March 7, 2016

This power is awesome! We literally can't tell you "an hundredth" of the miracles that are happening here in Norwood! We moved Nicole's baptism date up 2 weeks and so she is now going to be baptized on the 18th and she is awesome, meeting with us, reading the BoM, coming up with ideas to help Sunday School lessons! Like what?? What investigator does that?

We had a cool miracle that we wanted to share. Our media referrals turn out to not be referrals for us to go see because they aren't interested so often.  For example, one referral was a man whose friends had played a prank on him by sending us out to him. But when we asked who God wanted us to go see, there was a less active that came to mind in the area (who we had tried like 6 times before with no luck). But we went and long story short, just 5 minutes before, this less active's non-member daughter had been asking about the LDS church because she knew it was family oriented, and wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon to read. So this less active who hasn't been to church in 20 years and his daughter came to church on Sunday. The best part is that we did NOTHING! God led this daughter to the truth, the members were completely on top of things at church and now we are going to teach this girl the lessons and 2 members asked us if they could come teach with us! 

Guys, my mission has been so different in the last month, I can't even describe it. Literally every day there are miracles.  Another lady we talked to yesterday took 3 lessons from missionaries in Columbus but fell out of contact with them and moved out here and so we are going to teach her the lessons now and bring her to the truth... I can't describe everything and I truly didn't know that God could work so specifically and it is awesome.

My mindset has changed and that is a big deal. I am somewhat ashamed to say that I used to think like "ugh we have 3 more hours to fill until we can go back in".  Just being outside the apartment was proselyting time. But now it is so much more. "What can I share with who until I get back, I only have 3 hours to do it so I better hurry!" 

The best feeling in the world is that God trusts us and he is trusting us with more and more. We have to keep working harder to be able to hold all that we can for him.

I love you guys! I know that this is God's church and gospel, I know that Jesus Christ died for me and is risen again. I know that Thomas S. Monson is his prophet today and that God speaks to man. I know that the Holy Ghost is real and that I can feel God's love for me through it.  He talks to me and leads me and as I come closer to him He comes closer to me. My action is how I show my love for him and He always always no matter what I do or did has always loved me.

Elder Howland