Mission Miracle from Elder Derrick Schwartz

June 22, 2009

We have been working with a gentleman named Adrian, and he started investigating the church after talking with the missionaries and us being harassed by a passing orthodox priest. He fought with Adrian a little about how we were disciples of the devil, and then said you can go and listen to what they say. After this, Adrian gladly gave the missionaries his phone number while he was still there, and to the missionaries’ surprise, he set up with them. Elder Holmes and O'Connell were working with him, and many times Elder O'Connell and I found ourselves on exchanges and going together to teach him lessons. After getting through the restoration, plan of salvation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ, we talked a bit about the priesthood and the power that comes from it. He talked a lot about a disease that he has, and how it is really bad right now. It has kept him from working lots and he was not sure that God loved him. We reassured him and talked to him about that. He asked for a blessing, and being a 3rd and 4th transfer speaking missionaries, Elder O'Connell and I managed to get by with giving him a blessing. He knew English too, and so he said give it to me in English. So we did... He understood all of what we said, and we enjoyed the remainder of the time talking about family work, the church website and many other things. We left knowing that he would be in Russia for a month for work.
... Now he is back in Ploiesti and I had the opportunity of going and visiting him with Elder Smith on an exchange, and to see him doing well. He told us about his story of how he went to the doctor, and had a check up on his health condition. He was telling us of how his sickness was on this scale of health ration. Where mid 20's you are so healthy and athletic/exercising etc... And then in the mid 40's, it is a bad place to be health wise. His unfortunately was at 108.... NOT GOOD at all! He said that the nurse came in and checked his tests again to double check, but he IS NOW at 28. Meaning he is as healthy as a mountain hiker who goes out weekly.... CRAZY! He said that I was doubting having you boys do your interesting blessing thing, and all I could think about was that you were doing it and I was crazy for letting you. I know that I was healed by your faith. It had to have been a part of his faith that healed him too. Elder O'Connell and I fasted and prayed all would be well, and he is healthy and going and his life is not threatened by this disease currently. Adrian now has a strong testimony about the Priesthood and knows the power that it has. Both Elder O'Connell and I think that one day he will accept the gospel and will be a strong leader and missionary to the people here!

Mission Miracles from Sora Amanda Gibson

June 22, 2009

Ana Boci, is a referral from family Price. She's their elderly neighbor and despite her earlier excuses to them that her requests for information about our church were for 'the history', she's accepted us very well. The first time we met she said she'd heard the name before but didn't mention where. Then next time we took Sora Price with us. Doamna Boci was so surprised that we were connected. She was much more receptive. And as the lesson/discussion moved on we understood that she's been searching from religion to religion seeing what there is. So when I told her that in Joseph Smith's first vision Christ told him there wasn't any church that was truly Christ's her eyes got really wide. I could see how it took her back. She paid even more attention after that, and accepted an invitation to church and came. We're excited to meet with her again this week and in the future.
The second neat story is Mirela. She's a medical assistant that Sora Richards and I met on the street but lives in our neighborhood anyway. The first lesson we had with her was awkward but at the end of the second lesson with her she was a lot more open and friendly with us. She's excited to meet with us again.. even if it means her roommate will be upset at her.
And the third is Vali. She's a chemistry student from la tara. Sora Richards and I had a good discussion about many things the first time we met. She came to church that Sunday and really liked it. Then Sora Smith and I had an awesome lesson with our member friend Ana. We're all about 22 yrs old. She asked if she could take a Plan of Salvation pliant to show someone.. We gladly let her have one. We also showed her what she has to learn/accept/gain a testimony of before she can get baptized. It didn't phase her and she kept asking good questions about different topics. I'm so excited to meet her again and teach her some more!

