11/4/2013 Blessings in Disguise

I got a package today!  It was full of everything I could've wanted: cookies, piano books, more cookies, ankle brace, more halloween candy, recepie book, tools to teach kids, and MORE COOKIES!  Thank you so much!

The most awesome miracle of my mission so far happened this week! I got sick.  You know how I get sick every holliday?  So the day after Halloween I threw up twice and had a small fever.  But I really just felt weak, not even nausea, so it was probably the least pain in sickness I've ever felt.  :)I also don't know if I've ever had so much faith that if I needed to, I would be better by that afternoon to complete the work Heavenly Father needed me to do.  My companions took such great care of me with jello and rice, and toast, and applejuice and homemade soup.  They arranged for me to stay with the Montanez family so they could form a trio and still get work done in both of our areas.  After I arrived at sister Montanez house she told me that her sister's family was coming over, with the same niece that was really struggling emotionally and whom she had given a book of mormon to. What?! Heavenly Father placed a sick missionary at the perfect time and place to share the gospel with a family who needed it exactly at this moment in their lives.  I simply knew this was why I was there, and I knew what I had to do.  I pleaded for the right moment to share the gospel with them.  Everything seemed to flow as the spirit directed. The opportunity to share Elder Holland's talk, "like a broken vessel" came.  The mom and her 2 daughters listened and were touched and strengethened by this talk. Sister Montanez and I then shared the plan of salvation, revelation through prayer and scriptures, introduced book of mormon and that lead into reading 3 Nephi 11 when Christ appears to the Nephites and teaches them the doctrine of Christ. The spirit was very strong, and I just had to be patient and let the Lord do his work.  I was so sad to leave their home. Over the course of the evening we had become kindred spirits, knowing and loving one another.  But the next day my companion and I returned and taught the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Everything leads to baptism, and they want to be baptized! but the dad isn't sure.  The two daughters came to church the next day and loved it. I wish we could continue with them, but they live 2 hours north outside the mission.  For sure we will be checking on their progress.  They are serious about this though.  You could just see the happiness and hope flow into Natalie's heart.  The gospel really was healing her.  I caught the beautiful sight of bringing the light of Christ into someone's life and it truly was beautiful. 

 

I don't have much more time, so really quick:

I found some more piano books/songs in church library, so I think I will be okay now, but having my own is always useful so thank you.

Miracle of safety: Hna. Arevalo's bike fell off our rack on a 60 mile an hour road.  Fortunetly it fell between the two lanes so that no one was harmed and cars were able to dodge it. A state trooper stopped the lane briefly so we could retrieve it, and as of now there are no legal consequences. Just that her bike is ruined.  I hope she lets me help her get a new one or fix it. 

For Halloween our Mission President told us to stay in and study from 6-9, but we got permission to paint a house instead!  So that was super fun, and we had like 20 minutes of extra time to play games, and that rarely happens so that was awesome.  We bought candy for trick or treaters and taped them to pass along cards.:)

Another miracle: a man at restaurant came up to us, said I looked familiar (I've had that a few times, I guess I look like a past missionary), and asked us to come share the gospel with him! He is not in our area, so we can't, but the Elders can!

Lately we have been seeking opportunities to serve and to learn how to make food and we were super blessed with many opportunities to do both those things. 

We got to attend a baptismal service for our fellow hermana's investigator, Maria.  It was wonderful!  Baptismal services are definitely highlights of the mission. 

I'm glad I'm me:

1. my skirt fell in the toilet as I was going to the bathroom

2. Sometimes I start talking to Chinese people in Spanish--they just look at me weird.

3. Sometimes I ask random people on the street in they want to come to my church.  --they also look at me weird.

Love,

Hermana Campbell