Mission Miracle from Elder Justin McBride

September 27, 2009

About two or three weeks ago we were walking our usual loop looking for the elect when we saw what looked like a wedding on wheels... so we decided, "Why not get closer?" So we did. As we got closer we could see that it was not a wedding, but rather a funeral progression. Kinda sad. There were three coffins in this big truck and about a hundred sad people following behind it on foot. It was moving really really slow! So we just kind of tried to see what was going on when a dude in an Audi A6 rolls down his window and asks us if we are with Jesus. He was following the progression in his car... I mean why wouldn't you ---it is an Audi! Who needs feet in a situation like that? ... So we of course tell him yes! And he motions for us to get into his car... I was reluctant at first but decided that I could use myself a good adventure story... I hadn't had one since I was hit in the face... So we climbed into this guy’s wicked nice car and began to talk to him. Well he asked the million dollar question, "Where is my friend? Really?" So we began to tell him the whole idea of a spirit world and so on and so forth. And then he asked about the man's sons. I guess what happened was this family was driving between Ploiesti and Bucuresti and got in a major head on collision and everybody died! Except for the mom... I'll get to her in a bit. So we told him that God gave us families as a gift and he is not one to take gifts away unless we mistreat them... and so on... and then he thanks us and we hook him up with a family proclamation... that took about 15 minutes.

Then about a week ago now we were knocking doors. Nothing was going for us. NOTHING! So we worked our way down the street a little further and there was some old lady out in front of her house and initially I just walked by... thinking nothing of it. Then about four steps past her the whole spirit thing kicked it and I was compelled to turn around. So I did and I asked her if she had ever seen us around and so on. The response she gave was so random, but without it we would have never had the experience we had. She said, "We just had a family tragedy where a father died in a car wreck..." I cut her off there, remembering the funeral progression, and said, "With his two sons huh?" She was amazed that I could tell... and just answered in awe, "Yeah" Then we began to tell her that we have the happiest message in the whole universe! That we know exactly every jot about our fate after this life! And we don't need to be sad! In missionary terms we call this a hook. She was in.

So we tried to sit with her then but she was all alone and didn't want to sit with us alone... understood... so we set up to go back last tuesday. AND WE DID! And it rocked! They were so down with knowing God loves them even in their trials! But while we were there her daughter told us that the mom from the accident is in a coma and still has no idea about the rest of her family! Yikes, we call that holy sad Batman! So we told them that we wanted to come back and tell them the whole plan, we had only talked about after life on Tuesday. So we set up for Sunday.

Sunday rolls around and we get into the lesson and it was going really really well. They were asking awesome questions and everything. But then, as we are teaching them in their courtyard some old man, they don't know, comes rolling in. uh oh. He began to tell us that he has studied the Bible for fifty years or so and knows everything about the gospel of Jesus Christ. So he killed what we had going for us... and after hearing his persistence on the Sabbath being Saturday we realized he was adventist! Oh goody. So we let him shpeal for a time until finally I'd had it with him. He was in the process of bragging about how he stumped an orthodox priest on some crazy subjects and so on... and he began to list them, the first being the sabbath.... until he got to miracles. Then he continued the story. So I stopped him. I asked him very politely about how great he knew the scriptures and he replied that he could respond to any question. So I put mine forth, "Prophets? They have been around since Adam, Jesus said they would come... where are they now?" He was stumped. He just looked at me, and I at him. I let the silence kick in for drama then turned to the family and said, "I know where prophets and apostles are!" Then the testifying began. I have never testified so much in my life on Joseph Smith! It rocked socks! The family was hooked, this was a message of happiness! Sorrow has no reign on truth! "O grave where is thy victory? O death where is thy sting?" We are going back next Sunday and we are going to give them a proper restoration lesson. This was a story I wasn't going to tell originally, but after yesterday I had to! I just thought it would turn out to be another bung story! But they are honestly earnest! I love it!

Mission Miracle from Sora Kelly Owen

September 21, 2009

This week on Friday we were going to an appointment and it fell through but the neighbor came out. We ended up teaching her instead. While we were teaching her, she said, “Hold on” and went to another part of the building and found a member who then asked us if we could go teach her mother-in-law. It was really cool because we were blessed with member presence at the lessons that day. We had set that goal and had not been able to find a member to go yet to our later appointment so it was a blessing. Now the mother- in- law has become a progressing investigator. It was really a miracle- especially since half the time I didn't know what was going on. We were really blessed.

