Hey guys! :)
So it`s been an
awesome week! :)
We had a super cool
experience yesterday. There was a young man who Elder Boscan and I taught often
in Victoriaville named Merville. We got along really well and we had a lot of
fun together; he's a super cool kid. After a while, we stopped visiting him,
but we would still see him around and say hi. Yesterday, Elder Blackwelder and
I were dropping by an investigator in an area where I really haven't spent too
much time. We talked with the investigator for a while and then decided to take
a walk around the area and talk to some people, and see if we could drop by
another potential investigator we'd found in the area. On our way back a half
hour later, this car drove by us, then stopped about 20 yards ahead of us. This
African kid got out of the car and started walking our way with a big smile on
his face. That's when I heard, "Elder Micombah!!" It was Merville!!!!
He'd moved up here to Quebec and just happened to be driving by with his dad
and saw me and came to say hi! We got his address and we'll be stopping by to
see their family sometime this week. :) But it was super cool; I couldn't
believe it!
The topic that has
been on my mind this past week has been prayer. I've spent a lot of time in my
mission trying to figure out how to really pray; I have often struggled with
getting distracted, not really knowing what to say, feeling like my prayers are
too repetitive, etc. So I've been studying prayer for a while now, and I've
learned some pretty important points.
1) Prayer is an actual
conversation with a loving Heavenly Father. It is not a route memorization of
words to be said every morning and night, like we're checking in and out of work.
Our Father wants us to TALK to Him, to tell Him about our lives and to let Him
know how we're feeling, what worries us, what makes us happy, what happened
during the day, etc. Everything we would want to tell to our closest Friend who
knows us perfectly. He wants to know; I promise!
2) Prayer is an
opportunity to focus on others. There are blessings our Father in Heaven holds
in reserve, for us and those we know, until we ask for them. He does this in
order to help us grow our faith. One of the greatest services we can give to
those whom we know is to pray for them; but more than a simple "please
bless Dave." Asking for specific blessings for specific people is one of
the greatest opportunities we are given to serve our fellow men. Prayer is an
opportunity to approach our Heavenly Father and explain to Him what we and
others are struggling with and ask for specific help from Him.
3) Prayer is THE way
to receive answers to our questions and to know the truth of any message. If we
desire to know whether or not any principle is true, the most important aspect
to finding out is not human logic, but prayer in faith. Yes, this requires
prior study and a true desire to learn. But without the question being asked in
humble prayer, it is incredibly more difficult if not impossible to receive an
answer to any spiritual truth-seeking question. And the answers that we receive
will come recognizably to both our minds and our hearts.
4) This is the most
important. Heavenly Father answers all of our humble prayers. Sometimes
immediately and sometimes later, but if we ask Him for something and are
willing to accept whatever His answer may be, He will answer. This
is a precious truth that I have come to know for myself. Prayer is powerful,
and He does listen and He will answer. I know it! :)
I love each one of
you! You're amazing and your letters and support mean so much to me. Thank you
for everything you all do! :)
En avant!
View from this town called
Boischatel to the east of Quebec! Cool place! :)
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