Week Twenty-Four

This week has felt like an eternity.  But today in my letter I wanted to focus the people we are teaching a little bit.  

So on Monday, we had one of the best lessons of my mission so far.  It was with a man named Herr Cremer.  We got to his house thinking that we were going to talk about something completely different, but the lesson turned into one of the best Plan of Salvation lessons.  Our Heavenly Father's plan seemed to be everything that he was looking for.  Everytime we introduced the next section, he just loved it.  And the miracle was the fact that it was all in german.  I don't know how, but I can kinda speak german now.  That lesson was a huge tender mercy for us.  We haven't had a lesson, where the investigator shows real excitement, in a long time.  It was amazing to see the transforming power that comes throught knowing what that we all our children of our Savior, and that this plan is a plan of progression and happiness.  As we progressed through the lesson, you could just watch his face light up with excitement and desire to know if it is true.  That lesson, was a great start for the rest of the week.

However, as the week moved on, it turned into more doors and more rain and more cold.  We had just got out of Church on Sunday, and our eating appointment fell out.  So we were without food, without an appointment, and it was raining hard.  In the past two weeks, we have done hundreds of doors, and thousands of klingles.  I was so tired of it, and I just wanted to collapse.  But it was raining and so streets were not really an option.  So we went out and did doors in this area that I just wanted to go ''explore''.  Sunday morning there was about an inch to an inch and a half of snow, and then it started raining, so it was all slushy, it was pouring while we were outside, and we were wet, cold, and tired.  But we stuck it out for almost 4 hours.  It seems like it always has to be the last door, and Sunday it was.  I was about to throw in the towel, but we decided we would finish up our last street in the neighborhood, Gluckstr. (funny right?).  We klingled the last door, and someone let us in.  I have been out 4 months, and done hundreds probably thousands of doors, and yesterday, was the first person to ever let me in. In a time where all I was thinking about was how hungry and tired I was, and how this is just hard.  The Lord knows us,  He know where we are, who we are, and what we need.  And what I needed at that time was Michael.  He is a young guy, studying in college, I would say around 25ish, but I have never met someone so excited to read the Book of Mormon.  Everything we said he loved, and he just wanted to read it and meet with us and learn everything and pray, he was honestly a golden contact.  I have seen miracles and I have felt the Love of Christ, but it never ceases to amaze me the amount of attention that He gives to EVERY child.  Even the ones freezing in Hagen, getting doors slammed in our faces.  He gave us exactly what we needed, and when we needed it. 

Another part of that story that has become very important to me, while thinking back on it, what the decision to go to this area of Hagen.  We had been in the area early this week, and there was really no reason to go back, except for the curiosity that I had to know what was in this area next to it.  The spirit of the Lord works through us in times that we may not even think He is there.  I have always imagined the spirit as a burning sensation or clearity, and sometimes it is, but I think it is important to note, that the spirit is not limited to these feeling alone.  This feeling of curiosity and my idea to just go check out this area, was a spiritual prompting.  I had no clue at the time, but what is important is that we are asking for these opportunities.  I feel like I have spent a lot of time searching for guidence of the Holy Ghost, when I already had it.  Sometimes we need to trust that the decisions we are making, are inspired, even when they may not feel that way.  If we are living a righteous life, and asking for guidance, the Lord has already given us this gift. Which means that you will, be guided, and the decisions that may not seem guided, are because they do not need alteration.  I am not sure if that all makes sense, to the people who are reading this, but I dont have much time, so I cant really read over it to make sure it sounds good... So good luck understanding what goes through my head :)

The last big tender mercy of the week was our lesson with Sandra and Jozsef.  This is our investigator family from Hungary.  I love this family, I feel at home when I am with them, there are kids running around, a billion things going on, and super busy.  I love it.  They are some of the most loving and nicest people I have ever met, and last night we had an amazing lesson.  It is amazing to me how the spirit of the Lord works.  As a missionary we (or atleast I am) always concerned whether I have the spirit while I testify.  But last night while with Jozsef and Sandra, they were saying how every time they meet with us, they know it is true.  There is just this feeling that it is true, listen to these guys.  They talked about how they wanted that all the time, they wanted to know for themselves, not just when we say it.  That was a tender mercy for me.  It was an answer to a billion prayers, and I was so excited to see this family make progress and recognize the spirit.  This family is prepared, they are so amazing, and I am so excited to continue to watch them progress.

There are miracles all around us.  Here in Hagen we really have been blessed, and I feel like it is just the beginning here.  There are so many people who the Lord is preparing.  These are only a few of the miracles and tender mercies that we experienced this week, but I am fully confident that there are more to follow.  As these families find the gospel and develope thier relationships with our Savior, there is nothing greater than this joy.  I have seen people light up as the gospel is explained, and seen the healing power of our Saviors love.  I love being a missionary, in the rain, in the sleet, in the cold.  The opportunity here to serve, is increadible.  And I could never be happier.

Viele Liebe,

Elder Blackley