Servus!!!!!!
How is everyone doing? I mean I ask that because I really want to know. haha So I will start off with the miracle from last Sunday that I didnt have time to write. Soooo about 2 weeks ago, we are heading to an appointment and we stop this guy on the sidewalk. He kinda seemed in a hurry, but hey - nothing is more important than Salvation right?! So we talked for about one minute and he said we could stop by his house and talk with he and his family. Cool. He simply pointed to the nearby apartment complex and said his last name was Ameh and that evenings were best. Kind of sketchy, but hey we will take it. So last Sunday, we were trying to meet a potential investigator, but it did not work out. We were in the area of this Ameh family so we thought, hey - lets try to find them!
We get to the apartment complex and sure enough there is "Ameh" on one of the doorbells. We try it twice - no answer. We were certain Heavenly Father had put us in this area for a reason. So we try going upstairs and finding their door - thinking maybe their doorbell didn't work. We could not find it. We had our next appointment in 30 minutes so we thought we should probably just go. As we left the building - i just had the thought to try one more time. All of the sudden, they come over the intercom and say we can come up! Hallelujah! So here Sister Schonherr and I are just racing up the stairs. We get to the top floor and there is Clement - the father. We are just praying his wife is home so that we can actually teach this guy. Well we walk in and there his cute little family is. His wife, Hannelore (Hannah) is so sweet and Austiran, with their four chlidren who are 17, 14, 11, and 9. They are just watching the TV, their apartment is clean and doesn't smell like smoke. I felt like I was dreaming. We go in and meet everyone and sit on the couch. We ask if we can turn off the TV to say a prayer. The kids did not even complain! We explain a little about prayer and then I offer the opening prayer. After the prayer we ask the family what prayer means to them and what role it has played in their life. Hannah - the mom - turned to her family and said, "I wish we would pray more as a family..." Too good to be true. We then got to know the family a little better. Clement - the father - was a little skeptical at first until he found out we were not Jehovah's witnesses. When he heard we were Mormon, he was relieved, but did not really know what that meant. As we explained our purpose as missionaries and bore testimony of the Savior, the Spirit was able to touch the hearts of this small, happy family. The twenty minute lesson flew by, and we made another appointment with them. Clement said the closing prayer and thanked God for sending us there. My heart was full.
Since last Sunday we have met with them twice. When we first went back - the family was once again around the TV. Without me asking, they turned off the TV and just sat watching us. Patrick - the nine year old - then asked if we could pray. It was the sweetest. We shared a scripture from the Bible and they each had their own bible. That night we were able to give every member of the Ameh family a Book of Mormon. As i sat there and looked at this miracle family, I was so happy that now they truly held the truth in their hands - the Bible in one and the Book of Mormon in the other. They had many questions, but with the Spirit we were able to help them find their answers and feel the truthfulness.
One of the next questions we asked the family was how they had felt the Love of God in their lives. As we went around the room, the children were so excited to say how they have felt God's love for them. Each had their own, simple, beautiful answer. The parents also shared their own. We were able to bear testimony that God is our Loving, Heavenly Father. The Spirit was super strong and it was again a real feeling of just being a tool in the Lord's hands to help this family. As I sat there - it was clear to me that these topics or questions are not "normal" to talk about in today's world. I doubt the Ameh family had ever discussed how they have felt God's love for them among their family. It was again in this moment when i was grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, and the ability to bring about these sacred, important discussions within a family. Hannah - the mom - said one of the prayers and she thanked God for the happiness us missionaries had brought into their life. I wanted to cry.
We are meeting the Ameh Family tomorrow night. I am so excited to share more about the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. I cannot wait to tell them that their family can be together forever.
I am so grateful that the Lord allows us to have these sacred, spiritual experiences. I am grateful that we can come closer to the Savior everyday. I am grateful for the Spirit and His guidance. In one of our other lessons this last week - as I explained to this intelligent, experienced, world-traveler about God's plan for us - I had one really strong experience. This man was not very open to our message and had the mindset that he would teach us something about God. After his implications that we are too young, naive, and inexperienced, I was just moved to bear my testimony - because after all no one can take that away from us. I continued to tell this man that I do not need to travel to Jerusalem to know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World. After those words came out of my mouth, I just sat there and the Spirit was so strong. None of us have to study history, read all the books about the creation or God, or even travel to the beautiful city of Jerusalem to come to know the Savior of the World. We do not even have to go to the Sacred Grove to have a sacred experience. Let us all get on our knees more, open the scriptures more frequently, and love others more freely. Our own sacred groves are just waiting to be found. I testify of our Savior Jesus Christ and his unending love for us.
Ich liebe euch!
XOXOXOXOXO
Schwester Jaynes
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