Week of Miracles

(Elder Cummings)

Elder Ostler and I have had one of our busiest weeks yet!  He has now been out in the field for a whole transfer, almost as long as he was in the MTC.  Time has flown by so fast!  One of the lessons we had was with a recent-convert name Song Vang (Xyooj Vaj).  We taught him about steps of repentance, and we had an almost a 50-50 split in the material conveyed.  Needless to say, his Hmong has improved A LOT.  He has been diligent in studying and the blessings are coming through.

Our "finding" is still on point!  We had a neat experience the other day when we were walking to our car after a lesson and felt inspired to shout over to the Hmong woman across the street and ask her if she would like to read scriptures with us.  She said yes and she and her husband loved the visit.  They have been in America for two years and have been "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" (123:12).  Literally, they said that they have not been baptized into a church because no one had come to teach them about God.  They've wanted to learn about Christianity for some time, but have not, until now, had the opportunity.

In a somewhat ironic chain of events, we helped a Jehovah's Witness man get in touch with his local Hmong speaking congregation.  We were talking with him, learned that he had recently moved from Wisconsin, learned what his belief was, and immediately and unmistakably to prompting came to get him the information for the Jehovah's Witness worship services.  We were without doubt "led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [we] should do."(1 Nephi 4:6).  We knew where the building was, got the address for him, and on the way back saw the person we had an appointment to visit sitting at a bus stop.  We pulled over, talked to him, learned that he wasn't going to be free at the previously decided time, rescheduled for later, and took off to go see our Jehovah's Witness friend.  As a result of all of this, we were able to use the time now empty because of the moved appointment to go see another investigator who was in need of a visit.  She had been praying and felt like she needed a church that taught "oneness" -- all of the truth in one place.  We taught her the message of the restoration again, more clearly than we had before, and as a result of all of this she did not drop us and committed to prepare herself to be baptized.

There was another woman, Nancy V., who we met after our entire Saturday fell through in an hour. We returned to the apartment after a VERY difficult afternoon, ate, prayed, pondered, and went to go contact some less-active members who we were impressed to go visit. Nancy's husband, Watou, is a less-active member. As we were talking to Watou, who almost volunteered to take the missionary lessons again, Nancy spoke up and asked what she needed to do to become a member of the church. The Spirit rushed into the room. We would not have met Nancy for who knows how long had our day not gone to the pot. Truly a miracle. I was moved that God would sacrifice our entire day, set appointments and backups all together, to lead us to one specific soul who was prepared. We were able to teach one lesson that day. Meeting Nancy was worth it.

In other news, Elder Bagley on Hmong West is getting transferred to Merced and Elder Gray will be coming down to Fresno.  Elder Ostler and I in Hmong East are unaffected.  We will miss Elder Bagley, but will be seeing him soon.

I love you all!  Have a fantastic week!

Elder Jared Cummings