Transfers have come, and I am now serving with my new companion Elder Kiser. He was in the MTC with me, and served around me up when I was in Wenatchee. He's already served in the Engelwood Branch for 6 months, so all of the members already know him. It was hilarious seeing everyone's reaction when they all found out that he would be my new companion! He's about the same height as I am too, which makes two giant trees every Sunday as we make our way through the crowd of small Hispanic people in the branch.
We've been really really busy with a ton of administrative stuff this past week. Making sure that missionaries are where they are supposed to be with transfers and orienting the district leaders in the zone, exchanges with new missionaries, so Elder Kiser has only spent one hour tracting in our area so far.
I've had a little more time because I've been staying in the area for exchanges since I know the area. Last Tuesday I was able to do what we call 'fear busting' and take the brand new missionaries out into the missionary world for the first time. My new missionary and I went to this trailer park in our area and said a prayer asking for success in our efforts. The very first door we knocked opened right up, and welcomed us in. It was a nice feeling, something that hasn't happened for a couple of weeks now! We sat down in his living room and talked with him. He told us that his name was Santiago and that his wife had met with missionaries before back when she was living in Mexico and that he has heard stories about missionaries and wanted to see what our message was. We taught him about the restoration and invited him to be baptized. He said he wanted to come to church a couple times first before he does something like that.
Elder Kiser were able to go by and talk with both him and his wife the other night, and she is also very kind and friendly with missionaries. She told us that she had some member friends back in Mexico that were very very kind to her, and that she became very good friends with missionaries down there. Such good friends that her young daughter cried when one of the Elders got transferred!
It got me thinking about why it took all the way until now for us to find a nice family like this to teach. Why now? Why couldn't Heavenly Father help us to find these people sooner? Many things in the mission, in the zone, in the area, and personally have lead me to this scripture.
"...wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6)
One thing I have learned so far on my mission is trust in the Lord and trust in His timing. There are times in each of our lives where we may find ourselves asking the same type of questions. Why now? Why didn't the blessing come sooner? The answer is "Because." Our Father in Heaven has a reason for each thing that happens in our lives, good or bad. He knows what will benefit us the most in the long run. Just like a young child looking up to a parent and asking "Why?", at times our Father in Heaven looks down at us and responds with the parental response of "Because I said so."
Elder Kiser were able to go by and talk with both him and his wife the other night, and she is also very kind and friendly with missionaries. She told us that she had some member friends back in Mexico that were very very kind to her, and that she became very good friends with missionaries down there. Such good friends that her young daughter cried when one of the Elders got transferred!
It got me thinking about why it took all the way until now for us to find a nice family like this to teach. Why now? Why couldn't Heavenly Father help us to find these people sooner? Many things in the mission, in the zone, in the area, and personally have lead me to this scripture.
"...wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6)
One thing I have learned so far on my mission is trust in the Lord and trust in His timing. There are times in each of our lives where we may find ourselves asking the same type of questions. Why now? Why didn't the blessing come sooner? The answer is "Because." Our Father in Heaven has a reason for each thing that happens in our lives, good or bad. He knows what will benefit us the most in the long run. Just like a young child looking up to a parent and asking "Why?", at times our Father in Heaven looks down at us and responds with the parental response of "Because I said so."
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder King
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