If There is One Thing

If there's one thing I've learned on my mission it is that the Lord has it all planned out. 

Everything. 

For seven months we have been teaching Jimena Navarro, 45, and her two daughters. They were referrals from a member in Los Plátanos. Daniela, the 15 year old, decided to be baptized in August:) But, despite our prayers, fasts, and efforts to read the Book of Mormon with them every day, her mom and sister stopped progressing as investigators. It was a struggle to get them to come to church consistently and they always forgot to read the scriptures.  So we only visited on occassion, and our enthusiasm especially diminished when Jimena told us she had decided to wait until April 20, 2014 to be baptized. She wanted give her younger daughter time to prepare and be baptized alongside her. Ok....great.

This week, while Hna. Araujo was here with me on a division, we went to teach Daniela and ended up focusing more on Jimena. Her health had improved drastically (from basically blind to seeing, from hardly walking to cruzing around without her cane) and she had come to church the Sunday before. I read a few verses in Alma 5, Hna. Araujo spoke of the protection of making covenants with God, and before we knew it Jimena exclaimed, "Yeah..¡me voy a bautizar este domingo! No voy a esperar más." If only I could recount the many moments that lead to this miracle---including Jimena's desire to be baptized at age 18, a desire which was squashed and distorted into rebellion due to her father's disapproval; a member's close frienship and doctrinal teaching all these years; Daniela's baptism and activity in the Church; answers to prayers that Jimena had received in the Gospel Principles class; the member who retiled their floor, which pleased Jimena's father to the point that he finally agreed to let us Mormons into their house; and the chance encounter of our ward mission leader in the park where he spoke to Jimena very boldly of the urgency and blessings of baptism. I'm sure this summary don't make sense, but it is proof to me that every child of God has a personal lesson plan. Each will come to know the Gospel in the special way that the Lord has planned it. I can't force it. I can't predict it. But I can be part of it. And for such a blessing I am grateful. 

Isaiah 55:9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your way, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

In the photo: Jimena, with her daughters Daniela and Valentina, us,and the members that introduced her to the Church.:) Who do you know that could be receiving the blessings of the Gospel? Bring them to church, won't you? I promise they'll be grateful that you did. Who knows? You may end up with a picture in your scrapbook similar to this one.:)

Love,

Hermana Sharp