Promptings, Example and Sacrafice

I feel like I've had a lot of firsts on my missions (riding a sleeper train, eating liver, becoming branch pianist, etc.) Today's first was paintballing. That was legit. The missionaries from Timisoara came and joined us. It was a lot of fun. I have a nice welt on my leg though because I kept getting hit in the same spot over and over again. It's okay. Battle scars build character.

We had a lesson with Ana this week. We talked to her about the first half of the plan of salvation (pre-earth life to this life and the atonement and such). She agreed with everything with shared with her. She's already a very faithful woman and very caring. She offered to let us live with her so that we could save money on rent. I was quite surprised, but also very impressed that she would be so willing to serve two people she barely knows in that way.

I've been impressed lately by how Heavenly Father really does answer prayers. I can't deny that He's aware of me and the things we're endeavoring to do. This truly is His work. He really does care about us individually and has a greater hand in our lives than we realize. The other day, we were able to visit one of the members. I wasn't sure what we should share with her, so I began flipping through my Book of Mormon looking at the verses I'd marked at some point in time. I came across these verses from Alma 37:

 6 Now ye may suppose that this is ^afoolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by ^bsmall and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 7 And the Lord God doth work by ^ameans to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very ^bsmall means the Lord doth ^cconfound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

There wasn't anything in particular that said, "This is it! This is what you should share!" It was just the one that stayed in the front of my mind instead of any of the other things I found. I shared it with Sora Bird, and she agreed that it sounded like a good plan. When we were in the lesson and shared this thought we talked about it for a little bit and then this member thanked us and said that it was exactly the thing that she needed to hear. It was a simple thing for me, but also a testimony that Heavenly Father is aware of this woman's needs and that He will use us to fulfill the needs of others and to answer prayers. I'm so grateful I can be an instrument in His hands for good.

We're still really trying to make connections with members and less actives to help strengthen them and to help get them involved. One way we did that this week was by a little act of service. A few kids of the branch were having birthdays so we made some brownies and delivered them. With one of them we had called ahead to make sure we could stop by to drop something off so we wouldn't be interrupting anything. When we stopped by that night, before we knew what was happening we were being pulled in, singing happy birthday, and homemade cake was in our hands and we were just part of the family and their little celebration. We felt a little bad and out of place mostly because we were afraid we had intruded, but I'm also so grateful to see the love they have for us, that they were happy to have us there and wanted to include us. Truly, there are amazing people here.

Something else that impressed me this week happened yesterday. We have choir before church every Sunday. When we arrived, our choir director was happily going back and forth from the sacrament room to the office, apologizing every so often, saying we'd start soon. When she was finally able to start, she came over to me to tell me the great thing that happened. She had just been helped to set up an e-mail address because she needed one to have a member account on the church websites. When that was done, she was able to start up those accounts and log on to family search and see her family tree. Her face was lit up with the biggest smile and the anticipation of great things to come. She told me that now she could prepare more family names to take to the temple. She was practically glowing. I love that woman. She is an inspiration to me. She shows so much love to me and to everyone around her. She truly is an amazing woman. And I'm so amazed by the members who make the sacrifice to save up their pennies so they can make the journey to the temple (in Germany or Ukraine depending on which side of the country they're from). Some are even discouraged by family members who tell them to use that money in a different way. Still they realize the great blessing that comes from their sacrifice, and upon their return, the begin saving away pennies again so they can return as soon as possible.

So remember this for the following week: You can be an instrument in God's hands even through small means. Turn to Him, and look for His influence in your life, and you will be amazed at how often He guides you. Also, there are somethings in life worth sacrificing for. Family and the gospel are two of those things. Don't become discouraged, but take strength in the knowledge that you have a Heavenly Father and a Savior on your side.

Have a great week!

Sora Adams

P.S. This week marks a year since I entered the MTC. How weird is that?