Mission Miracle from Elder Zachary Bunting

June 21, 2009

On Sunday Marian set up a baptismal date for June 21, and I honestly had no idea if he could make it. He had only had one lesson, and leaves Monday morning 100km away to work for the week, coming home on Saturday night. Well, I think what happened next is evidence of "the Lord works in mysterious ways." On Wednesday night we were in the blocks and we got a phone call from Marian. He said that he was in Craiova and wanted to meet. So we went to the church and he told us that he had to return to Craiova to go to the hospital because his kidney stone became infected, and he couldn't work the rest of the week. We took advantage of this opportunity to meet every day, and he took advantage of the opportunity to read the entire Book of Mormon. He knows that it is true, and is so excited to be baptized. He said, "My entire family is against my decision. They say, 'We were born orthdox, and we must die orthodox,' but no one can keep me from doing this." He prays that over time they will change their opinion and open to the teachings he has learned. Now just the interview remains and he will be baptized on Sunday. I think the following two statements that he made will give you the best idea of who Marian is. One: "If we hadn't met in the park that day, I would never have learned these things or known about this church." The other, when we started to teach him about commandments, he said, "From the moment I started heading to this church for the first time I said to myself that I must keep God's commandments, and I intend to do that. If I hadn't made that decision, I wouldn't have come." He doesn't know when he's going to Italy (now France is in the picture too), but he is going to stay for three months at the most, and then return.

We also had a totally different type story. A young man we were teaching decided to hold off on baptism after having a discussion with his parents and a visit with the Orthodox Priest. Well, after I got off the phone with him right after church, I obviously was devastated and sad, to the point that I just wanted to mope around. But I knew that I needed to go out to work -- that I wouldn't get in a better mood by pitying myself or feeling sorry for us or for this young man, so we left. Being a Sunday, the streets are almost completely bare, but the first people we came across we contacted. This is what Elder Bednar talked about as a tender mercy of the Lord. When I was in dire need of a boost to realize that God has scores of prepared children here, he put in our path a couple. They were in their late 40's, and I said very briefly the message that we have, and I don't even remember the question I asked, except that it was about prophets. Ionel, the man, didn't answer the question I asked, but said, "We would like to know." Then his wife said, "We want to be on the Lord's side. When can you come to our home to tell us more? I have four children and I want you to teach them too; they are 23, 18, 15, and 1." Well, that single contact reminded me of the reason I am here; not for me, but for them.

Mission Miracle from Elder Alden Campbell

June 8, 2009

I just wanted to tell you of an experience I had on exchange with Elder Anderson.
It was amazing. We had a really good exchange. We planned out a decent day...covered all aspects of missionary work and got drenched in the rain storm! It was sweet. I want to relate an experience from this exchange though. He had asked me to teach him how to learn to be better at thrashing out the weefy people and concentrating on those who want to listen. I brought to his remembrance Alma 32:6-7 and then we talked about that for a bit. Near the end of the exchange it was starting to rain a lot harder and so Elder Anderson chose a block to knock. We went in to the block and no one was really interested. We got to this one lady who told us to go to her neighbor and that she would talk to us. We went to the next door and told the lady at the door that her neighbor told us to come talk to her. She said...are you Mormons...? Well yeah we said and then she invited us in and we sat down and started talking. She told us that she had been investigating the church for about 2 years off and on and had talked with the missionaries on numerous occasions. Before long it was apparent that she wasn't really interested as she would get up and complain about the lights or something else in the house. At about this time her daughter (about 40's..?) walks into the room and so we get her history too. She actually wants to listen to us and so while her mom was in the other room we talked to her. We discovered that she wants to know if the BOM is true but that she didn't get an answer and so stopped trying. We explained to her what was expected of her and what "her part" was so that she could do it. She accepted to read from the BOM and pray with real intent and keep coming to church (she had been coming for a while but had missed the last 2 weeks). Alma 32:6-7 was put into practice in to different ways. First of all, we left the door that said she didn't want it and went to the door that wanted it...then in a more "refined" way we stopped talking to the mom that "accepted" us and talked to her daughter...the one that wanted to receive us. It was a good lesson for both of us.

