T'was a good week we had. Full of
teaching people, and talking to people, and burritos, and a digestive
system that reacted poorly to the burritos and other such adventures.
Also,
the other day I got out my bread to make a sandwich to find that my
bread was exceedingly moldy. I've attached a picture for your
enjoyment.
So I'm short on time today, but I did want to share a recent experience. So one night we had an hour left in the night. We
were trying to decide whether to try and find a couple new people we
could start teaching by contacting a family who seemed to really be
interested or to try contacting a member who we've been trying for weeks
to find home and who hasn't been to Church in a long time, whose name
is Rolland. We had first decided to just try visiting the member since
it'd been so long since we've visited with him, and we sort of doubted
he'd be home anyway since he hasn't been home all of the other times
we've tried. Which was wrong of us to do. But we soon changed our minds
however and decided to try the family first, thinking that the worst
that happens is that the family doesn't answer and then we could go try
Rolland. So that was the new plan, but then sort of to my surprise Elder
Bess asked which we should do first. I was just feeling super
indecisive, because we'd been back and forth about it already and in my
mind I was sort of thinking it didn't matter because if the one didn't
answer then we could just try the other person, and if one did answer
then we'd just visit with them and we would try the other person another
time, and so I didn't see why to try and switch up our plan. And this
all happened in my brain in like an instant, and when he asked me I was
about to say the family, sticking to our plan, but then the members
name, Rolland, came to my mind seemingly like that was the conclusion I
came to. But it was different than just me having my own indecisive
thoughts like before. Because I somehow felt confident enough in that
decision to say it, and I hardly ever am that confident in decisions
like that because I tend to just way over think things. But we went to
Rolland. And he was home. And we were able to have a nice visit with
him. He's an amazing guy and has had incredible experiences and seemed
to benefit from the visit. Immediately I realized that it wasn't a
coincidence that I had the last second thought to go to Rolland rather
than the family. The way it worked out was just so perfect. But it was a
while later, a couple days later actually, that I realized a seemingly
small detail. That Rolland's fiance was there, and that she was just
about to leave for work when we got there. But she joined in the
conversation for the first part and we got to know her and stuff and she
also has had amazing experiences. But right before she left she
requested a spiritual/uplifting message. So we did our best and we had a
nice short discussion about it and she left for work. And I didn't
think much of it until much later, like I said. And what I realized is
that it did actually matter which order we tried visiting people that
night. Because if we had tried the family first, sure we would've been
able to still visit Rolland, but his fiance would have already left for
work. And we never know what people are going through. But the fact that
she requested an uplifting message makes it seem that it was something
she at the very least wanted, if not something that she needed to hear. I
wish I could adequately describe to you my feelings. We plan for all
sorts of things as missionaries, and as human beings as well. But things
don't always go as planned. And that is because we don't always know
everything, and the Lord does, and sometimes He puts us in the paths of
people we can help. There was no possible way for us to know that
Rolland would be home that night, that his fiance would be as well, that
at 8:14 pm she would be about to leave for work, but that there was
something she needed to hear. We were one indecisive, second guessed,
moment away from going to the family first. Which would've been great
I'm sure, again, even if they didn't answer we would've made it to
Rolland in time to visit him. But we would've missed his fiance. So I
don't believe that was a coincidence. I absolutely do not.
I
can't express this any more than I have. So I just will leave my
personal testimony and witness that the little things in our lives
matter. And they matter because there is a God who knows us and loves us
and cares about the details of our lives. He knows what we need and
will put people into our paths that will help us with what we need,
whether that be comfort, peace, or love, all things that have been made
available to us by Jesus Christ. We've been blessed with families, and
with joy and happiness in our lives. And we've been blessed by our
Savior who makes it possible for that happiness to last forever. It's
true. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, it's been restored to the
earth with all of its original clarity, authority, and power found in
Christ's original Church, and when we live this Gospel, the way Jesus
wants us to live, we will draw nearer to God and to Jesus Christ, and we
can access that peace, comfort, joy, and love, and all other blessings
that our Savior makes possible for us. I know that God is our Heavenly
Father and that He knows us and He knows what we need and He has a plan
for us. I know that. I know that Jesus Christ is His Son, that He lives,
and that He is our Savior. And I know, and I promise, that as we have
and exercise faith in Him, we will come to know Him. And I leave this
testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Til next time.
~Elder Oswald
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