Prayers and Miracles

We have been talking a lot about family history lately. Keep it up Mom! You're the best! That makes me so happy. Like SO HAPPY. 

We've been trying to pray with more effort after a presentaion from the Assistants in our mission. They told us that we would pray around 22,000 times on our missions, and that we needed to make every single one good enough to bring miracles just as prayers brought miracles in the scriptures.

I told Benji a story that we were told in Ward Council as a spiritual message on gratitude. It was a talk that someone read where a man had his family would literally take inventory of all of the things that they had on their farm every Thanksgiving. It was for them all to 'count their blessings. One year the crops failed and he had to sell all of their livestock to be able to eat. Everyone was doing that so they didn't get a very good price for them. This was also the year that they happened to have electricity added to their farmhouse. He killed a jack rabbit for their dinner and his wife was unhappy because those were tough and took a lot of hard work to cook them right. The only crop they did have were turnips. Which were usually bitter. The kids looked at the dinner and refused to eat. The mom was in tears because she had worked so hard on it. The Dad proceeded ask the kids to get the old oil lamp out and they lit it and then he went around and turned off all of the light bulbs. They were amazed at how dark it got and that they could even see their dinner before. As they gave thanks for the meal and started to eat it, the rabbit was delicious and the turnips were the sweetest they had ever tasted! So many blessings! So much to be thankful for! 

So Benji's response was: Thanks for that story. I am working on having more gratitude in my heart. It helps me keep my mind on the work. It's awesome to see how our success in the area is directly related to our obedience.

You all are having a Stake wide Family History Fair?  (Mexican whistle thing) ESSSSSOOOOOOOO! That's so cool! I want to do more family history. Hopefully we can work it into our schedule.

   I invited a friend of mine to an 'Invite a friend to church day' and Benji said: I'm so glad you could invite Jennifer. That's exactly how it works Mom. God will always bless you as you are praying and searching. Keep up the good work. It's awesome to see all that you do as we work more with our Relief Society President. You really are a big help to those missionaries. They need you.  

  I saw a woman with her son this week, and I was feeling just a little sick that day (and you know how emotional I can get when I am sick) Her son reminded me so much of Alex. I didn't get to talk to them, but my companion did (It was on the bus) but I loved them so easily. I was almost crying. I have thought a lot about Alex this week. I told Benji: You know I was talking to someone recently and without even thinking about it much before I said it, told them that Alex doesn't know how to lie. He doesn't know manipulation or deceit. Although he can be difficult sometimes, he is so much more pure in Spirit that we 'normal people'. He is truly blessed! And so are we. I said that one day when we get up to Celestial Kingdom, he is going to be radiant, and he is going to look at us and say, 'This is me. I couldn't tell you before but this is the true me. Thank you for loving me.'

Benji said: Thank you for sharing that thought about the Celestial Kingdom with me.

  

I shared this quote with him. 

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

―  Martin Luther King Jr. He said: That is a beautiful quote. Tell Daniel He is doing a great job with missionary work and to keep up the good work. 

Love,

Elder Dazey

IBenji said they were having a hard time getting members of the Ward to come out to their teaching appointments and I told him that the Sister missionaries here have a calendar of the upcoming week with them each Sunday that they pass around and people can sign up for times when they have time available. By the time church is over, their calendar is usually full! So Benji said:  P.s. You're advice last week was gold. We have a schedule full of member present lessons. My companion wants to kiss you for helping us.