Mission Miracles from Elder Tyler Sorensen.

June 8, 2009

I decided that these last two weeks of this transfer I had in Sibiu were going to be the best two I have had here and so far it has been. First of all, when Elder Kopiscke from the Seventy visited our Zone Conference, he asked us to look for males in the range of 17-23 to be “our replacements.” At first I was skeptical because they have the highest bung rate for me. In fact, Elder Eyre and I had 17 bungs in one week alone from people in this age range, but our Zone Leaders challenged us to pray to be received by the people so that is what I did. I can't think of one teenager who I attempted to speak to that didn't stop to listen at least for a minute, even if they were in hurry. That never happens and several stopped us and told us they did not live in Sibiu and were only there that day but wanted a Book of Mormon. Next we had the most lessons in one week I have had in Sibiu, and two less actives back at church bringing the total to 20 people at Church--13 members. 4 children, and 1 investigator ( I will talk about him later), myself and Elder Martineau. Sora Dancu and Marius Ciuca are coming back strong! Back to the investigator we had at church---his name is Ioan and Elder Holmes and I met him while on exchange knocking in the Villas Friday night. He is a true miracle story we were out knocking villas before a lesson and weren’t having much success, until we hit on Ioan’s gate. At first a little three year old girl answered the gate. We asked if her parents were home and she went and got her mom who said she had talked to our missionaries before and was interested in receiving a Book of Mormon, but did not really have time right now. But, she said you can talk to my Dad--- he doesn't have anything to do! So we asked him if he was interested and he said sure but nothing too big, so we shared a quick restoration lesson with him. At about the 15 minute point he stood up and said “So when and where do you guys have church?” We told him and he said “Ok, I will be there.” His daughter said, “You can't with your bum leg,” but he said “There is a bus. I can make it if I want, and then he basically closed the lesson. I didn't think too much about it, since people say they will come all the time and previous to him I have only had 3 people who had baptismal dates at church in my entire mission: Arabela in Galati, Doina in Bucharest and Carl in Arad. But Sunday rolled around and he showed and our more promising (so I thought) investigator didn't. This man stayed for sacrament meeting and loved it-- especially the sacrament. He wanted to stay for Sunday School but his paralitic leg was bothering him so we set up for later that night. When we went out to his house, he came to the gate with a huge smile on his face and we began to give a more in depth restoration lesson. As we discussed things, he indicated that he had already began to read the Book of Mormon and underline it and he felt the way I described the spirit when he read from it. From that I knew he was serious. We discussed Moroni's promise and what it means if it is true from the intro and how to apply his faith from Alma 32. Then I said what does it mean to have “real intent” and we talked about how we have to be willing to act on our response and follow Christ's example when we receive it. We then read about Christ’s example in being baptized in 2nd Nephi 31. He said following Christ’s example was getting baptized in his church and I said, “ Ioan, if you really find out these things, will you follow Christ’s example and be baptized in his church?” He said “I already feel it is true. Yes!” So we set him up for July 12. He said he likes things visually drawn up so we presented him with a baptismal calendar with the things he needs to study and when we would like to meet. He is awesome and right on track. Those are just a few of the miracles from this week!

I decided that I would put God to the test and I put in as much faith and Spirit as I could and these are the results! I know God fulfills his promises as long as we do according to his will like it says in D&C “I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise,” or in Mormon 9:7 “Ask whatever good thing believing that ye shall receive and it shall be done unto according to your faith!”

