It is raining miracles!

Hi Everyone!  I have been great about sending pictures home.  However, we have been so busy that I have not had an extra second to write an email.  Today I have a few thoughts that I wanted to share along with the story about how we found our friend Amit. 

I often wonder about the reason behind journaling.  Who does this benefit? If a mission is a time when I leave behind all personal affairs and get lost in the work, then why do I write home about it? Why don't I just keep my personal journal? If the spirit brings things to my remembrance, then why try to record it? If it's therapeutic (which it is) then I really should be spending more time participating in it. If it's all being recorded in Heaven, then why record it on Earth? There are so many miracles, and I feel completely unqualified to record them. I could never do them justice. Is it for me or is it for my posterity? (2 Nephi 25:23) 

These are a few of the questions that have been on my mind. Last evening, while Journaling. I found my answer... While not the entire answer I did get some answers. 

I write to reflect and to ponder. It is in the act of remembering that we have the spirit to teach, correct, and chasten us. So, why don't I just keep a personal journal (the large plates) or should I go through all the work and have email (small plates) as well? 

I also wonder if my duty is to those in my area or to strengthen those at home as well.  I recently had a companion who asked, "All you talk about is “the work”. Is that all you think about too? “I have prayed to get lost in the work, and now that I have........ I guess it comes down to what God wants. It took me some time and some conversations with my parents to realize that I don’t just have to think and talk about the work all the time.  I have struggled with this.  However, my mom encouraged me to ask my companion about themselves.  Ask them what they would like to discuss.  Perhaps a deviation from “the work” over dinner is a good thing.  I must admit I had not looked at it like this.  I had been so focused on the work and myself that I was forgetting the importance of my companion and her feelings and needs.  My mom also told me that I should work on having conversations about broad topics because it can help me. I have struggled with this because I must admit that I worry about becoming unfocused and getting homesick or having a hard time refocusing.  But my goal this week is to work on this.

Miracles.

Another transfer is gone, and miracles are falling left and right. I decided to make a goal. I'm going to write down at least one miracle a week. And send it home. However, you can rest assured that there are probably 3 or 4 monumental mountain-moving Miracles each day.  

We Street contacted Amit, pronounce, ( A-mEd). He had a coconut in one hand, and a grocery bag in the other. We asked him about it. After a short interaction, we had to run off to a lesson, but before we did, we asked him about his beliefs. We then shared some of our message of the restored gospel and then gave him The Plan of Salvation pamphlet.  We then told him our congregation was having a Trunk or Treat and invited him. We didn't think much of it and never thought he would come. Well, guess who showed up to the trunk or treat, and he brought his two kids? Yup, Amit!  We were going to grab his number and his address because he said he'd like us to come by. However, somehow, he slipped out before we could grab it.  A few days later we were tracting at the apartment complex where we had talked to him the first time with the coconut. My companion and I said a prayer that we would be able to find his family. We wandered around hoping he would walk out from behind the door, but it didn't happen.  We were discouraged, so we left.  A few days later we did the same process.  This time we prayed even harder, listened to the spirit, and walked over to a general vicinity. Once we were there the number came to my mind 237. We walked over to apartment number 237. We then heard kids crying so we decided to knock on the door next to it. We were sure that somebody would answer and tell us that they knew where we could find Amit. However, the door opened, and Amit was standing in the doorway! There he was standing right in front of us. We were led to his exact door.

He came to church this past week with his children. Halfway through sacrament meeting his daughter leaned over to me and said who is Jesus Christ? She's about 10 years old and comes from a Hindu background. It's a very special experience witnessing someone's first prayer, or the all and wonder they're in when you tell them there's a literal Son of God. After she asked me this very important questions, I leaned over and said, "it's the son of God!" she said "what.... who's his mom?" and I said "Mary". And she said, "did God come down to earth? How did that happen?" I said I'll explain it later. Amit is one of the most amazing fathers I've ever met. His child has bone cancer, so he has quit his job to take care of him. His wife has Tourette's and severe chronic depression. His other three children only go to school part-time to help protect their younger brother who has a compromised immune system. But despite all of this they are happy and joyful. They have very little yet are grateful for what they do have. I am grateful for Amit and all that he teaches me.

One of our friends that we have been working with told us she wanted to work on her prayers and scripture study. This got me thinking about why prayers are so important, and I penned this response to her. I wanted to share it with all of you now. 

You can change your life by changing your prayers. Somebody mentioned to me the other day that they can tell when somebody's truly converted by listening to their prayers. But I think you can tell when somebody truly understands the relationship between oneself and our Heavenly Father. When we feel that we can counsel with our Heavenly Father, he will not only lead us but also show his love for us. When we fully understand the extent to which we have access to this divine help our prayers change. We have access to a perfect friend, a perfect counselor, a perfect therapist, and a perfect parent, who is always available to us. Most people only care about themselves, but God not only cares about us but is eager to hear us. And He is just as eager to talk to us. Once we have made covenants with God, there's important clarification because some covenants can be made with other powers unseen just like secret combinations. But especially once we make covenants with God, we have overcome spiritual death. By overcoming that spiritual death, we can access the communications of heaven. He truly is the greatest example of selflessness.

I went on an exchange with Hermana Clark. Lately I have been challenged by feelings of mediocracies as a missionary. I felt like I had so much growth at the beginning of my mission, but now I'm just plateauing. Before going with Hermana Clark, I didn't know what to study or really how to be focused. I feel like there's so many things to focus on but none of them would really change me. I was directed to 3 Nephi Chapter 4. This is a chapter I consistently have felt prompted to turn to throughout my life. Often, I have wondered why. It's not a very profound chapter and I'm still trying to see what the Lord wants me to learn from it. Turns out that Sister Clark had been prompted to read this chapter that day as well. She talked a lot about how much the Prophets have been counseling us to prepare. She said that sometimes when she feels overwhelmed, she is not sure what to focus her studies on. She realized after reading this that she simply needed to listen to the prophet and take guidance from him. It answered my prayers.

This week we also visited with a Portuguese individual. We started teacher her from a referral from the Folsom Elders. Apparently, they met her in a parking lot. When we arrived and were talking with her for the first time, we asked her why she gave the Elders her information. She said, "most people don't run up to you in a grocery store parking lot, unless they have something really important to say or they're in need of help." I knew that these people had something really important to say. They referred her to us, and we were able to start teaching her. Her husband is more hesitant. He said "do y'all still believe that Jesus actually came to the Americas? Nowhere in the Bible does it say this." I was just blown away, how can a Brazilian who has seen the society of ancient America firsthand and chooses to reject it. Anyways after this exchange I had a realization. I may be struggling with some inadequacy as a missionary; however, I am making a difference on a mission level. I'm making a difference in Lathrop and that's truly what matters.

Love you all!

Sister Frasier