Week 21-Miracles

Greetings from Sparwood!  I've probably only got five more weeks until I have to say something different, so I'll use it while I can!

This week has been good, but altogether uneventful.  Okay, that's terrible to say, because a lot of things happened: I'm just a lot less surprised when things happen.  I will, however, tell you about the best surprise I did have this week, but in order to do that, I've got to tell you about Carol.

Carol is, arguably, one of the nicest people I've yet met.  She is 71 years old and lives by herself in a retirement home in Fernie.  We met her one day whilst we were tracting and, with one of her main beliefs being that we need to be prepared for the fast-approaching last day, we proceeded to tell her about how the Book of Mormon helps us to do that: As well as gaining an understanding of where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going.  Over the process of our next three visits, we learned that: Carol's husband passed away three months ago; she's a member of the Salvation Army (she used to be a "major"); she's not been attending the Salvation Army's services because the new major does everything by the book, and Carol's beliefs aren't in line with the book.  We've taught her about the Restoration and the whole of the Plan of Salvation, and she reads every chapter we give her.  Our most recent lesson, however, allowed for a fantastic miracle.

This week, our focus as a district has been on working with members: Particularly on preparing them for lessons with investigators.  When Elder Downing and I prepared Jay for our lesson with Carol, we did fairly well; but when we began the lesson, the topic quickly changed to church attendance, and I began to worry that Jay wouldn't accept this change in plans.  I was also trying to think how to best ask Jay if he would take Carol to church, when suddenly, he just asked, "Hey Carol, have you ever been to one of our meetings?"

Dumbfounded and ecstatic, I listened to the conversation.

"Well, no."
"Would you like to attend church with me?"
"Well, sure!"
"Great!  Wear something nice, and I'll come by and pick you up at 9:30 tomorrow morning!"

...Yeah.  It was fantastic.  And you know what happened yesterday?  Carol came to church.  And Jay, who brought her, is a less-active member.  Who came to church.  Basically, the whole situation was phenomenal, but it didn't stop there.  When we started Gospel Principles class, it was just us, Carol, Jay, and Brother La Barbera (the ward mission leader/Gospel Principles teacher).  However, about thirty seconds in, another member decided at the last minute to join us, and she promptly focused the discussion on the Sacrament in exactly the way Carol needed, for there is no Sacrament or Communion in the Salvation Army.  Coincidence?  No.  Miracle?  Yes.  Never will I have a doubt that this is truly the Lord's work.  Oh, and Carol said she'd be back next week. :)

Well, I guess you'll keep having fun on your grand adventures, and that's just fine; I've got my own.  So thanks much for all of the love and support, and I look forward to hearing from you next week!

Love,
Elder Jared Larsen

P.S.- I'm pretty sure that camera belongs to Bean.  Who is on his mission in Taiwan.  So he probably won't respond to you on Facebook.  But you might be able to message his parents or something!