December 5, 2024: Sometimes the stars decide to reflect in puddles in the dirt

 This week was insane!! It's been miracle after miracle and I don't know how to explain any of it. 


First off, Elder Stubbs and I are still doing great! Working hard, lots of finding and teaching (and hopefully soon baptizing). Our zone however has been having a much more difficult time figuring out how to do that (maybe I've mentioned that in previous letters, I'm not sure) and we've been trying to figure out how to hype them up so we can get some work going on. This week the zone exploded! (Or more 2 companionships exploded, which influence the zone a lot). Before this week, our zone would average about 10 new people being taught every week. This week we achieved 30 people! And, 12 of those were found by one companionship that we had pumped up the week before about the work. Its so cool to see everyone finally getting hype (our zone has kinda been a little down for the last few months). We also did another 48 hour exchange with some other elders in our Zone which was fun.

Miracle time!
- on Saturday we met with our German friends Ashlee and Cindy in person. We hadn't met in little bit so it was nice to see them. We had a little lesson on repentance, and then at the end we asked if they had questions. Ashlee said "I don't have a question but I wanted to share something". She had been reading and praying about the gospel, and then proceeds to tell us that in our last meeting she had a weird feeling that God was trying to say something to her. That night she had a dream and there was a little girl in that dream that said "it's true its true!" And she's like "what's true" and the girl says "it's true!" And she's like "what??" And the girl says "it's all true. The Book of Mormon and all the stuff the missionaries have been telling you. It's true!"
After she shared that story she was like "I need to be baptized" and it was just like an insane shock. We had no idea what to think other than just wonder at the miracle that God had just worked with our friend Ashlee. She has to change everything in her life in order to be baptized, and she knows it. She is so committed to the truth that she has learned that we are pretty sure nothing will stop her. She came to church on Sunday and afterwards asked if we can sit down and talk about baptism. We did and she said "what do I need to do" and so we showed her the baptismal interview questions. We didn't even ask her right then if she was going to do all of these things, or even explain the doctrinal significance behind it. We met with her the next day and she is making significant strides to stop smoking and told us that she had plans to break things off with her boyfriend so she could live the law of chastity. We then met with her again on Wednesday and she actually did it! I've never worked with someone more prepared or more committed to follow Jesus Christ, especially with the amount of huge changes she has to make in her lifestyle. What amazing faith!
- we also met with our French speaking African friend Sanja and told her about the word of wisdom (no drugs, smoking, alcohol, coffee and green/black tea). We asked her if she would follow it and she said that she occasionally drinks and likes coffee, but that if it is a commandment of the Lord then she will do it. What amazing faith!
- we also met with our friend Andrés and talked about Chastity as well. He loves the principle and thinks its an amazing thing, but he has been living with his girlfriend. We asked him if he would be willing to follow the commandment and said it will be a hard conversation with my girlfriend, but i am willing to talk with her and consider marriage in order to follow this law. What amazing faith!

Please pray for these 3 individuals, as well as Ashley's mom who has some health challenges right now. They all have incredible faith in Jesus Christ that propels them to do good. 

As a mission we have been reading the gospels in order to prepare for Christmas. Something that stood out to me is how faith is required for Jesus to work miracles. This is what is written in Matthew when he went to his hometown of Nazareth:
"And [the people in nazareth] were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.  
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
Jesus can do nothing to help us until we exercise faith in Him. This week we saw how so many we are working with exercised that particle of faith, and we're able to experience miracles and blessings because of it.

Liebe Grüße,
Elder Tage Rex

Pics:
Our boy Claristo (a member)
Us eating Raclette and teaching an awesome French family, thr Gaggiin our congregation.  (Raclette is potatoes and meat and you pour special cheese you melt in a skillet on top. It's delicious!)






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