Big Miracles in Little Minden

This week was great! The story is long but good!

We went knocking doors on Thursday (doors is always a last resort) and I was trying to be positive but was still surprised when we got a phone call from a guy named M*****.  He is a super educated guy with a law degree, who is fluent in German, English, and some other crazy language. He joined the church in 2005 while he was getting his law degree in San Antonio, Texas. He then moved back home where he just couldn’t find success here as a lawyer. Then his friends and family made fun of him and said bad things about the church and he slowly became inactive. His friends and family continued giving him a hard time about it, so he had his records removed from the church.

Six months ago he had a feeling he needed to come back, and then about a month ago he texted us asking when the next ward activity was which isn’t till Christmas. So then we didn’t hear from him again until Thursday, when he called and said he wanted to meet ASAP. Luckily we were dooring by the church which is cool because we’re NEVER by the church because it’s like a billion miles away. We met with him and he said he had a really huge spiritual experience this last week where God told him that he needed to come back.

So we met with him and the Bishop, and made a plan. He needs to meet with the Stake President and until then he said he would come to church. And yesterday he did! He was there the whole time and he made some really good comments. Then right when church ended he got a phone call that he got the apartment that he was trying to get so he could move out of his mom’s house. He’s currently a bus driver and he hates it. He even said “I’m honestly too qualified to be a bus driver”. And he told us he has to distance himself from his family and friends so that he can come closer to God.

Then (again at church) he overheard us talking to this member that’s going to be going to some country for a month. It just so happens that the third crazy language that he’s fluent in is for that country. He asked the member if he could find out if his company has any jobs available speaking that language. It turns out that they’ve been looking for someone that knows that language and a bunch about law – we think this members a debt collector (no joke). So then he got a job interview for later that day! He was so excited and he knows that the Lord is blessing him. Even if he doesn’t get this job the Lord is blessing him with opportunities.

He kept thanking us but I realized that we really didn’t do much. All we’re doing as missionaries is being an instrument. The Lord is just working his miracles through us. And I’m happy to be that instrument.

It’s weird that next week I’ll be 19… Elder O’keefe said he’ll make me Kneaders french toast for my birthday so it’ll be awesome! I love you all! And Christmas!

HE IS THE GIFT

Elder Winkel

The “debt collector’s” house. He is the German guy that is having us teach his mother. His house is an old windmill that has been in his family forever! He travels a lot and all he’s really told us about his work is that he “deals with a lot of dishonest people” in the mill industry. Haha. Probably not a debt collector but he’s got some crazy scars on his face, he’s like a henchman from James Bond or something.

I bought a tree! 15 euros! I found a stand in our storage too!