Monday, January 26, 2015

Using Starbucks wifi....

Good Morning!! 
This week has been wonderful. We have gotten so much done and it feels great. When we called out Ward mission leader last night he told us that since Sister Phelps and I have been here the sacrament attendance percentage has gone from 44% to 48%. The Ward councils goal was to get to 49% for the 2015 year. We have just been going through all the Ward list and moving people out! Simple stuff, that makes a huge difference. 
We also picked up 3 new investigators! Miracle week for us. It's funny to hear from missionaries serving in different parts of the world that are teaching 20-30 people and we are jumping with joy when we get 1-2 new a week! The work is picking up in the area and we are starting to see the fruits of our labor! I pray that this week is just as great so that Sister Phelps can go home with a bang!
This week we also had our Zone Blitz. This is a day when all the missionaries in our zone go to one area and do missionary work in that area. We had a great time and met so many awesome people! We had lunch by a stream up in the woods, helped some people move, and of course found people that needed us that day! 
"Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers!" I grew up singing and loving that song and I came to gain a testimony this week of praying often. I was sitting in a lesson last night and one of our investigators asked me "Tell me the truth, do you know do you really know that your prayers are answered and God hears them?". I sat there for a few seconds just thinking. Going through my head "well I guess there have been a lot of things that I have wanted and prayed for that haven't happened" and then out of know where I said "Yes, but sometimes God's answer is NO, sometimes God's answer is just to remain silent and let us figure it out!" 
Elder Richard G. Scott said, “It is so hard when sincere prayer about something you desire very much is not answered the way you want. It is difficult to understand why your exercise of deep and sincere faith from an obedient life does not grant the desired result. The Savior taught, ‘Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you’. At times it is difficult to recognize what is best or expedient for you over time. Your life will be easier when you accept that what God does in your life is for your eternal good.”
In the Bible Dictionary it says "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."
These past few weeks I have been on my knees praying and praying for an answer. I had received some inspiration 2 months ago and knew that I needed to make a decision. As I began praying I kept feeling....nothing. I was just more confused. One day I was studying and had the thought come "are you willing to do what God wants you to? If not, He isn't going to answer!" That was it! I was praying just to get it out of my head but I wasn't sure if I really was willing to do what He wanted be to do." I finally made up my decision! And I received my answer. His will was my will all along...BUT He was teaching me a lesson I needed to learn! I know that God answers prayers! Sometimes the answer isn't what we expect, sometimes He lets us make the decision, sometimes it's No and sometimes Yes. Sometimes the answer it not yet. Sometimes it's like a brick hitting us and sometimes it's a little light at the end of a long tunnel. Prayer is answered in different ways, sometimes it's answered through others. There is not one way to receive an answer.(and that's not always easy) The question shouldn't be Heavenly Father will you do this? It should be "Heavenly Father what is thy will for me? And I will go and do it!" 
God is a God of miracles. He hears our prayers, He answers our prayers. We may not know how or when, but I can testify that they will come...at HIS TIME AND HIS WAY. Trials are real, they teach us and are for our good! This gospel is a blessing, a gift, and I am so thankful to be out sharing it. I'm so thankful for the temple and the sealing power. For the knowledge that I can be with my family and future family for eternity! We have a LOVING Heavenly Father and I know He LOVES YOU! This life is wonderful! Enjoy it and cherish it! 
Love,
Sister Reber 

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