Mission Miracle from Sora Kara Staley

June 8, 2009

I have one exciting story for you. Aurelia (the two year investigator who said hi to you at the church) came to church this Sunday. She was sitting next to me and said, "Sora Staley, my heart is pounding. I feel so good. Can I bear my testimony?" I told her she could if she wanted so she went up and bore testimony of God's love and how she hopes the Book of Mormon is true. She began to cry and said, I feel so good here and I know that it is the Holy Ghost, just like the Sisters taught me. She pleaded with the members to support her and help her have courage to change. We made a baptismal calendar with her. She has come a LONG way from where she was. Yesterday she called us after church. I asked her what she'd been doing that afternoon and she said, "Reading the Book of Mormon." She then told me that she was out walking in centru and there were a lot of people there. She exclaimed, "If I had pamphlets I would give them to people. You should get over here quick. I want to do missionary work with you guys." So we went contacting with her yesterday evening. She gave away a Book of Mormon after helping me explain it to a woman. The Lord truly has a way of teaching people when they finally open their hearts! And that reminds me....On Saturday when we asked if we could meet before English she said, "I can't meet in the morning because I'm going to clean my house." She went on to explain how she was thinking and decided she needs a clean room if she wants to feel the spirit there. Who taught her that? I sure didn't.

Mission Miracle from Elder Benjamin Miles

Mission Miracle from Elder Benjamin Miles
June 8, 2009

Do you remember Hogue? He is the boy from Bangladesh who we met and how we found him was a miracle! But we found out that he was a Muslim and the church has a policy that in order to teach Muslims they have to meet and be interviewed by our mission president. So we never thought that Hogue would be up for an interview but on Tuesday, he came up to the church and was interviewed by our president! Hogue loved the interview and we got to meet with him the next day and the lesson was incredible. He said that he had prayed about our church and that he had gotten a response from God but that he wanted to know more about our church and so that was amazing! And he is so excited to meet with us! This is just an example that Constant Contacting works, I meet him in the bus and he is an amazing person. This is truly a miracle!

This week I had another miracle while my companion went with another companion to meet Houge for the interview. I went with another companion to do a little street contacting and I really didn't know where to go. I needed the Lord’s help. So my companion and I sat on a bench in the middle of town and we decided to pray and ask god where we should go. So we said the prayer and no sooner had I raised my head up than my answer came. I knew exactly where we needed to go! The Lord was clear--- go straight down the street! So that is what we did and we started contacting and it was going alright but nothing really special, Then I saw someone that I recognized come toward us. It was a man that I had met street boarding about 4 weeks earlier but when I had met with him the first time I had written his number down wrong and I hadn't been able to get a hold of him! So I asked him if he was still interested in hearing our message and he said yes. I got his correct number and we were able to set up with him and it was an amazing lesson and this for me was an amazing miracle. God led us back to him! God guided our footsteps-- it was an amazing miracle.

Also, along the lines of following the spirit we were in the bus the other day and I love to bus contact. it has always been a successful way of finding for me and I got into a bus and I wanted to know who to talk to and once again I had the distinct impression to sit down next to this one boy and talk to him about our English classes. So I did just that and he was very nice and after that he asked me what I preach and he told me that he wanted to learn about our religion and we had a great discussion about the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ. At the end I got his number and he was very excited about hearing about the Book of Mormon. Once again the truth rings true “Let the holy spirit guide” !
June 8, 2009

Also this week, we were coming back from an exchange in Ploesti. As I got on the train I heard someone speaking english so I got up and went to see who was speaking and it was a man from India named Sandeed. I asked him if I could speak with him a little bit and he said sure. The best part about this miracle was that before leaving Ploesti this morning I had had the impression to bring two English Books of Mormon and so I did and sure enough the Lord knew that I would have need of them and I spent the entire 3 hour train ride talking to him about the Book of Mormon. Sandeed really loved it and the other part that is amazing is that he is from Cluj and in that same day the senior couple from Cluj was on the train and coming back from Bucharest. So I got him hooked up with them and am hoping to hear how it is going with him! Another miracle.

This is anther cool miracle I was on my way to church this week and I saw a man and I've been doing everything possible to constant contact and to keep working to the max--- it is my sprint to the finish! And so I saw this man and I didn't have a lot of Time and so I decided that I would just invite him to church! And so I did and he came. He came and stayed for the whole sacrament meeting! It was just a testimony to me that diligence is worth it!