Child of God

This week included many incidents of me getting lost. That's what happens when you go around a big city trying to find less actives to contact. It was quite the adventure, and thankfully I have a companion who is all for a good helping of adventure. District conference is this weekend, and as part of that we're all going to go up on the hill where the country was dedicated for missionary work and have some food and fun activites there. So we've been making an extra effort to reach out to less actives to invite them to come and to feel of that spirit there. 

We had our first lesson with Maria this week (the one we knocked into after visiting with a member). She is super sweet and willing to meet with us again. She watches over her two grandsons all day, and they are adorable. Mostly we just took some time to get to know her a little bit and to explain a little about the Book of Mormon. We were sitting outside as it was a warm day and her apartment was much too hot. We'd been entertaining the younger child (8 months) and the other one was running around with another child from the complex. As we shared Moroni's promise with her, everything became still. The little boy was falling asleep and the other child suddenly stopped and came close to listen. After I finished reading, there was a moment where that stillness remained before the children continued on with their game. It was a cool experience for me, and I hope that Maria was aware of that spirit that was there.

We were able to help a few sisters get started with family history this week. I was so excited for that! I love family history. It's a little harder here as many records haven't been made digital yet, but from what I've heard steps are being made in that direction. It was a really simple service that we did, but someone has to show you how to get started! I hope they will continue on with that.

Yesterday, we were finally able to meet with a former investigator who we've been trying to meet with for awhile. I was a little afraid that our inability to meet was really a sign that she wasn't that interested. Yesterday, I found my beginnings of doubt replaced with faith. She is wonderful! And she expressed a desire to continue to meet with us. She just has a crazy schedule working 12 hour days three days in a row and then she has to go back home to her village to help her mother with their garden and things. Basically, she's working really hard. She has great faith. It was so sweet as she told us how she has been praying everyday since she was little and how she recognizes how God has had such a huge hand in her life. She wants to meet with us again, so hopefully we'll be able to find a way to work around that crazy schedule.

I had a really cool experience on Saturday. Yesterday was children's day, so the branch celebrated it on Saturday. As part of the festivities, they asked the missionaries to sing "I am a child of God." As I've mentioned, our branch has two languages: Russian and Romanian. We weren't sure which to sing in, but the relief society president said we could sing in any language we wanted, even English if we decided to. In the end, we decided that the Russian elders would sing the first verse in Russian, the Romanian missionaries would sing the second verse in Romanian, and then we would all come together and sing the last verse in English. The spirit filled that room so strongly the moment the Russian elders began to sing, and it continued to be there as we continued to sing. I was so touched! Afterwards, Sora Cox commented, "It's true in every language." I want to echo Sora Cox's testimony. Truly we are children of a loving Heavenly Father. He has a plan for each of us, and sending us to this earth is part of that plan. I've been reading a lot lately about our Savior and His sacrifice for us. He makes Heavenly Father's plan possible, for it is only through Him that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. How grateful I am for this knowledge. It is such a sweet thing especially when I am far from home and far from loved ones to know that I'm never without my Heavenly Father and my Savior. What a strength that is to me!

Thank you for all that you do, for those little acts of kindness and service that you may feel go unnoticed. I testify that they don't go unnoticed by our Father in Heaven. You are loved. Never forget that.

Have a great week!

Sora Adams