By small & simple things : A day full of miracles!

Family!

I can't wait to tell you about my week!! So first off, I am staying in SLO with Sister Harrison... AH!! So happy! We're both just super eager to work and find and teach. We've had an amazing transfer, but this one will be even better. I'm so grateful that I get to finish serving with sis. Harrison... she's become one of my greatest friends. Comp. love!!

So, Kaya is doing AMAZING! She loves her little baptism book and is just immersing herself completely. She's reading and praying every day, she went to a baptism with us this past week and she couldn't stop talking about how thrilled she was for August 1st! She also loved church yesterday. The primary pianist has been out of town the last few weeks, so sister Harrison has been playing.. I absolutely love being in primary. The kids are so pure and the spirit is so strong there.. They're also hilarious. And we get to be with Kaya! It's the best.

So we had MLC on Tuesday, which was so powerful. We talked about urgency and the importance of remembering that the Lord is hastening his work right now. NOW is the time to pick up the pace and serve with all of our hearts, might, mind, and strength. We talked about what it means to be a Representative of Jesus Christ and just how sacred and special that is. It is such an honor to represent him... and also a huge responsibility. I know that His atonement is what makes me capable and that his grace makes up for where I fall short. Teaching and testifying of him every day is such a blessing that I have often taken for granted... it's become so special to me now. After MLC, Sister Harrison and I set some goals as a companionship and personally. The next day (Wednesday) we had prayed fervently that we would find that day before we went out. We told the Lord that we desired to work and go where he would have us go, and find the elect... we had more of a sense of urgency and it was a day FULL of miracles.

First, we were walking by a park and we saw this woman sitting under a tree. We started talking to her and she just opened up completely... She told us that she hadn't grown up with any sort of faith or religion. She turned to Catholicism when her mom passed away six years ago because of the sorrow and the pain. She was completely lost, but didn't find what she was seeking. She told us that she still feels confused. She wants to know her purpose. We told her that our purpose as missionaries is to help her find that peace and clarity and asked if we could teach her and she was more than willing. We'll be meeting with her this week… keep her in your prayers. Her name is Becky! Right after we walked away from talking to Becky, we met Benjamin... Benjamin is in a wheel chair and is paralyzed from a skiing accident he had 3 years ago. Before his accident, he had not faith whatsoever. He was supposed to die and he told us that God saved his life and he has had too many spiritual experiences and miracles that he cannot deny it. Ever since his accident, he has come to know that Jesus Christ is his Savior… this man has more love for God than any one I have ever met and so much passion for the gospel. We walked with him and he asked as what we have learned on our missions and asked us to teach him as we walked. We taught him the restoration and the spirit was testifying to each of us the truth of it.. We had been walking and teaching for about 30 minutes and then he stopped us mid-conversation. He said, "Sisters, I want you to know that I specifically prayed this morning that I would find more truth... and that I would find the missing piece of the puzzle.. I also want you to know that I am fasting today. It is no coincidence that I met you." What was amazing is we had literally studied fasting and prayer that morning for another investigator who had cancelled… it was so rad. And we were just in awe at how impeccable the Lord's timing was. We met with Benjamin again on Saturday and answered some of his questions and also established our purpose, we talked about preparing to make covenants and the baptismal covenant. He was completely soaking it up. He is a truth seeker!! We also met a few other investigators and are so excited for this week.

Faith is a real power.. the Savior said, "According to your faith, be it unto you." The Lord is so aware of the desires of his children. He was aware of Benjamin's desire to find more truth and he was aware of our desire to find those seeking truth. I know that if we tell the Lord we'll do something, exercise faith in Christ, and trust in the Holy Ghost, he will provide a way. I feel him walking with me in his work. I know that through Christ, we can be cleansed and we can be changed. Choose to deepen your conversion every day, choose to know him better this day.

I love you all and am so grateful for your prayers and your examples to me!

Love, Sister James

July 13, 2015