Lora's Mission: Storms and Miracles

Hi everyone!

It's so weird that Christmas is right around the corner...

Monday night, the coolest thing happened. So Andrew, the kid from Houston who is moving to Brentwood soon, answered his phone last night! Just as a bit of background, we haven't been able to make contact with him again since he first called us a couple of weeks ago. He didn't answer our calls, he didn't reply to our texts and there was no voicemail that had been set up...so I was beginning to worry that maybe we had the wrong number or that his initial phone call was a once in a blue moon miracle that wouldn't fully pan out into an actual investigator, or that maybe he had changed his mind. Also, it was gloomy and drizzling rain all day and we were notified that it would begin storming and pouring rain sometime in the evening. P-day had just ended so we got in the car and both of our appointments we were going to try, fell through. Calling Andrew was the last planned activity we had for the day. I dialed his number, half hoping he'd answer, all expecting he wouldn't again, and then to the surprise of both of us, he answers, "Hullo?"

Ahhh! We ask him how he's doing and if he's had a good Thanksgiving and what day specifically he's moving in. In the middle of the conversation, I became aware that the storm was getting stronger and the rain was getting heavier. It was getting hard to understand what he was saying. We follow up on his commitment to read from the Book of Mormon and he said, yes he's been reading it, although he's been kind of skipping around and reading different parts. We invited him to read Alma 32 and talked about growing faith. Then, he surprised me by suddenly saying, "You know, it's so cool when I'm reading the Book of Mormon. I'm...I kind of feel like, it's true." Sister Miller asked if he's been praying to know if it's true and he said he has been. We reiterated that the Holy Ghost would testify to him that it's the word of God.

Then the storm and noise gets crazy and he says something but neither of us clearly heard what he said so Sister Miller, kind of yelling into the phone, asks him to repeat himself. "So, what would happen next? What would I do if I know that it's true?"

I'm thinking, throughout all this, that this is the most bizarre scene I never expected to find myself in, and also, "are we really gonna do this? Invite him to be baptized?" Yup. We do. Our phone is Bluetooth connected to the car and we turned up the volume of speakers just about as loud as they were physically able to go...and we were both still straining to hear him replying. But just barely over the sound of the pounding rain echoing against the body of the car and the abnormally loud, howling wind, I was able to hear him say, "Yes...yes, I'd be baptized. Wow."

Wow, is so right. We haven't even met this kid face to face yet. He's currently living in another state. This is our second conversation with him, and it has only lasted less than 8 minutes long. And yet, he's now become a progressing investigator who has sincerely and accepted an invitation to be baptized. And get this...when the phone call ends, the rain has lightened up to its usual patter and the worst of the storm has passed by.

I'm so happy for the opportunity the Sunset youth will have to meet and get involved with this miracle investigator. We've been keeping in contact with him over the phone since, and will be seeing him sometime this week.

I'm so excited about Lily's progress and Karyn's as well. They both came to the Relief Society Christmas party and had a great time. Lily came to church again (that makes three times in a row!) and Karyn is desperately yearning for the peace and happiness that the Holy Ghost and the gospel brings to her life. The work here in both Sunset and Old Hickory is really picking up and the ball has only begun rolling with momentum again. When we first came here, we were told numerous times, by both wards, that partly because of the affluence in the area, missionary work was very slow in progress. Not true. We already have these three investigators who are so close to being ready for baptism and more who are ready to come closer to Christ as well.

I've fallen in love with this area and the members and the people here. I'm thankful for the opportunity to share this wonderful gospel with everyone and to help others find lasting joy in their lives through Jesus Christ.

Love,

Sister Ririe