Mission Miracle from Sora Kara Staley

September 14, 2009

After zone conference (which was wonderful by the way) we had about 1 hour to wait for our ride back to Iasi. Sora Richards and I decided to go out contacting. We recieved five numbers in 40 minutes. That's a miracle! I love seeing how the Lord blesses us when we use His time, doing His work.

Other miracles:
The other day we were running a little late, so we hurried down the sidewalk quickly to make it somewhere. An older woman Gabi was standing on the sidewalk. She stopped us with some small talk and questions. I prepared in my mind how I would turn the conversation but to my surprise, she went right to business and said that she'd read our pliant and wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon. She set up to meet us later that day, and we were able to provide her with a book. God literally set her right in our path.

After English class Saturday we had a lesson with Sora Padure. For weeks I've been wanting to ask her specifically for a referral but I was hesitant. Finally we asked her, "Sora Padure, do you have any friends that need to hear the gospel message?" She immediately responded that she has a friend Genina who has been asking her questions about the church, but admitted that she's afraid to push Genina too hard. We told her how the Lord has been bugging us to ask her specifically for a referral. That gave her courage to act and she's going to invite Genina to meet with the missionaries and come to church. Yay again!

On Sunday, we went over to some blocks right after church got out. In the last block, we both began feeling ill and ready to go home. We sat on the steps trying to decide if we should just quit. Well, using our brilliant method of decision making, I asked Sora Richards to choose between two random objects that represent something. She chose "tree" which meant that we must stay and finish. As we continued on, I remembered the words I'd spoken during our prayer. I'd asked Heavenly Father to help us have energy and desire to finish the block. I told Him we'd endure to the last door, if he'd bless us with His words. Well, it just so happens that behind the very last door in that block of 44 doors was a man named Mihai. He invited us in and we taught him (and kinda his daughter who was going in and out of the room) the restoration. He undertsood very well and promised to pray and read. Enduring to the end always pays off.

Mission Miracle from Elder Bryce Betteridge

September 6, 2009

Our miracle took place on Saturday night. Eze has been having problems with paying his rent because his girlfriend took his passport, and he cannot get any money from his account. Elder Moore and I went to translate for him, because he does not speak Romanian. Eze did not come in with us the first time, he wanted us to talk to her, so we said a prayer with him, and went up to his place. When we got there, she told us that she wanted him out and did not even want the money anymore. She was tired of not being able to communicate with him, and the fact that he hadn't paid her and it had been over a week since the money was due. We convinced her to let him stay the night and go to church and then he would leave. When we went and talked to Eze, he said he wanted us to talk to her again, and see if we could get him a few more days to find a new place to live. We did, and she said she would give him until Tuesday night. So we were happy with that, and talked with Eze in his room for a few minutes when the land lady came in again. She told Elder Moore and myself to come with her. We went and she told us that she would give him a second chance! We talked with her for a while and figured out the details with money and his passport. We told her that he would be able to pay her on Tuesday, and I know that her heart was softened. Sorry this miracle wasn't about someone we taught, but I still I think it is a miracle how this lady was able to have her heart softened because of Eze's faith that the Lord could do it

Mission Miracle from Elder Travis Harley

September 5, 2009

So, 2 weeks ago we were at a sandwich shop, and we were just about to leave. A dude walked past who worked at the crepe shop next door in the mall. He stopped us and he started talking to us, asking about the Book of Mormon and how we claim to have the authority of God and stuff. We were talking and we exchanged numbers. Peter, is his name... in English. Petre, is his name. ha ha. So we were going to stop by his crepe shop and have a lesson over there with him. He had said to just come by because he has all the time in the world at his shop. So on Tuesday, we went over to his shop, because it wasn't official, just a whenever type of deal. So we went and had lunch at his shop and we talked. PS, the food is soooooooooooooo dang good. Then he starts talking about the Book of Mormon. Where is it today if Joseph Smith translated it? Why can't I see it? Apparently, he studied all religions in Greece. He read the Book of Mormon in two days once, and read it again a second time. So I put the Book of Momon on the table and I said, “Its right here.” I flipped to Moroni's promise and said, “If you pray you can know if this book was translated through Joseph Smith. We testified, then moved on to faith. He agreed to meet again. The next day we went back to eat lunch there and we talked a little bit more. That day something clicked. I really liked him at that moment. It was like a love just exploded for this man. Then we set up to meet the next day.

