The Indian Summer and the GPS Miracle

So as I mentioned last week the temple has been finally opened to the public after nearly 18 months of restoration. And with its opening we are seeing many many miracles. It is part of my job during this open house to welcome people into the reception tent after the tour and ask them how they enjoyed the temple. Everyone says the exact same thing "It was breathtaking!" It doesn't matter who it is or what their background is every single person has said the exact same thing. Breathtaking, peaceful, and full of love.

It seems that the weather is also celebrating this beautiful opportunity. We are  experiencing what is called an Indian Summer by these Canadians. A random moment where it suddenly gets warm in mid November. Yes it was snowing two weeks ago but I have not had to wear a coat for the last four days.

Now I wanted to share a story. Shortly following our emails last Monday, all the sisters in the mission had a training by Elder Richards, a member of the seventy. We had arrived a little early as had been requested, and were sitting in the sacrament room waiting for Elder Richards to come. It was reverently quiet in the room as all the sisters were taking the moment to study the scriptures and further prepare for the training.

So flashback a little. Here in our mission if we would like to have a GPS we need to provide it. I had a GPS that my family had sent me about a year ago. It is our family GPS that was would use before people started having iPhones and hadn't really been in use until I started to use it out here. When I left Lemoyne the sisters were begging and pleading that I leave it there so that they could use it. Seeing as my new companion had one in her possession I lent it to them. Now flash forward to the meeting. It was after this meeting that we would be transferring and with that transfer I would lose my companion AND her GPS. So we had called the sisters to try to get my GPS back.

So as we are sitting in the sacrament room of the chapel waiting for Elder Richards feeling the spirit the Lemoyne Sisters lean over to me and mention that my GPS had stopped working and it wasn't charging anymore. Boom. Freakout moment. We were an hour and a half away from our area. Which hour and a half included driving directly through the middle of the Island of Montreal. AKA a rather large City. I started stressing out hard core. But still wanting to be ready for the meeting I tried my hardest to focus on the scriptures.

Well it didn't work right away so I turned to my study journal that contained all of my notes on conferences and trainings I had attended. One word kept standing out. "Adversity." Hmm... I wonder why.... Anyways I decided to study adversity in the scriptures. The very first scripture I turned to was D&C 58:2-4 which talks about how though there be hard times now blessings will come in the future.

Now this is the moment that is miraculous. I found peace.

It wasn't because my GPS just started working or anything like that. Nor was it that I just forgot about it. The Lord brought to mind my very very first day in the field as a missionary. We were in the Middle of Montreal, no GPS and I was supposed to drive. I hadn't really driven in about a year, not including the one or two excursions I had ventured the month before I started my mission. And driving really stressed me out. Especially highways. Well we decided to say a prayer. Then started driving.  I have never been so confident and calm while driving that day. And my companions directions consisted of "I think it is that way."  But some way unbeknownst to us we arrived at our apartment in Mascouche without getting lost. Not even once.

After remembering this I realized something else. I had served above the Island, on the Island and below the island. I had served in every area I needed to in order to make my way to the temple and back.

Peace came into my heart as I realized that I could trust the Lord. He had shown me that before and he had prepared me for this moment. I needed this peace because afterwards when we began our training and had a personal tour by a member of the seventy of the church through the temple I received an answer to my prayers that I was in sore need for. If I had been distracted by how I would get home I would not have been able to receive that answer.

I love you all and if there is anything that you can get from this weeks email I would like to give my testimony that I know that God blesses those that trust him. I got home safely that night and I have gotten home safely every night since and have never once been lost. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.