I have a new companion- Sister Christensen!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!! This week all of the Performing Missionaries and some of the Sisters went home. Life is incredibly good and the weather is PERFECT.
Although there are miracles every week....this week was ESPECIALLY incredible.
Wednesday afternoon, I was calling referrals. The secretary comes running in and grabs me to take a phone call. This random lady, Ilene, was in Nauvoo last week. On their way home to Nebraska, all 27 of their family members stopped at this little restaurant right before closing time. A man that works there graciously invited them in and called home to have his family come help serve the guests. Ilene loved the little family, kept the receipt from the meal, and went on back to Utah. The next three nights after returning home, she said she couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about this family in the restaurant. So, this little lady, full of faith, calls the Nauvoo Visitor's Center in effort to act on the promptings she had been receiving. So, then I'm handed the phone and hear this story. All she has is a phone number for this chain restaurant in Nebraska. That's it. She didn't know the names of the people that served them or anything. I got the phone number, said a prayer, and then called Nebraska. An employee answered and I briefly explained the situation and that I was looking for a dad who called in his kids to serve this huge family right before closing. Miracle- she thought about it for a minute and responded, "Oh, ya! That's the chef!" I asked if I could talk with him, she told me that his name was Anthony, and before I knew it, he was on the line. He remembered the family, said he loved them, and had a good feeling when they came in- but didn't know their names or anything. I asked him if he would like to meet with the missionaries and have the Nauvoo Pageant CD and he said he would LOVE to!!!!!!! He had just moved to Nebraska from Florida a WEEK ago, had seem the missionaries in Florida, but they had never talked to him. However, he always had a good feeling about them. So now the missionaries are meeting with them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Total miracle!!!! I called Ilene back to report and she burst into tears. Maybe now she'll be able to sleep at night. =) I loved that experience and I am so grateful that Ilene acted on the promptings she was receiving. THAT was inspiring.
Remember Thurman from last week. He's the man with two darling little girls that I met in the VC a week or two ago. I called to check up on him because I felt really strongly about his family. The elders had cancelled their appointment last Thursday with him, and then cancelled three more times since then. Thurman and I had a good talk and I could feel that he is totally prepared for the Gospel. We read in 2 Nephi 31 and then talked about how it applies to our life. (Hoping and praying that he gets the BAPTISM idea)... =) He already has the foundation of the Restoration and Priesthood authority-I can feel it and everything he says is so perfect. He says that he feels God's love when he reads the Book of Mormon and he makes two hours of the day time to read from it!!!!! I asked him what he needs to do now and he responded, "I need to be baptized- by someone holding the proper authority." Talk about prepared!!!! YAY!!!!!!!! =) The elders got over there yesterday, and they are working on a baptism date. I'll keep you posted on that, but I was just so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On Friday, I went TRACTING over in Burlington and I LOVED it!!!!!!!!!! I was excited and totally pumped up as we drove over there-not nervous, but super excited. Then I got dropped off at the curb with Sister Mitchell. This lady walked by with a scowl on her face, dog beside her, with just as mean of a face and a growl. Suddenly, I panicked just a little. "Oh my heck!!!! I'm going TRACTING!!!!!" =) haha I quickly got over the fear and realized how much I LOVED it. The night before, we had planned what streets we would be one and I felt really strongly one street right on our boundaries. We went along, knocking doors, talking to anyone that was on the streets, and found some good contacts. However, I felt like we hadn't found the most prepared person yet. But I did't know what to expect because I've never gone tracting before!! Do you find super golden people? I learned very quickly, miracles happen. We got to the corner of our boundary street and Sister Mitchell asked if we could walk right across the street to the house on the corner with a huge dog barking on the lawn. SURE. Let's go to the house with the huge dog! haha So we went over, knocked once and someone whistled for the dogs to come in the back door. No response. We knock again and see the curtain swish a little bit. Someone had peeked out! We wait, knock a third time, no response. Well, what can we do? So we start walking away. (This is the cool part). We are at the curb, about to cross the street, and I felt like someone shoved me out into the road...and it wasn't Sister Mitchell...and I didn't trip. The momentum pushed me out into the street. I suddenly look up at there is a big work truck about 10 feet away from me that slams on its breaks. I was a little shocked and we moved quickly to get out of the way. Suddenly, Sister Mitchell spins around about the same moment that I do, and she walks straight over to the men in the truck. She says, "We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Would you be interested in our message?" The man at the wheel quickly responds, "NO, we are NOT interested." The man in the passengers seat lights up, eyes huge, countenance glowing, "I WOULD BE INTERESTED!!!!!" He was almost jumping over the driver to get the card Sister Mitchell was handing him. I whipped out my planner and asked for his name and phone number. (All of this happening in a matter of seconds). The driver puts his pedal to the medal, drives off, and we realize that we are standing in the middle of the street and cars are waiting to go by. Ah! So we jump onto the sidewalk and look at each other. WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! The Spirit was SO strong. I LOVED this experience.
Later that day, I was assigned with Sister Smith. We stayed on one street the whole three hours of tracting and found several really good contacts. I'll quickly share my favorite experience with her. This family was having a yard sale and we stopped to talk. I asked one of the little girls what her favorite thing about summer was, she responds that she loves going to church and that her favorite part of church is singing. Sister Smith and I sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" in hopes to share our message in a way that the little girl loved. =) The Spirit was really strong as we kept talking with them and I knew that they were prepared. When we finished, the mom immediately asks us, "What church do you go to? We want to try that one!" Sister Smith and I smiled at each other. We stayed for a little bit longer, explained the Book of Mormon, and left them with a copy of it. A neighbor girl ran over right as we were about to leave, asked if the black book was "our Bible", and the daughter and mom responded, at the same time, "It's OUR Bible, too, now."
The work of the Lord is going forward and I LOVE being a missionary. I gain a more and more firm testimony that Heavenly Father is in the small details of our lives. He truly does love us and is aware of us. He really does have a plan of happiness. I meet people for the first time and can feel of the love that the Savior and Heavenly Father have for them. I love to see their faces light up as they feel the Spirit. It means so much that Heavenly Father has been preparing them to receive the Gospel. Miracles are happening. I LOVE IT.
Elder Golden, a general authority, was in town this week. He spoke at a mission fireside in the Stake Center, as well as to all of the sister and performing missionaries at President's house. As he spoke, I felt like heaven cracked open a little bit. The Spirit was so strong and I will never forget that experience. I received some very distinct impressions and I am so grateful that he came. I just KNEW that he was inspired. Tender experiences. I LOVE being a missionary.
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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