Two weeks
ago we had the most incredible faith building experience. We had Stake
Conference on the 24th. Saturday night one of our less actives named
Isaiah, who is 11 years old, told us that he really wanted to come to
Stake Conference the next day. This was a miracle in itself because he
hasn't been to church in almost a year.
Because
it was Stake Conference, our chapel wasn't big enough (because it's an
office building), and so we had to travel to the nearest chapel that
would accommodate that many people which was located in Morristown.
Well, most of the members don't have cars, so the ward paid for a bus to
drive us. We were to meet at our chapel at 8:00 sharp on Sunday morning
because the bus would be leaving. We told Isaiah that we would walk with
him if he would meet us at the Burger King at 7:15. We called him at
7:00 on Sunday morning to see if he had left yet. He had just woken up.
7:15, we were there at the Burger King waiting for him, but when we
called to see where he was, he hadn't even left his house yet. He said
he was on his way and that he'd be there soon. 7:30 came around, we
called again because if we didn't start walking soon, we would be late
and wouldn't make the bus either. He still hadn't left his house. He
said he would just meet us at the chapel in Journal Square. We didn't
feel comfortable with that idea. Journal Square is a very big and busy
city and if he didn't make it on time, he would be all alone there for
the whole day. (He lives in a hotel with his grandma and older brother
because his parents are in jail and they lost their house about 3 months
ago. His grandma works in New York from Sunday to Wednesday and leaves
Isaiah and his brother at the hotel while she is gone). We had already
called all of the members we could think of and they all said that they
wouldn't be able to take him and his grandma had already left for work,
and the option of having him walk around in the streets of Journal
Square really concerned us. We were faced with the option of calling him
and telling him that he wouldn't be able to come this week, or
...well.....we didn't know what the alternative was. We were on the
phone with him and about to tell him to wait to come to church next
week, but I knew that God wanted him to come. Isaiah finally had a
desire to come to church, all that was missing was a way to get him
there. It was 7:45 and we were desperate. In the middle of the phone
call we told him to wait just a minute. We bowed our heads and said a
prayer right on the corner of Burger King and told Heavenly Father that
we needed his help right then. Just as soon as we ended the prayer we
saw some of the members driving down the street. They jokingly honked at
us and pulled over to talk for a moment. They asked us if we were
coming to Stake Conference. We replied and said yes, and told them the
whole situation with Isaiah. They looked at each other and said, "Do you
have a ride?" We told them that we were walking. "Get in the car",
they said. "We'll go pick him up, but we need you to show us where he
lives." We climbed in with great relief. I couldn't believe it. God had
helped us in the very last second that we needed Him. He had tested our
faith to the limits, but just like always, He showed us that He was
there. We all enjoyed the most wonderful Stake Conference that I have
been to in a long time. And we did it because the Lord helped us.
We
have also seen miracles with our investigators. At the very beginning
of this transfer everyone was cancelling on us, we had almost no one to
teach, but within the past week or two we have doubled our teaching
pool, have 2 investigators with a baptismal date, one of which will be
having a marriage shortly followed by a baptism.
We
are teaching Veronica Valle right now. She has been taking the lessons
from the missionaries for almost 10 years, but it is finally her time!
We are planning a wedding (who would have thought that my Pinterest
skills would be so handy on the mission ;) just kidding...she's taking
care of all of that.) and then a baptism (now that we are planning! ). I am so excited! We are anticipating her baptism for the first week
in October! She sent her son to Mexico so that he could bring the
divorce papers in to the government and so there wouldn't be any
confusion. I'm happy to say that her son has returned and things are
ready to go!
Jorge is still progressing to be
baptized on the 21st of September! He hasn't smoked in almost a month!
We are so proud! He has been taught everything, we are just preparing
him to pass his interview and make sure that he really does know
everything.
Last Preparation Day almost our
whole zone went to Carlos Bakery in Hoboken. Carlos Bakery is a famous
bakery nation wide because the tv show Cake Boss is filmed there. When
we arrived, we had to wait in a line outside the store for 40 minutes
just to enter. There were people from all over the world that had
traveled to the United States and made a stop in Jersey just to buy
something from Carlos Bakery. We talked with people from Russia, France,
Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Italy. When we walked in, we were
given a ticket that had a number on it. When they called our number we
were then able to order. It was packed, but it was definitely worth it! I
even found something gluten free!! It was a mini chocolate truffle brownie. It was SO good!
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| From Carlos Bakery in Hoboken - "Cake Boss" TV Show |
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| Hoboken of NYC |
Later
on in the week I was able to go on an exchange with Hermana Weinstock.
This was the second exchange in this transfer. Last time I stayed in
Jersey City with her companion while Hermana Carter went to Bayonne (the
Sister Training Leader's area) with Hermana Weinstock. When I heard
that I would be with Hermana Weinstock again I was ecstatic. I couldn't
wait for Friday to come around. Finally together on Friday afternoon we
were both grinning from ear to ear. We couldn't believe it! We jumped
right into the work and taught just like we did in Princeton. In between
teaching lessons we couldn't help but talk a million miles an hour so
that we could catch up on how things were and how we were doing. We
laughed the whole time. It was the best! I was with one of my best friends doing my favorite thing in the whole world, missionary work! Towards
the end of our exchange we were waiting for the other sisters to finish
their studies. We had been thinking and talking about our previous
investigators in Princeton, especially Marisol. We talked about how much
we missed her and about how her progression had plateaued. While
waiting we remembered that the mission rules had just changed that we
could call the less active members, investigators, and recent converts
that you had taught in your previous mission areas if you had played a
large role in bringing them in to the church. We are able to call them
twice a month only for a few minutes at a time, just to help remind them
of the spiritual experiences they had while in lessons with us. We
didn't have her number with us, but Heavenly Father helped me remember
the number that I had called so many times while in Princeton. We were
so anxious as the phone rang; we didn't even know for sure if it was her
number. When someone answered, we asked if Marisol was there. They said
yes. It was her! We told her who we were and she was so excited! She
couldn't believe it! Neither could we! We talked for about 10 minutes
before hanging up. We encouraged her to keep listening to the
missionaries, to continue to go to church, to read her scriptures, and
to take the next step of baptism. She said she is working on getting
married to her boyfriend so that she can get baptized. It's incredible!
It was such a blessing for us to talk to her....together! It was the
PERFECT exchange. I couldn't have been happier.
That sums up a couple of the amazing experiences that have occurred here in Jersey City.
A
mission is incredible. It is, and always will be, the biggest blessing
in my life. It has helped shape me, stretch me, and made me realized
what is important. I have never felt so close to my Savior, Jesus
Christ, nor seen others with such loving eyes. I am so grateful to be
here representing Him, and to witness the change I see in the people
that live here. It has truly changed me.
I'll keep you posted on the other miracles that will continue to happen here in Jersey City!
Big Hugs!
Hermana Childs
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