Monday, December 3, 2012

12-3-12


Dear Family,

    Well we had another great week here in the mission field. We started this week out with not much at all. We only had Peggy as an investigator but she has been super flaky and we haven't been able to meet with her for almost two or three weeks... We were planning on having to drop her which would mean we would go down to not having a single person to teach! haha You better believe that we were on our knees for quite some time asking the Lord to bless this area and us as missionaries to find those people that he has been preparing to teach. As I was looking at the map of the area I was really trying to figure out where we needed to go to tract to find people to teach. I remember right before I left President Millet had shared an experience with me of his mission that came to my mind. He had talked to me about expecting miracles in missionary work and that as long as we were worthy and prepared for it the Lord would give us miracles. Well I got back down on my knees and asked the Lord to give me a miracle and help me to know where we needed to go to tract. I went back to the wall where the map was and looked at it again. I stared at it for what seemed like an hour but was trying really hard not to loose faith and to expect the miracle! Sure enough as I was staring at the map I heard very clearly the words: W. Country Club! Elder Makaya was in the shower at the time and so I just kinda sat there and waited for him to come out. When he got out I told him that I wanted to go tracting on that road and he just kinda laughed and said there is no way I am going back there again! I guess about 5 months ago he had tracted that area and had been told not to come back by quite a few people.. I was a little nervous but knew that I had to do what I had felt and tract that road. He was pretty upset that I had asked him to go back but said that he would do whatever I felt if it was truly from the Lord. Well we went back and sure enough we were yelled at and swore at for the first 30 houses.. There were even a few people who recognized Elder Makaya and got really upset. We were about to go home after 2 hours of going at it. I told him I wanted to knock 5 more houses and he said ok. Well guess what! We knocked 5 more houses and found 5 houses of potential investigators even setting up appointments for this coming week with two of them!  We then went home in silence after spending 3 hours tracting.  When we got home Elder Makaya looked at the paper of where he had tracted and told me to come look at it. When I read what was on the page I was filled with the spirit. 5 months ago Elder Makaya had knocked that street but had stopped tracting right at those 5 houses. Guys we almost stopped tracting exactly where they had stopped 5 months earlier but the Lord was with us and helped give us the strength to knock those last five houses. We are not sure what will happen from it but the one thing I learned was that when you do expect miracles they come! President Millet if you read this thank you so much! I know that you are an inspired man and that you were meant to share that with me before I left! So thanks again!

     Tyler is doing so well! He received the priesthood yesterday at church and has been working with his parents trying to get them to church! They are not very interested but his dad has come out of respect for his son two weeks in a row to see him get the holy ghost and the priesthood! I sure am proud of him! He is really working hard!

     Peggy came to church also!!!!!!!!!! We taught her finally in a members home Saturday evening and the members then invited her to stay for a high priestsdinner and indexing night. She stayed and met all these great members who friendshiped her and invited her to church! They made our job so easy! We were going to set up appointments with her for next week and when I asked her when we could meet- she told me that she had already scheduled them with members and told me when we were going to be meeting!!! hahahaha I have never been told by an investigator when we were going to teach them and so that sure was an experience and a blessing! We tried to set a date with her Saturday but she brought up the concern that she had already been baptized and didn'tthink that she needed to again. We ran out of time to talk to her about it and why she needs to be baptized in our church by our men because of the dinner but we are sure that we will be setting a date for the end of December here this next week. We have been so blessed as missionaries here in this area. The area hadn't had baptisms in over a year and we are looking to have two before the end of the year. We have a goal of 1 in January too so we will be working sooo hard to find more people and strengthen our numbers! Thanks for all the prayers!

    I need to wrap up but thank you all so much for your love and for your testimonies! They have gotten me through some pretty hard times here in the mission field but they have been good times full of growing and experience. I want you all to know that I truly believe in the church and that Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God! I know that the Book of Mormon changes lives when it is read with an open heart and when it is taken seriously! I know that the Lord blesses and takes care of his missionaries and that he brings them home with honor! I am so proud of Kailei and her service you have no idea how much I talk about her and the experiences that she is having also in her area of the Vineyard! I know that through the spirit of our father in heaven people are able to find the joy and the truth that they didn't even know they are searching for! I have never felt this close to my savior or had this much faith as I have gained on my mission. I love the Lord and am so thankful for his guidance and his direction that he gives to me! I love you all and pray for you on a daily basis! Stay strong and remember that the Lord is in charge!
 
Love
Elder Mackay Dale Shelley

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