I recently
hit my 16 month mark … and it is freaking me out! I JUST WANT TO BE A
MISSIONARY FOREVER! My companion is amazing; I love Hermana Gutoff! I am learning
so much from her and these past two weeks have been so great. We are really
starting to click and I am so grateful that she is my companion.
Yubelkis! I
don´t know if I have ever mentioned her, but she is from Nicaragua and is about
22 years old. We have been teaching her for quite some time now, and she wants
to be baptized so badly! She has a job where she has to work on Saturdays and
Sundays, so she hasn’t been able to come to church yet. She has been really
bummed about it, but this past week she just got a new job. Woohoo! We are so
excited for her, as she thinks she will finally be able to come to church this
week. Yes! Please pray for her!
The other
day we met this man named Manuel. It was about 9:00pm and he was just sitting
on a bench, and it was sprinkling with a little bit of rain. I saw him from a
distance as we were coming up from behind to walk past him. I could tell that
he looked very run down. His clothes were a bit torn, he had long hair and a
long beard, and he had his face cupped in his hands. We were about to walk past
him, but a voice came into my head saying, "Don´t you dare keep walking
without stopping to talk to this man. Don´t think for one second that you can
just pick and choose who needs and doesn´t need this gospel. This message is
for everyone, and this man is a child of God. Go and talk to him."
This prompting
literally stopped me mid-step, in that very moment. Immediately, words of
peace, love and comfort starting coming out of my mouth, that I knew weren´t my
own. What a powerful experience, and honestly a spiritual smack in the face of
humility and gratitude. I am so blessed to be a vessel of the Master, Jesus
Christ. I have tried remember on my mission to, "See people as God sees
them. Through His eyes. To picture everyone I see, as if they were in white. To
really see their potential and great worth." Miracles happen and lives are changed forever
as we see others as our brothers and sisters, children of God … coming back and
coming home. We are merely the instruments, but it´s the best feeling in the
world!
We also met
Jorge last week. He is about 21 years old, from Guinea in Africa. He came to
Spain about 7 months ago to get a major operation. He had some type of cancer
that left huge tumors all over his body … his arms, legs, head, inside his
mouth, you name it. He showed us all sorts of pictures, and he is a miracle. He
told us his story and how he knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that God is
very, very real. God exists and so do miracles. Jorge is healed from all of it.
The doctors said his recovery was indescribable. I am a personal witness to his
story. He has so much faith and wants to continue to strengthen it. He came to
church on Sunday! I will keep you all posted on Jorge and how he is doing!
One of the
biggest, most visible miracles I have seen on my mission involves our
investigator, Miguel. He has been investigating the church for about 2 years.
Over time, his faith and desire to follow God has grown immensely. He used to
be a hardcore alcoholic, but these past few months, he has given up drinking
completely. This past week he gave up coffee, as he normally drinks about 5
cups a day! He also has a girlfriend who was in an accident a while back, and
hasn't been able to walk or leave her wheelchair in about 3 years. He told us
that she has been gradually getting better and that she started to stand the
other day! As we were sitting in church waiting for Miguel to show up, he
walked into the chapel … with his girlfriend! She was walking! Miracles exist,
both spirituality and physically! It was such a blessing. Things are ready to
take off here in Badalona! We are excited!
"And now I would that ye
should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of
patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in
keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye
stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God
for whatsoever things ye do receive." - Alma 7:23
“And moreover, I would desire
that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the
commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal
and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into
heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending
happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God
hath spoken it." Mosiah 2:41
We are
blessed in all forms as we follow God and His commandments. As we move forward
with faith, and simply believe … all things are possible!
Have a great
week everyone! See the miracles (and be the miracles)!
Hermana
Vance
b
