I turned 21 this week! My birthday went smoothly: a member invited me over to his house for dinner, which was convenient because that member is the roommate of the investigator we are teaching there. So we had one more member present lesson!
I received from my mother via a long chain of connections, some birthday muffins! Mmmm, mmmm, mmmmm. They were dewicious! I think I ate 4 or 5 of them myself... (note they they are the BIG kind of muffins :P) My mom is friends (via Missionary Moms online) with a member here in Queensland, and his son just happens to be in the YSA ward! So I received an especially unexpected and delicious present. The other missionaries in this area also wrote me a card! And that was it. The perfect birthday -- no fuss, just work and miracles :D
We taught quite a few lessons this week, I think just shy of 20 in total. Miracles were abundant! On Wednesday, I went on trade-offs with the Zone Leaders, coincidentally the area where I used to serve in! While I never had the opportunity to visit or see any of the members or investigators I knew while I was there, there was one incredible miracle:
In conversation to my companion, I said: "Hey, there was actually one person that I wanted to follow up on, a girl named Kiara."
I referenced a miracle potential I found last December. I now quote from my Dec 9 2013 email:
"Later the same day, our appointment fell through so we started tracting until our next appointment in the area. We knocked on the door of a young woman (about 20?) who to our surprise said she was an inactive member! Her whole family stopped going to church when she was young. However, one of her goals for 2013 was to come back to church again. She told us that it must be a sign from God, that we appeared on her doorstep before the end of the year."
My companion said to me after I briefly explained the potential: "Sounds like inspiration! Where does she live?"
I didn't quite recall the name of the street, so I pulled out the map and ran through it... "Backhouse St... Bayview St... Clifford St..."
My companion interjected: "Wait, this woman is named Kiara? We are teaching a woman named Kiara on Clifford St!"
Apparently, after I left the area, this potential investigator was unfortunately forgotten about or lost. So when my companion had come to the area, he had never heard of her. BUT, just a week or two prior to trade-offs, he and his companion had happened to GQ a woman named Kiara on the street! We talked about her more and discovered it was the same woman. Truly, the Lord never forgets His children, even though His imperfect servants may.
I also had the blessing this past week of recontacting two investigators I had taught when I was in the area many months before. One had moved to Melbourne, but came back to visit Brisbane before returning to Taiwan.
Last of all, unfortunately two of our baptismal dates dropped, leaving us with just one left. BUT, this investigator has been come to church for nearly two months straight, so she is on track to be baptized next month! I am truly blessed to be able to stay in contact with members, investigators, and missionaries with Modern-day communication methods, even after I will leave there area.
I will conclude this message here. This is my last proper email. However, I will, in just a few moments, add a little bit more. Have a great week!
Elder J. Colton Ladd
I received from my mother via a long chain of connections, some birthday muffins! Mmmm, mmmm, mmmmm. They were dewicious! I think I ate 4 or 5 of them myself... (note they they are the BIG kind of muffins :P) My mom is friends (via Missionary Moms online) with a member here in Queensland, and his son just happens to be in the YSA ward! So I received an especially unexpected and delicious present. The other missionaries in this area also wrote me a card! And that was it. The perfect birthday -- no fuss, just work and miracles :D
We taught quite a few lessons this week, I think just shy of 20 in total. Miracles were abundant! On Wednesday, I went on trade-offs with the Zone Leaders, coincidentally the area where I used to serve in! While I never had the opportunity to visit or see any of the members or investigators I knew while I was there, there was one incredible miracle:
In conversation to my companion, I said: "Hey, there was actually one person that I wanted to follow up on, a girl named Kiara."
I referenced a miracle potential I found last December. I now quote from my Dec 9 2013 email:
"Later the same day, our appointment fell through so we started tracting until our next appointment in the area. We knocked on the door of a young woman (about 20?) who to our surprise said she was an inactive member! Her whole family stopped going to church when she was young. However, one of her goals for 2013 was to come back to church again. She told us that it must be a sign from God, that we appeared on her doorstep before the end of the year."
My companion said to me after I briefly explained the potential: "Sounds like inspiration! Where does she live?"
I didn't quite recall the name of the street, so I pulled out the map and ran through it... "Backhouse St... Bayview St... Clifford St..."
My companion interjected: "Wait, this woman is named Kiara? We are teaching a woman named Kiara on Clifford St!"
Apparently, after I left the area, this potential investigator was unfortunately forgotten about or lost. So when my companion had come to the area, he had never heard of her. BUT, just a week or two prior to trade-offs, he and his companion had happened to GQ a woman named Kiara on the street! We talked about her more and discovered it was the same woman. Truly, the Lord never forgets His children, even though His imperfect servants may.
I also had the blessing this past week of recontacting two investigators I had taught when I was in the area many months before. One had moved to Melbourne, but came back to visit Brisbane before returning to Taiwan.
Last of all, unfortunately two of our baptismal dates dropped, leaving us with just one left. BUT, this investigator has been come to church for nearly two months straight, so she is on track to be baptized next month! I am truly blessed to be able to stay in contact with members, investigators, and missionaries with Modern-day communication methods, even after I will leave there area.
I will conclude this message here. This is my last proper email. However, I will, in just a few moments, add a little bit more. Have a great week!
Elder J. Colton Ladd
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