The Lord's Hand.....

I miss you guys so much! The homesickness really hit me this week. It has been a strange week in the mountains (hills) of Virginia! My favorite guy in the ward, President Hunsucker (EQ)….his laugh isn't like any other laugh. The ward here is so amazing. They are so dedicated, diligent and hard working. They drive an hour to come to church, family home evening and a Book of Mormon class on Wednesdays.

I have definitely seen the Lord's hand in my life.  I have had a hard time 'opening my mouth' to those we teach.  But scripture after scripture I found that if I open my mouth, the Lord will fill it.  I have also learned this week that as I teach by the Spirit, that changes the hardest of hearts.  There is a couple, Bro. and Sis. Johnson.  He used to be the bishop and a high councilman and they, and a couple other families, just up and left the church one day over 30 years ago because they weren't put into the Stake leadership positions. It tore the ward apart. We went and saw them and you could literally feel such a sad spirit in their home. The spirit wasn't there at all.  We could see him fighting the spirit and we both know his spirit is yearning to come back into the nourishment of Christ.  They keep denying it though.  I have faith that we will help him back though. I can feel the love that God has for His children. 

And let me tell you, the Spirit has helped me do things and I don't know why I did them. That is the power of God, though.  We were teaching an investigator named Brother Porter.  He has this amazing faith in God and such a positive attitude about life.  I felt impressed to share a quote with him, "Faith is like a staircase and not seeing the entire staircase, you take the first few steps and rely on God that the rest of it will be there." He said that he had been having this dream about a staircase surrounded by nothing but water and a lighthouse.  He knew that I had answered this for him and that the lighthouse was God.  God is the lighthouse in our lives of confusion and if we have faith in Him, the Lord works wonders.  Noah also kept saying, I know you. I don't know how, but I know you. It's crazy how the Lord works.  I have had so much fun being out here. It's hard, definitely. But I am changing lives out here and they don't even know it yet. 

I also play piano every Sunday because they only have 1 other person who can play.  Practice does pay off. :)

I'm so glad that all of you are okay and it confirms how much I love each and everyone of my family members. I love you all SO much and I don't know what I would do without ANY of you. Thank you for your support and love.

I love my companion by the way. She is crazy, goofy and amazing!