Who Could've Guessed?

    This week was so much fun! I think it was legitimately my favorite one I've had as a missionary. Which is kinda surprising considering the last 3 weeks were not the best of weeks. I had a lot of fun those weeks, I was happy, but we weren't finding success in our missionary efforts and consequently we just kinda stopped being all in, especially after the car was taken. I chalked it up to the area not being very ripe for missionary work. I thought there was nothing to really do, in both stakes not just Kayscreek. Then this week we found a lot of success. 

     With this week being the beginning of the new transfer both me and Titus knew that things needed to be different. It's kinda funny we never even had a conversation about this we both just knew what it was that we needed to do. So with both of us reinvigorated, we actually got outside each day from 10am to 9pm minus an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner and we saw miracles because of it. We found 8 new people to teach this week after finding only 1 the last 3 weeks. There are 64 missionaries in our Zone, 4 of which live in our household. Our Zone found 35 new people teach 15 of which came from the our household, we are on fire right now.

      As a missionary you always hear about the miracles you see doing God's work, this week confirmed to me that that is true. I saw so many miracles in the timing and the placement of everything. We accidentally took a wrong street which led to us finding a new, we arrive at a house an hour late because earlier somebody tried to Bible bash us and the home owners that we wanted to meet just so happened to be pulling up at that time (That was interesting, it was my first time being bashed and me and my companion just sat there. 90 minute lesson, me and Elder Titus spoke for maybe 3 minutes). What was also interesting this week is that we were literally handed a bunch of missionary opportunities. We went to church Sunday and the people who gave us a ride there told us about a semi-active family that recently moved in who has an unbaptized kid, then after church a family who we've been trying to meet with for the last month came up to us and asked if we could come to their house that night for dinner and to teach their kid who's also unbaptized, and finally while still at this same ward the bishop came up to us and told us about someone who's ready for baptism, she's fully active and the only reason she isn't baptized is because of her mom. We were literally being handed missionary opportunities left and right. Who could've guessed obedience, diligence, and a willingness to do the work is what would bring blessings. It's something you're told all the time, but I think it's just something you have to see for yourself to truly buy into. 

      Tuesday was also a really cool day. Literally anytime that whole day where we were like, you know what would be nice...., it would happen. We needed a ride a couple of times and even if we were on a dirt road with no cars and one house, the person in the one house offered a ride. We really wanted to see some success, 15 minutes into being in our area we found a new person. I really wanted a soda that night and while waiting for our ride, who accidentally went to the wrong place, we talked to somebody who offered us a soda. It was hard work, yes, it's not always fun being outside 9 hours a day walking around in long sleeve button up shirts and ties and having a lot of awkward conversations, but it's so rewarding and so much fun.

      We attended a Lutheran Church last Monday at that was really really cool. I didn't realize how similar we were in our beliefs, even the song we sang was, Israel Israel God is Calling, but with different words. What was said was even really insightful. He talked about praying with boldness and what stuck out to me is that even Christ offered very bold prayers, what may be the most bold prayer ever was said by Jesus Christ while in the Garden of Gethsemane. While in the Garden Christ said to the Father, "if thou be willing, remove this cup." Think about that for a second, Christ knew that there was no other way for this to happen. Christ knew that he had to atone for our sins in order for us to live with our Heavenly Father again. Christ knew that the entire Plan of Salvation all hinged on what he was about to do and he was asking to not do it. The entire purpose of humanity was contingent on him taking upon himself the sins of the world and he knew this. Yet, he still asked the Father with boldness if it could be taken away. We don't have to only ask for what we believe we'll receive. It's not like our earthly parents where we'll annoy them if we keep asking for things that are seemingly unattainable. God wants to hear or truest desires, and our deepest desires are often bold and not very probable of happening, but God wants to hear it. Just because we ask doesn't mean we'll always get what we want, Christ still had to drink the bitter cup, but when we don't ask we won't receive. 

This work is blessed, 

Elder Blacker