"Happy Birthday" - Heavenly Father

Hi!

So my 22nd birthday was this week and I can't believe how old I am. I opened my wonderful package from my mother that morning. I never thought I'd be so excited to get suit jackets and blazers. And mom, they fit great! I love them! My mom sent party supplies so we could have our own party but we were waiting till p-day to bake a cake. Then we had district meeting that morning where they sang happy birthday and then we went back to work. Afterwards me and my companion were going to go to a amazing pizza place to eat lunch. But when we got there we realized that it was going to take longer than an hour to cook and eat. We were too far from home to go and eat there, so we went to the closest place- a gas station. Wonderful... On my birthday I ate lunchables in a gas station parking lot. Pretty exciting! We laugh about it alot now. But we saw a lot of the Lord's tender mercies that day. I was thinking about homemade ice cream all week and how I could have asked Mom to make me some at home for my birthday. But when we show up at a member's home for dinner, who didn't know it was my birthday, she had made homemade ice cream. I was so excited!
But the best present of the day came later that night. Heavenly Father gave me a wonderful present, actually two presents. Here is a backdrop for the situation and setting. A week before we had been trying to get a hold of a former investigator that we felt really good about. When we tried to see her we found that she had moved and the phone number was wrong. So we dropped it. But a week later, we were scheduled to meet with a less-active member. We called him a couple of minutes before his appointment and he said that he had forgotten about it but we could come see him at his friend's house. "Perfect!" we thought. Teach him and the friend. So when we show up and when the friend introduces herself we realize that she is the former we were looking for. We teach her about the Restoration and she starts crying after the 1st vision saying how much she needs this in her life and how much peace she can feel at that moment (spirit!). She accepts a baptismal date without hesitation. She is has had an extremely rough life and she can feel the joy that it brings so she wants it soooo badly. She has been prepared by God to receive us. The next day we had the Elders come over and bless her home and give her a bless. She was crying through the whole blessing and couldn't stop thanking us for teaching her. We talked to her about church and how people dress there. She said that she didn't have skirts or nice clothes. But we were prepared and inspired to bring her clothes the night before. So we whip out a skirt and blouse and said, "No worries, we brought you a present!" She was floored by the gift and started crying again. She even modeled them for us and she was so excited to wear them to church. She came to church on Sunday and loved it. What a wonderful birthday present! I love my Heavenly Father! She is set for the 18th but we might move it a little sooner because she is just so willing.
I got another present the day after. Someone me and S. Hamilton had taught for awhile in La Junta got baptized. He was the 16 year old boy we were teaching. He was confirmed on Sunday and received the priesthood and is set to pass the sacrament next sunday then bless the sacrament the week after. I was sad that I didn't get to go to his baptism but we were working hard here in Pueblo!

Remember if we have faith and involve the Lord through prayer, He will prepare our neighbors, friends and family for the gospel. We just have to be willing to share.

Love Sister Sumsion