Colorado

After the Trial of your Faith

June 30, 2014

This week has been the craziest week of my entire mission!!!!!!! But I don't think I'll be able to explain it right! so when you're reading it and going.. okay this isn't that crazy...just remember that I said it was. or judge me for it. haha okay here we go!

So it started last Wednesday. We woke up at 6:00 all excited to go to a miracle baptism that was at 7:00 in the morning! I stepped out of the room to go to the bathroom..and I almost slipped!  There was a BUNCH of water all over the entire floor of our apartment. We live(d), in a basement and  there is a back entry way and before you come into our house there is a small room that's in between outside and the actual house, kind of like a mud room. So I looked out there and there was a literal POOL out there. It was like 5 inches high and everything was floating! We were so shocked and confused and all we could do was laugh because we didn't know what to do! So in our panic mode we tried scooping the water out of the mud room with buckets haha but we obviously didn't get very far. The housing coordinators came over and they had us pack up and we left and moved out for the time being! we went and studied at the 9th ward sisters house and got ready there. That was the first event of the morning.

Then we had district meeting. It was all wonderful until one of the missionaries leaned over to me and asked if I had heard about one of my previous companions. She was going home. I was crushed and I started CRYING.   I was so confused because I didn't want to cry but I did! So that was great and embarrassing, but I just was so sad that she had gone home after all we had gone through. Then our district leader gave a training on the Atonement. He told us that our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rising every time we fall. When he said that, I knew that this was going to be the theme of the week. He then went on and asked a sister in our district to tell the story of what happened this week. She shared with us how her sister had cancer. She was married and had four kids, and this sister was so sad. She felt like her sister was being punished because she hadn't been the best missionary she could have been. She described how she got a blessing, and our district leader suggested that we have a district fast for her and her sister. We all agreed. He then asked if there was anyone else we should add to the list. It was really cool because then our district all gave names and situations of close family members and friends. It was really interesting to hear what all the missionaries were going through. I could not believe it. The Spirit was just so strong in that meeting, especially as we sang "Savior Redeemer of My Soul"  for the closing song. If you get a chance, read the lyrics here  https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/savior-redeemer-of-my-soul?lang=eng.  
The Spirit was so strong and I have never felt so united with a district. The rest of the day we had to clean out the water and dirt and all of our stuff out of our apartment. The 9th sisters helped, and we moved!

That night, we started our fast. We prayed individually for these missionaries and their families. It was one of the most powerful fasts I have ever participated in. I knew that much power would come from this fast. The next day, Thursday, as we were fasting, we got a call from this sister who was struggling with her sister having cancer.  The surgery was supposed to be 7 hours, and she was supposed to have a speech impediment for the rest of her life as a result of the surgery. Early in the morning, SHE called sister Murdock and said that the surgery had only been an hour, it wasn't cancer anymore, and she could talk perfectly! EVERYTHING WAS OKAY! This was such a big and great miracle that we got to experience along with this wonderful family!  I cannot even explain the joy that we felt that day. It was truly amazing to be able to be bonded as a district like that. Sometimes I think we forget that even though we are immersed in the work of salvation every single day, we are important too. We are the work. I knew that it was a powerful fast for all of these people and it would leave a lasting impression on our souls. I will never forget that day.

The next day was Friday. We were going to teach this man that I have talked about before- the one who has been meeting with missionaries for over 10 years! and his wife is a member. We went to go teach him the law of chastity... BUT HE BROUGHT UP BAPTISM!  He wanted to know what he had to do to get there. So we read over the commandments and things he had to know- and he said he had a problem with tithing. So we spent some time explaining the commandment and the blessings of it, and he really just didn't see how it was going to happen- money was tight already. I felt bad because I could feel the tension in him rising, and I thought maybe he would put off baptism or something, but then all of a sudden he was like... okay! and we were like... okay what? and he was like I'll do it. I want to be baptized. and then we died because it was the best moment ever. I couldn't be happier and more excited for him. He had truly changed and I felt God's love for him stronger than ever before. I couldn't believe the miracle that was sitting right in front of us. Heavenly Father had prepared this moment for a long time!

Then we had dinner with our favorite investigator family that I talk about all the time and  they are getting baptized this Saturday! At dinner we planned to have their baptism interview the next morning and they even got their white baptism clothes! It was all planned and great!

THEN CAME SUNDAY. Satan hit hard. The man that we taught on Friday was devastated because of something that had happened in his family, and he didn't know if this was the right time for baptism. He thought he would maybe want to wait because he was just confused and sad and didn't know what to do. He said he didn't even know why he was at church because he was so sad. He was contemplating postponing. and then the other family that I mentioned  that we had dinner with, they were crushed because they were having some huge disagreements with their family, and there were some issues with where the baptism could be. Everything seemed to be falling apart, and on top of that, the Bishop had pulled us in and told us about a few things going on that completely crushed us. I felt like Satan had taken my heart and squeezed it. He would not let go. of anyone. But I knew that I needed to remember that the witness does not come until after the trial of our faith. I knew that it would be okay, and I needed to be patient and wait. If Heavenly Father had brought them this far, He would not abandon them/us now. We would make it through, and so would they.

Not even an hour later, both families called us and told us that everything worked out and they were still on for their baptisms. the family will be baptized this Saturday, and the other man the next Saturday. It felt like a huge burden had literally FLOWN away. We were so grateful, so happy and so relieved. It had been such a rollercoaster all day. Yes, the problems are still there. but it's okay. We are all being strengthened along the way. That is why we have Jesus Christ. Without His strength, there is NO way we could do it. With our district united together, and being strengthened at church, we really felt like an army. I know that there is strength in numbers and in family. We need to do everything that we can to endure to the end TOGETHER. Enduring to the end is the hardest part but the most important. I know that we have been given the tools to do it well. Enduring well is the best talent you can develop here on earth. I know that the Savior was with us every step of the way.  Alma 26:35 "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name."

He understands everything that is going on. He knew that these things would happen to us. Nothing is a surprise to Him. He has all power, wisdom, and understanding. when I remembered that, and read that he is a "merciful being", I knew we would be okay and this would be the most miraculous last two weeks of this transfer. I am so excited.

We just need to endure.

I love you!