Walmart and Miracles!

Mike..."This is an 87 year old member that always looks fresh in Sacrament Meeting. Carlitos."

Their meeting house in an old bank.

Hola Familia!

We biked to Walmart last Monday. It is kind of far but that's ok. Walmart is worth it. Plus we totally saw a huge miracle while we were there. A girl named Angie came up to us. She is a less active member. Recently she has had some hard times. A year or two ago she tried to kill herself. Recently they had a home break in. The people hit her in the face with a fire extinguisher leaving a very deep scar on her forehead. They then duct taped her to a chair in her house. It is pretty rough. We talked with her for a while. She said that just the fact that she saw us was a miracle and an answer to her prayer. She felt the Spirit that she hasn't felt in a long time. She isn't quite accepting anyone into her house right now because of the recent break in, but we now know why we went to Walmart today. It is because The Lord knew that Angie needed to see us and so He sent us there unawares. It was an awesome experience being led by the hand of The Lord to one of His daughters that needed a little bit of uplifting.

We had an awesome lesson with Pedro this week. He read Joseph Smith's testimony and remembered basically everything. He even remembered the date that it happened. He had read it like 3-4 times so that he could remember it. Even I didn't know that. He is progressing. He needs to keep coming to church and then get married to that señora of his. He didn't make it to church this week because Satan was working with him. But that's ok. He'll get there.

They split Bridgeton! It is kind of a bummer because we don't have half of our area, but that's ok. That's the way that the Lord wanted it, so we will work according to His will. We now have half the area that we used to. It is going to be awesome! So much work is going to get done here. Plus we are in a district of pure Spanish elders, and I haven't had that since I was in Allentown almost a year ago; crazy how time flies.  The new elders are Elder Beatty and Elder Karren. Elder Karren is fresh out. He actually went to the México MTC and learned Spanish there. He already has pretty good Spanish. It surprised me. He almost has as good Spanish as his trainer, kind of funny haha. I LOVE doing district meeting in Spanish again. I remember that in my first district meeting I didn't understand a WORD people were saying. But now I do! It is SUPER weird that I can speak Spanish now. It amazes me every day that I speak to people. It is weird to think that there was a time that I could not do it. But I can now!

Found a SUPER good quote by Elder Packer, made me feel good. Hope it can help my thousands of letter readers out there too.

"When I first read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, I read the promise that if I “would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if [the things I had read were] true; and if [I would] ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he [would] manifest the truth of it unto [me], by the power of the Holy Ghost” ( Moro. 10:4 ). I tried to follow those instructions, as I understood them.  If I expected a glorious manifestation to come at once as an overpowering experience, it did not happen. Nevertheless, it felt good, and I began to believe."

"My experience has been that a testimony does not burst upon us suddenly. Rather it grows, as Alma said, from a seed of faith. “It will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow” ( Alma 32:30 ). If you nourish it, it will grow; and if you do not nourish it, it will wither (see Alma 32:37–41 ).

Do not be disappointed if you have read and reread and yet have not received a powerful witness. You may be somewhat like the disciples spoken of in the Book of Mormon who were filled with the power of God in great glory “and they knew it not” ( 3 Ne. 9:20 ).

Do the best you can. Think of this verse: “See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order” ( Mosiah 4:27 )."

 This comes from his 2005 April Conference Talk. Read it. It's awesome. Testimonies grow like plants. Day by day we can't see a difference. But over time, with very good care, it grows into a towering tree of testimony. I cross-referenced that quote with Alma 32. Probably my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon, that Book is true. I know it. This Gospel is restored, and it is the truest thing upon this earth. Thanks for all the support. Hope ya liked my birthday card Marcus. Worked hard on that thing

Love,

-Elder Dial

 This is an 87 year old member that always looks fresh in Sacrament Meeting. Carlitos