August 8, 2016 By Small and Simple Means, Great things Happen

Hello my wonderful family and friends!!!
    
   This past week was really interesting because we had a lot of meetings so it was hard to get a lot of work done. Last P-day we had a sister’s day so all of the sisters in my zone went to a Mexican restaurant and got lunch together.  I ate tongue... ahhh! But it was actually was pretty good, I mean it wasn't disgusting so now if a member feeds me tongue I am going to be prepared ha-ha.  After lunch, we got permission from our Mission President to watch Finding Nemo, so that was a super fun treat!! 

All of the sisters in our zone out for lunch

That's a torta and a taco de lengua. Woo

I love these ALOE drinks. So good. You can buy them at this Hispanic store haha. 

     So update on all of the people: Andy. He's progressing and still wants to be baptized. The last lesson that we had with him, he shared with us how he knows that through Christ's help that he will be able to change! Which is awesome. But he didn't make it to church yesterday, which was sad.  The Alegria Family, the family that just showed up at church last week, wasn't able to meet with us this last week because Karen (the mom) got sick. But hopefully we will meet with them this next week! We made a lot of contact with a bunch of other people this week, and had a lot of mini lessons. So this next week should be great meeting back up with all of these people this week.

     On Saturday I got to go out to lunch with my Mom's cousins, Bevie Ann and Rob! It was such a treat getting to talk with them and spend time with family. I love and look up to both of them! And I am so grateful for my family, and for the knowledge this gospel has given me that Families can be together forever!!!

Lunch with Bevie Ann and Rob (my second cousins)

Hermana Duvall and Hermana Brittner

     Miracle time! Okay, so our Heavenly Father is simply amazing. And this story that I am able to share is amazing and I hope that I will be able to explain it to do it any justice.  On Saturday night Hermana Brittner and I were leaving our Branch Activity at the park (we were playing soccer once again ha-ha) because we had to make it to a phone call that we had set up with our Sister Training Leaders. So we were walking to our car and this girl calls out to us and is like "hey, do you guys go to Lakeville North?" and we responded saying, "No, we are actually missionaries." Her name is Julia, and she's 14 years old. We started talking with her, and introduced her to a girl in our ward who is her age and goes to the same High School as her! At this point, everyone in our branch had left and it was just us with Julia. Julia started telling us that she has struggled with an eating disorder for the past couple of years, and she also shared with us some heart breaking stories about those at her school who bully her. But, she then told us how her faith has helped her. That she goes to church, and her pastor has really helped her. She also shared how important prayer has been to here, that she loves praying and prays every single day more than just once! We testified to her of the importance of prayer and that God really is our loving Heavenly Father! That he has a plan for all of us.  As she was talking, I realized that that morning I had put an English Book of Mormon in my purse instead of a Spanish one. And as I remembered this, I just pulled it out and said, "This Book is call the Book of Mormon. There have been so many times in my life where I am struggling, and reading this book has helped me." She immediately recognized this book and asked if we were Mormon! Hermana Brittner testified of the Book of Mormon and gave her a short background of it. Then, I shared one of my favorite scriptures with her, Mosiah 24:14-15, and testified to her that Heavenly Father doesn't give us a challenge too hard to overcome, and that through our Savior Jesus Christ we can receive help. When then continued to talk with her about a bunch of different things, and for every question she had, we were able to remember a scripture in the Book of Mormon that would answer her question. (We were definitely receiving some divine help right them). She mentioned that she didn't have a Bible, and so we happened to have an English copy with us to and gave her one!  She said that two years ago two elders knocked on her door, but her older sister turned them away. But she felt like she really wanted to talk to them. She then went on to tell us that she feel like there was a reason that she saw us tonight. That God was trying to tell her something!

Ice Cream break! YUMMMMM!

   So let me just say that meeting her was simply a miracle, and that God was literally working and setting up this moment for us to meet her for weeks! 2 year ago when she first saw this missionaries- a light was sparked in her. 4 weeks ago we received 2 English Bibles instead of Spanish- she needed a bible. I put an English Book of Mormon in my purse- we were going to give her one. Our call with the STL's- if we hadn't set that up, we wouldn't have left our branch activity when we did, and we wouldn't have met her.  We had a return appointment with her on Thursday, and I am so excited!!!!!!
   
   There is a scripture that I just love, and it is in Alma 37: 6-7.
It says, "but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."
      I would just like to testify that I know this is true. Heavenly Father has a plan for every single one of us, and it is little by little that his great and wonderful purposes are brought to pass!! I also know that we can be instruments in the Lord's hand to bring to pass these great purposes. Sometimes, what we are going through may seem unfair or not make sense, but I know that everything has a purpose. And that when we rely on our Heavenly Father and Savior, that everything will be so much easier, happier, and better!!

      We can help others know that there is hope, hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And, that through the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all can receive salvation and live with our Heavenly Father once again. I know that this church is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and has the same authority as when Christ established his church years ago. I know that it is back on this earth to help us and to guide us, but that it is up to us as individuals to accept it!

Love you all so much, but more importantly, our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ both love you all so much more!!

Some members in our ward just moved into this super nice apartment!!! It's basically like a hotel. It has an arcade room, a theatre, a pool, etc. Super cool. 

Love,
Hermana Duvall