Hey Family!
So this week was probably one of the harder weeks, but we were still able to see the Lord's hand throughout each day. We had a lot of dropped appointments and spent A LOT of time tracting. Some days were really difficult tracting days, but we also had a really successful tracting day and it was really fun. I feel that a lot of it depends on attitude and a huge part depends on prayer. When we include the Lord in prayer throughout the day, He is going to help us in one way or another.
Michael has been super sick all week and had to cancel all of our appointments. It was such a bummer. I learned something really significant though, through it all. I kept praying that Michael would start feeling better so we could meet with him. Then one day he called us to cancel again and we had been committing him to stop smoking for 24 hours, then we would commit him for another 24 hours each day, so he was taking it a day at a time. He told us that he was too sick to smoke. That night, as I was praying, it hit me that I couldn't ask heavenly Father to help Michael get better. I was kind of asking or telling Heavenly Father what to do by asking him to help Michael get better so he could come to church. Something kept telling me to pray differently. I was seeing God's will before me. I started to wonder, "What if God is helping Michael to start the process of quitting smoking with this sickness? And I'm trying to tell Him to help Michael get better." I started changing my prayers to ask that God's will be done and that if it is in His will for Michael to be well enough for church, then that would be great; but if there was something else in His plan, that we would be okay with it.
Michael was unable to attend church, but something incredible happened. We have been teaching him about the priesthood and on Sunday he asked for a blessing. We went over there after church with two priesthood holders and they taught him the importance of his faith in this blessing, that it would be upon his faith. He completely understood. The power of the spirit was definite in that room as he received this blessing and his emotions overcame him as he received it. he literally felt the power of God working within him.
I know that this was supposed to happen. This was part of God's plan for Michael. He needed to have this experience in his life as he is preparing himself for these changes. He hasn't smoked in 3 days and he's taking it a day at a time. He knows the power of God is real and he is so excited to keep progressing towards his baptism and then towards receiving the priesthood.
We're also working with a lady named Kandi. We have been teaching her for about a month now and she also has a baptismal date. She has been a lot of fun to work with. We teach her on her porch. We have a lot of porch lessons here. We teach Kandi, Michael, Ron, and sometimes Kenneth (when there's not a lady in the house) on their porches. it's a lot of fun. Except when the mosquitoes come out. They are ridiculous here. ha Bug spray has become our new perfume here.
The work is going great! michael is planning on being baptized on Saturday. We're excited for him!
I hope everything continues to go well for each one of you at home. Continue to build your relationship with Heavenly Father and with jesus Christ by studying about Christ's life, praying to our Heavenly Father, and sharing what you learn with others in the family or friends. We really can have Gospel lead discussions whenever we want!! i love it.
and I love all of you!!
Take care and may God bless you,
Sister Valerie Preston
