A New Year's Miracle

Hi Family!

I can't believe it's 2013. I feel like 2012 went by really fast, but maybe that's just me. Things are so different now than they were a year ago. This time last year I was in Rexburg, working at Texas Roadhouse and thinking about moving down to Provo. And it was about this time that I decided to go on a mission! Then I moved home in February, turned my papers in right before my 21st birthday in March, got my call in May, and then worked all summer at Texas Roadhouse in Louisville until I left for the MTC in September. Then because of visa delays I got reassigned to the Utah Provo Mission, and here we are! It all happened so fast, it's so crazy to me. Speaking of visas, I could be gone any day now. I don't know when specifically, but soon. I have mixed feelings about that, but I'll go where the Lord wants me to go.

Alright, so. I don't have much to share this week, except for one really cool experience we had. We've been teaching this girl Daisy pretty regularly for the past month or so. Her mom was baptized when she was younger, her brother Steven and sister Pauline when they were 8, and then her dad and older sister Christina were baptized 2 years ago through missionary efforts. I already mentioned this before, but Daisy was supposed to get baptized 2 years ago too with Christina and their dad, but backed out at the very last second because she was feeling too much pressure. So for the last two years missionaries have come, and her family has been really eager for Daisy to get baptized, but we wanted to take things slow so she wouldn't get scared again. So things have been going really well for the last month or so and then we met with her on Sunday. We talked a lot about faith, especially faith in Jesus Christ and faith when we pray. We asked when we could meet with her again, but she said she wanted to stop having the lessons. Her sister said the prayer and then we went home. Sister Cha and I were just quiet when we got back to our house. She knelt down and prayed and cried and I knelt down and prayed and cried. I felt so discouraged. I didn't understand why she had bad feelings instead of good ones when she thought about joining the church. I didn't understand how the gospel could make her family so happy, but it didn't do the same for her. I was confused and angry and was frustrated with Heavenly Father. I figured He would be more willing to give people an answer/confirmation/testimony, especially when they were doing all the right things. So I was talking with Heavenly Father, telling Him all these things, and telling Him what happened with Daisy. I told Him that even though she dropped us, I wasn't ready to give up on her. I told him I was upset and that I wanted to go home. I repented for my lack of obedience and diligence and faith, in even the smallest things, and I promised Him that if He would work a miracle with Daisy, if He would change her heart, I would do whatever He wanted me to do. And I meant it. Then yesterday I woke up feeling really sick. I was really dizzy and lightheaded and shaky and it wasn't going away. I had the worst headache in the world and I felt really nauseous and super weak. I sat in the bathroom for about an hour just praying it would pass. Sister Cha came in to check on me and she asked for the phone so she could call the mission nurse. I gave her the phone and was like, "Someone called and left a voicemail, but I don't know what they said." She went out to our room and listened to it and when I came out she was crying and gave me the phone and was just like, "Listen to this..." So I did. It was the Ward Mission Leader from Daisy's ward. He called and said, "Hi Sisters, I have some really good news for you. I know Daisy told you on Sunday she doesn't want to meet with you anymore, but she read Alma 32, had a spiritual experience, knows the Book of Mormon is true, and wants to be baptized on January 15th, the two year anniversary of her dad and sister's baptisms." Oh my goodness. We cried and hugged and cried some more and kept saying how happy we were. We read Alma 32 together and then thanked Heavenly Father for this miracle! DAISY IS GETTING BAPTIZED! We visited her last night and she was so happy. We could notice the change in her countenance and her voice. She looked happy, she sounded happy, she just was so, so happy. She told us about the experience she had with the Book of Mormon and we knew she knew it was true.

"Have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men." (Moroni 7:29)

I love being a missionary. I love seeing the gospel change the lives of the people we share it with. I love watching them change their lives to live better and getting to see them come closer to Christ. This gospel is individual. Daisy didn't get baptized when the rest of her family did because it wasn't her time. She hadn't received her answer and she wasn't going to do it until she had, until she knew it was true. And I admire that.

I love love love this quote from Elder Holland: "I believe that in our own individual ways, God takes us to the grove or the mountain or the temple and there shows us the wonder of what His plan is for us. We may not see it as fully as Moses or Nephi or the brother of Jared did, but we see as much as we need to see in order to know the Lord's will for us and to know that He loves us beyond mortal comprehension."

I know Heavenly Father loves Daisy. I know He's looking out for her and I know that what happened this week was truly a New Year's miracle. I know prayers are answered and hearts can change. Gosh dangit, I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sister Cha always writes on her envelopes before she puts her letters in the mail, "be happy, be Mormon :)" It's true though. I'm happy. And I hope you all are too!

Love,

Hermana Munden

P.S. Happy Birthday to my baby sister on Saturday!