probably wouldn't be good for a visit. We thanked her, and left.
The following night, we were driving to a lesson that was scheduled at 7. We got the impression we should go and visit those people even though it would mean missing our lesson with a potential investigator. When we arrived once again, the sign was down and there were many people. "Come in, ladies!" Someone called, and we went in through the gate. It turned out that the family were members in the Patton ward (bordering area). Roland had passed away just shortly after we had stopped by the first time. All the people there were there to support and comfort them- we even saw some members from the wards we cover. We talked to Roland'a wife, and listened to her feelings as she unloaded everything. We told her how we had ended up coming to her house at this specific time, and expressed to her how much God loves her and is aware of her. She said that many other people had had the same impression without knowing that Roland had passed. She said that her niece felt bad for turning us away, because it was obviously a prompting! But she said that she had felt so much love from her Heavenly Father through other people. He passed away a few days earlier than expected, and yet her Heavenly Father was very much aware of her and her needs.
We didn't know she was a member. We didn't know he was dying. We didn't even know why we should teach about temples and families. But Heavenly Father knew. And it was such a testimony builder to me to see that He truly loves His children.
Well, I don't have much time left. Wow. I meant for emailing, but I guess for my mission too. This week I hit my 18 month mark. I love my mission. I cherish it, it is precious to me. And I am forever grateful to my Heavenly Father for calling me here.
Well, Here's to the greatest week of my mission. I love each of you. Please pray for me that I will stay focused this last week and a couple days, and I look forward to seeing you all again!
Love,
Sister Torie Inman
For those of you able to attend, my homecoming talk will be on April 23rd, at the Chapel on Verde Vista in Surprise. I'm not sure what time it starts. But I would love to see as many of you there as I can! :)
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