So the next day we meet at the church and we have a lesson. We bounced all over the place from kingdoms of glory to the first vision. We couldn't stay straight on a path. Now this guy knows everything about the church. I mean he knows everything about the church. He has studied a lot about our church--from the first vision to the word of wisdom. He knows everything so we couldn't really teach him anything. We just have to get him a testimony, and that was what we were trying to do. So finally I asked, if the bible says that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, what church do you believe is the church that Christ established? He stopped for a moment, looked at the church then he looked at me and said, “Your church. I know that your church is the true church... in my opinion. Apparently this is how the story goes... 5 or 6 years ago he was contacted by the missionaries for English. He came to English, didn't like it, but he came to church. He refused lessons from the missionaries, but he attended church every Sunday. Then one day, he told the elders that he wanted to be baptized. They said they needed to find a date and get things worked out. So we will get back to you. But then he heard some member, who said something like "he doesn't deserve to be baptized." or something around those borders. Peter wasn't suppose to hear it, but he heard it. From that point on, he stopped going to church. He never went back. A year ago, he decided to try it again. But the members, as he said, were phonies. They were faking love for him, but didn't mean it. He hears them talking about him. So he said, I will never come back to this branch again. soooooooo he has secretly been going to the Brasov chapel once a month.

So he reads the Book of Mormon on a regular basis, prays daily, this man is legit! He is sooooooooooooo awesome. So at that lesson he said, I stopped you guys to see if you were the elders that I needed to talk to you. That first time we talked about the Book of Mormon, I was asking you questions to see if you were the ones, and you were... but he refuses to go to this branch. So we are going to work out a situation for him to go to the Bucuresti branch, which is like 45 minutes away. Friday night we gave him a baptismal date for the 12th. He wants it, but said i don't want it now. i don't have that desire that i once had. I don't think I want it now. so we read 3 Nephi 11 with him. Tesitfy. He said he would pray about it, talk to his wife, and give it anther shot. Saturday we went back to eat a crepe and he said I prayed about it, i'll i need to do is to get my wife saying yes. He has tried to talk to her, but she needs to say yes. So he is getting that desire! OH I LOVE THIS MAN!So, 2 weeks ago we were at a sandwich shop, and we were just about to leave. A dude walked past who worked at the crepe shop next door in the mall. He stopped us and he started talking to us, asking about the Book of Mormon and how we claim to have the authority of God and stuff. We were talking and we exchanged numbers. Peter, is his name... in English. Petre, is his name. ha ha. So we were going to stop by his crepe shop and have a lesson over there with him. He had said to just come by because he has all the time in the world at his shop. So on Tuesday, we went over to his shop, because it wasn't official, just a whenever type of deal. So we went and had lunch at his shop and we talked. PS, the food is soooooooooooooo dang good. Then he starts talking about the Book of Mormon. Where is it today if Joseph Smith translated it? Why can't I see it? Apparently, he studied all religions in Greece. He read the Book of Mormon in two days once, and read it again a second time. So I put the Book of Momon on the table and I said, “Its right here.” I flipped to Moroni's promise and said, “If you pray you can know if this book was translated through Joseph Smith. We testified, then moved on to faith. He agreed to meet again. The next day we went back to eat lunch there and we talked a little bit more. That day something clicked. I really liked him at that moment. It was like a love just exploded for this man. Then we set up to meet the next day.

So the next day we meet at the church and we have a lesson. We bounced all over the place from kingdoms of glory to the first vision. We couldn't stay straight on a path. Now this guy knows everything about the church. I mean he knows everything about the church. He has studied a lot about our church--from the first vision to the word of wisdom. He knows everything so we couldn't really teach him anything. We just have to get him a testimony, and that was what we were trying to do. So finally I asked, if the bible says that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, what church do you believe is the church that Christ established? He stopped for a moment, looked at the church then he looked at me and said, “Your church. I know that your church is the true church... in my opinion. Apparently this is how the story goes... 5 or 6 years ago he was contacted by the missionaries for English. He came to English, didn't like it, but he came to church. He refused lessons from the missionaries, but he attended church every Sunday. Then one day, he told the elders that he wanted to be baptized. They said they needed to find a date and get things worked out. So we will get back to you. But then he heard some member, who said something like "he doesn't deserve to be baptized." or something around those borders. Peter wasn't suppose to hear it, but he heard it. From that point on, he stopped going to church. He never went back. A year ago, he decided to try it again. But the members, as he said, were phonies. They were faking love for him, but didn't mean it. He hears them talking about him. So he said, I will never come back to this branch again. soooooooo he has secretly been going to the Brasov chapel once a month.

