Week 8 - July 27

TACO BELL

Yo yooo, what is up everyone? I have transfer news for ya'll...I'm staying in Northport with sister Henry--WAHOOO! I am so excited and grateful to be staying here, I loveeee this area and especially the ward members. They just make me feel right at home.  

Oh, and I hit my two months today of being a missionary yay! 

This last week was MIRACLE WEEK! ️

The last week of every transfer is called miracle week because, well, there are a lot of miracles. And boy, let me tell you were there miracles! Not sure if it's because we were more determined this week or what, but we had so many awesome experiences. God is blessing this area. 

Another sign it was miracle week...I saw so many yellow butterflies, and I hadn't seen them my whole time being out here until this past week. 

Something else I have been seeing a lot of as well is roadkill. I've never seen so much roadkill in my life. Alabama has just about all of it...armadillos (so many you wouldn't believe it), turtles (yes turtles), raccoons, deer, possums, squirrels, you name it. 

Yesterday was kinda fun...Sister Henry and I got to go to a Baptist church. 

Let me tell ya, it was quite the experience, but I loved it lol. It's cool seeing how different religions and churches worship. We ended up going because our friends Dee and Mckayla said they would come to our church after we came to theirs before. So we were able to get them to church as well as two other new people. Four new people at church, whattttt. And they all loved it. Miracles!!!!

 

Ok, now going along the lines of miracles, I wanted to share a special one we had this week. There were so many with our friends (Regis, Cory, Bobby, Char, Katressie, Jerimiah, Maria), but this friend, Kieonna, was the cherry on top. I call her my TacoBell miracle.

We had one of our lessons fall through on Thursday, so we went to a park to "find" instead. But then it started raining, so we got in our car and had no idea what to do with the next 45 minutes before dinner. So of course we do the best thing we can do, we pray. After the prayer, Sister Henry and I just kind of looked at each other waiting for the other person to speak up. I didn't want to say it, but I go, "Well, the thought that came to my mind was Taco Bell" and Sister Henry looks at me in shock and says "No way, I was thinking McDonalds and then Taco Bell, too!!" So we knew we had to go to the Taco Bell by Mcdonald's. We were determined to find this person who needed the gospel! 

We walked inside and had no luck talking with the first lady, but then we walk over to the worker at the cash register and ask her if she wants to come worship with us. Kieonna pops out from behind her with fire and curiosity in her eyes. She makes her way up and reaches out her hand to us and said, "Let's pray". So we hold hands and pray with her and the other worker. We then asked her if she is looking for a place to worship. Before we even finish our sentence she just nods her head and says "I will be at your church this Sunday." She said she's been looking to go to church, and she wants her 3 and 11 year old to come, too. We told her the back story about how we ended up at TacoBell and how God led us to her. We ended up meeting her two days later for a lesson, and it was amazing. 

If you want to hear more about her end of the story, I have a video on my Google Photos of us explaining more about it. 

This experience is a testimony to me that God is so aware of people's lives. He knew in that exact moment she needed us to come to invite her to church! And, I also learned that he is so ready to give us answers! Sometimes, we just have to pause and sincerely ask. 

And that leads me to my spiritual thought for ya'll...that is, that the power of prayer is REAL. 

I have never prayed more than I have since being a missionary. You pray every time you leave the house, every time you get out the car, every time you enter a lesson, every meal, every waking hour. You pray when you feel scared, if you have a weird feeling, if you need direction. You pray when you want to give thanks to God and rejoice in all the tender mercies he has given you!!! We are always in communion with Heavenly Father. And what a gift that is. Because we are opening up with Him and communicating with Him more, He can communicate back to us MORE. We can hear His voice and feel of His love MORE. I invite you all to talk with God more so you can feel Him more in your life. He loves you and wants to communicate with you. 

Alma 37:36-37

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that He may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. 

Love you all,

Sister Kiki