Week 8! "25 Cent Miracle"

From 3/17/14

 

Hi family! I do realize I write a lot, but tell everyone....I just can´t help it! haha Sorry! But I hope the pictures I send help to ease the pain of long letters heheh.

 

 

 

One morning, I heard my companion clamber out of bed at about 2 AM. She was very apparently in a lot of pain. I opened my eyes to see if there was something she needed....if there was anything I could do to help. But, still rather sleepy, I opened my eyes to see Hna C already walking toward the bedroom door. But as I drowsily checked what was going on, I saw a young person following her out the door. "Oh, okay, he´ll take care of her," I clearly remember thinking as I closed my eyes, flipped over, and went back to sleep.

 

In the morning, I remember reflecting on what had happened, what I had seen, and what I had felt. I told Hna C about it, and she proceeded to tell me that when she was in the restroom, she thought I had gotten up, because she heard footsteps walking along the stairs. She has had a couple other experiences where she heard someone walking in the kitchen, felt someone touch her shoulder to wake her up, or felt someone sit on the bed next to her. Each time, she thought it was me. "Nope, Hna C, I was sleeeeping," I would say back to her.

We know that there is someone wandering around our house. We don´t know who, but it´s comforting to know we have good company. haha

 

I want to testify of what Ashley said last week, that "Miracles do not have to be miraculous to be miracles." I know the truth of this statement. And usually when I say that my companion and I are witnessing miracles, it is meant in that very sense. However, they are miracles nonetheless, because we see how the Lord prepares the timing and circumstance of every one. And every person who accepts the gospel is, in one way or another, a true miracle.

This week "Cn" and "Ca" were married and guess what!!! Hna C and I were  invited to be the witnesses for the matrimony at the Registro Civil! I have a picture of me signing the official documents, raising my hand to the square, and everything.

 

More importantly, though, is that the way was prepared, and once again fulfilled in the way of the Lord so that Cn could be baptized two days ago.

 

Another thing I noticed this week is that Satan is working. Hard. He has been working so hard here it´s ridiculous. Nine Elders were sent home for participating in something terrible. President spoke to us with names and details of what happened. And....Ecuador must be a very special place to be a missionary in this time, because the enemy is trying to destroy the work  here. But, with that in mind, I wake up every day with the determination to work even harder. To be even better. To uplift even more. God´s children are here, and this is His work.

One quote in a talk by Elder Joseph B Wirthlin called "Lessons Learned in the Journey of Life," says, "Let us...realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love to work is a success."

May we develop that  perspective while we have the opportunity to in this life, I pray. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

"Good afternoon, President.

 

Hna C and I were able to have a very special experience last week. My sister, who is currently serving in Mexico, wrote something I found to be very true. She said, "Miracles don´t have to be miraculous to be a miracle." I feel the truth in this statement as milagros de marzo continues onward.  But, Wednesday as we were preparing to take the bus home from the Registro Civil, Hna C and I realized that we didn´t have any coins left. We were low on apoyo and had just finished giving Ca the 52 dollars our Ward raised in order for them to pay the document fees....we had nothing left.

I turned to Hna C at the bus stop and whispered concernedly to her, "I don´t have anything left." I  saw the look on her face, and concluded that we might have to ask Cn to pay the bus expense home on our behalf. It wasn´t the worst that could happen, but I didn´t want to put him in that situation.
Hna Cuenca reached into her mochila and pulled out her coin sack. She reached inside  and when she pulled her hand back out, there, in her hand, were four perfect quarters. Just enough for the bus ride home.

Hna C didn´t have quarters in her coin sack. I know, because I watched as she picked out nickels and pennies to give Ca for the 52 dollar fee at the counter of the Registro Civil. I know that this was a miracle from the Lord. And it was a confirmation to me that the Lord was pleased with the work we were doing to allow Cn and Ca to be married that week.

I know that the Lord gives no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare the way that they may accomplish it.  Obtaining those 52 dollars in the first  place was a miracle in itself, because Cn didn´t have the means to provide for it right away. But it was the 25 cent miracle that left us richer than ever before.

I know the Lord knows us. And I know that He will provide for us when we do all that we can to obey His will and bring His children unto Him.

I am going to miss this month  of miracles. I hope that they will continue in abundance even when April comes around."

I love you all! Keep going strong, because God lives. This church is true. And God never lies.

:DD

Hna Fernelius