So he reads the Book of Mormon on a regular basis, prays daily, this man is legit! He is sooooooooooooo awesome. So at that lesson he said, I stopped you guys to see if you were the elders that I needed to talk to you. That first time we talked about the Book of Mormon, I was asking you questions to see if you were the ones, and you were... but he refuses to go to this branch. So we are going to work out a situation for him to go to the Bucuresti branch, which is like 45 minutes away. Friday night we gave him a baptismal date for the 12th. He wants it, but said i don't want it now. i don't have that desire that i once had. I don't think I want it now. so we read 3 Nephi 11 with him. Tesitfy. He said he would pray about it, talk to his wife, and give it anther shot. Saturday we went back to eat a crepe and he said I prayed about it, i'll i need to do is to get my wife saying yes. He has tried to talk to her, but she needs to say yes. So he is getting that desire! OH I LOVE THIS MAN!

Mission Miracle from Sora Danielle Jones

September 4, 2009

This week was definitely a week full of miracles. It started earlier in the week when we met with a man that we had contacted the week before. His name is Daniel. We took a member with us and the lesson went really well. The miracle part was that at first his mother was closed and a little hesitant with us and interrupted a lot to talk to the member. But after some discussion she started listening really intently and they both listened really well to the First Vision. At the end of the lesson Maria, the mom was asking us about church and said they would be there if nothing interferes and that they would bring her daughter as well. Then the member offered to give them a drive to church because he lived really close. Really great lesson and really great people to work with. Sad part is that some visitors came over so they couldn't come to church, but we will get them there next week!

The second miracle is my favorite. It happened Saturday night. The Assistants dropped us off in the area where we had planned block knocking the night before. We walked a little way down and Sora Slaeman decided on a block. We got in and no one responded in the first few doors. Then on the fourth door a lady answered and got really mad at us and told us to leave urgently. We just moved to the next door down the stairs but she didn't like that so she came out and pushed us down the stairs and out the door.

Well, we had more time so we just went to see if we could get into the next set of doors. The first door that we rang into the lady asked us who we were and we told her that we are the LDS missionaries. She said, "Ok. I'll let you in but just come up to my door don't knock on any other door." So we went up and she let us in. I was a little hesitant because I have had situations like this. They let you in and then realize you aren't who they thought you were and kick you out. But that is not what Florica did. She had us sit down and gave us some nice fruit tea and told us why she let us in.

She said that just over a year ago she and her son had gone on a three week tour of the USA. For a couple of days they stayed at an LDS family's home in Dallas. They really liked that family and promised that when they go back and the missionaries from the LDS church knock on her door she would let them in. And so just over a year later that is exactly what she did. We gave her a lesson on the Book of Mormon and gave her one. We are expecting good things coming from them.

Ok third miracle story of the week happened yesterday. Sora Crista brought a life long friend to church. She loved it and invited us over for lunch after church. She speaks amazing english so we talked the whole time in english. Then her son showed up and we had an amazing lesson with them. They are really open people ready to learn.

Mission Miracle from Elder Truedsan Sandberg

August 19, 2009

We had a neat experience this week with a new investigator. We had met a young man on the street early on in the week and had set up a meeting with him and his parents for later on in the week. When we arrived at his home no one answered. We were a little discouraged and turned to leave. As we were exiting the bloc a man stopped us, shook our hands, and introduced himself. In our shock, we said hello and kept walking. Once we were outside we looked at each other wondering who that guy was. We wondered if he was a member or something but decided against that. We were about 50 meters away from the block when Elder Zemp turned to me and said, "man, God is probably shaking his head at us right now and saying there goes another baptismal date." At which I said, "what do we have to lose--- let's go back." We went back, but to our dismay the door was locked. We turned around thinking well at least we did our part when the door opened and the man called us back. He asked if we wanted in and we told him we had actually come back to talk to him. At that point he was beaming and began to tell us about how he had been looking for a place to be baptized and how we had come at "timpul potrivit." He invited us in to his apartment and we had a great lesson and gave him and his sister a tentative baptismal date at the end. We're hoping to solidify this date at our next appointment with them. It was a reminder to me about how the promptings of the spirit work and the need for us to always be attentive to the still small voice.