His work

My dearest Family,

I hope you are ready, because I have a novel of miracles to write about to you!!! Just know that I don't know what it is except to say this is His work.

Kevin

We have been teaching Kevin, and he is progressing so nicely. He has a slight learning disability, so we have to get creative and make a lot of visuals and remind him to take notes. He does, and he is so sincere in repenting, it's amazing and very humbling. He will hopefully be baptized in October. He is the one that lives in the mountains. He has an awesome cat.

Celeste

About a week ago, my companion and I decided to street contact downtown Concord. We are still not too familiar with where everything is, but we just started walking, and inviting everyone to visit mormon.org, and if the conversation went well, to learn more. We were passing a bagel shop when I saw a couple sitting on a table outside a bagel shop. I was thinking it would be awkward to go talk to them (Satan...) but my companion was great and invited them anyways. The redheaded girl asked us if we wanted to sit down and talk. When does that happen??!! We had a great conversation, she opened up to us about how she loves Mormons, and thinks the world should be more like them. She has seen missionaries a lot, and our church buildings, but has never officially learned more. After probably a great half hour conversation, we set up a return appointment. Fast forward to the next week to the time of the appointment. We were worried because our church was having some construction work done, and we had wanted to give her a church tour. It was not very nice or reverent. Then it started to be 45 minutes past when she said she would be there, but she had said she was on her way. We finally got a hold of her, only to find out she went to the wrong chapel, but she was walking and way too far away to come to us. So we said we would come to her with our member. We tried calling the elders to see if they had a key and could let us into that building, but they didn't answer. We thought oh well, we can just sit outside. We show up, she brought us flowers. Wow. We start randomly trying the doors, but they were locked. We walk to the back, and my companion half jokingly says "I have faith!" and trys the back two doors. The first one, locked, and I thought oh no way.THEN THE SECOND ONE OPENED! I kid you not, it was the strangest thing. Instead of awkwardly sitting on the grass and telling her we can't go in, we had a wonderful lesson inside. Then she said she had always wanted to come to our services but the times were never posted, even though it said visitor's welcome. Then she says "what are you girls in your early 20's? I'm in my early 30's". It was pure miracle we had a last found someone we couldkeep teaching! It was an amazing lesson, she is one of the MOST prepared person's I have ever met on my mission. She cried at some parts, and was soooo excited about the Book of Mormon. I remember asking a dumb question when she read the introduction, but she comprehended it amazingly well. Something about what do you think the fulness of the gospel means, and she says "like it's truth, the truthfulness". After the lesson, she texted us saying she was having really good feelings about the Book of Mormon and about Joseph Smith. Now we are blessed to actually be teaching two mid singles preparing for baptism, Kevin and Celeste. 

Gerald

We randomly (there are no coincidences!) decided to street contact downtown Pleasant Hill, and we turn the first corner to find an older man in a wheelchair with cowboy boots on. I talk to him, give him a card, and he says "Mormon? oh yeah , I love mormons! How do I become a Mormon?" He was so sincere about asking us how he could become one. He was so funny "Do I have to go all the way to Utah to become a Mormon? where is your church building? Can I got to church this Sunday?" Pure amazing miracle. He gladly gave us his information, we even talked about baptism a little bit. He was awesome, he is a retired fire fighter. He told us "You know I think I was meant to run into you today, it was really great meeting you." We passed him off to the elders, and I know they have been trying hard to find someone to teach. It all sounds like a joke, right? But he was so sincere, the elders are meeting him next week, so I will keep you posted!

Adrian

Then right after we finished talking to Gerald, we were about to walk past a bunch of teenagers hanging out eating sandwhiches. I walk past, and one boy leans back and says "What cards are you giving out? Can I have one?" Something was in the water that day! He has Mormon friends and went to church a few times. He loves church. We got his info.

Temple

We got to go to the temple. Which by the way, is why I haven't emailed you this week, it becomes our P-day when we go to the temple. For those of you who get to go whenever you want, you are so lucky. Missionaries in our mission are allowed to go only every 3 months. So we were all super excited all week. I even woke up and couldn't go back to sleep around 5:30am. The updates at the temple were so moving and so amazing, I almost cried. God's plan for us is so perfect. We were supposed to go and seek guidance to prepare for our general authority visit next week, so that was cool. And we got to go as a whole Oakland Zone, so it was a full session of a lot of missionaries, a very special spirit there.

Stake Conference

AND we had stake conference this week, another spiritual feast. I really loved President Stewart's talk. He is from the Walnut Creek ward, and we had taken his daughter out with us before she left on her mission. His talk was actually about sister missionaries! It was titled "Ye Sisters of Israel: Rise Up O Women of God" He talked about how much he loved his mission, how it changed his life, and taught him about long work, hard days, and understanding what he was capable of. He said of course I wanted that for all my children, boys AND girls. He never forced it upon them, but his point was to prepare all young men AND women for missions. Because even if they don't serve, they learn to stay worthy, maybe learn a new language, etc. which will bring benefits in the future anyways. Why not talk about it more with girls for that reason alone? He read from an email from his daughter, serving in Maryland. She said the coolest thing about sister missionaries is that they gain a confidence in themselves, but it's not from their clothes or looks, but from the Lord. They know their work is the most important work, that you can be led by the Spirit, and that we are of real worth. We see unity being manifested through missionary work as both elders and sisters unite in the Lord's work.

Then an 11 year spoke in conference. It was so powerful it made everyone cry. He talked about the stake primary challenge of reading scripture, saying prayers every day, and having FHE every week of the summer. He said once he had a friend over while they were reading scriptures, and when he spelt over that night, his friend asked him about the Book of Mormon, and what was the difference between their churches. This 11 year spouted off the first article of faith about our belief in God, and said we can repent and be baptized and live with God again. It was amazing seeing what happened when our families do the little things, we grow closer to God, and that allows us to share the gospel with others. Simple faith can be so powerful!!!

I must go, but know that I LOVE YOU!! Have a great week, I will be writing again on Monday.

Sister Martin