Mission Miracle from Elder Zachary Bunting

March 26, 2009

So last night we went into the blocks and we said a prayer before that we would have a lesson. We planned to not spend any more time than necessary at the doors of people that were not interested enough to let us in. I said the prayer and it was basically a plea for us to find someone to teach in their home. I told Heavenly Father that we would knock those doors until 8 (because at that point everyone tells us it's too late), and that we would talk with everyone on the way home until we finally found someone with whom to have a lesson. I intended to ask Him to bless us with someone to teach, but instead of the word "cineva," as intended, I said "o familie." I don't know why, but it just came out that way. I can't really remember a similar experience where a different word came out than what I intended. Well we went to knocking and at 7:30 I realized how late it was and started to lose faith, so I said a quick personal prayer for that faith to be restored. The second door after that prayer, Elder Davis said, "We're missionaries from the Church --" and the man cut him off and said, "Come on in." Well, he let us in, and right when we started talking about the church, he called for his wife to come in (we didn't know she was there too), and then called for his 11 year old son as well. We were having a very good discussion about the blessings and happiness that we can enjoy in families, especially because of the restoration of the fulness of the gospel. After about 20 minutes their 14 year old daughter came home, and he called her to participate too. The kids were not bored at all, in fact the son was the most excited one to read the Book of Mormon. After describing the Joseph Smith experience, the Spirit entered so strongly, and we bore testimony of the truth, and helped them identify the peaceful feeling and the source of it. It was a miraculous answer to prayers. I know that God not only listens to prayers, but helps us to know His will. I've read several times in the Ghid pentru scripturi that the object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. I know that last night He let us know HIs will -- for us to teach a family -- and that He prepared the way already.


I don't know that the father is willing to act yet on anything -- he seems for the moment like one of those people that just wants to find out for his own knowledge, but the son was excited (and he's a bright kid), and the wife was very sincere.