A whole transfer gone already?!?

My first whole transfer is now complete! This also means that my time with Sister Khumaryan is half over, since in six weeks she will be traveling back to Armenia. I don't know what I'm going to do without her!

This was a good week.

First, our investigator Rita will possibly be moving her baptismal date from January to December 5th! Her boyfriend, who she wants to be the one to baptize her, won't be able to travel to California in January, which would mean postponing her baptism until February. Not good. BUT, he was already planning on coming to Lancaster the weekend of the 5th, and Rita said she would like to be baptized then! YAYAYAYAY! She is already so prepared!

More good news. We have been teaching a man named Richard, who is an older gentleman that lives in a veteran's home. He knows the gospel is true. He knows the Book of Mormon is true. He knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet. But, he hasn't been coming to church. Why? Because before he met us he had been going to a Baptist church, and he is absolutely terrified to stop going because he believes all his friends there will hate him if he leaves them for the Mormons. Well, that's a problem. Last week we tried to help him overcome this fear, and to trust that if he did what he knew God wanted him to do, God would help him and bless him no matter how big of a sacrifice it would be. Richard didn't commit to coming, but he said he would think about it. Well, God works miracles ladies and gentlemen. HE CAME TO CHURCH THIS SUNDAY!!! He "claims" it is because he missed the bus that usually takes him to the Baptist church, but Sister Khumaryan and I think otherwise. He is a very special man. Whenever we teach him the Spirit is so strong. He has had several opportunities throughout his life to accept the Gospel, through friends who have been members of the church, but never did. This time he will though. I just know it. All prayers for him would be greatly appreciated. If he comes to church again next Sunday I am certain there will be no stopping him after that! :)

With Thanksgiving coming up this week I have been thinking about how grateful I am to have to Gospel. Gratitude is the catalyst for every other good virtue (according to some General Authority but I can't remember which one.) When we are grateful, we are more humble, we are more faithful, we are more generous, we are more loving. I know that if it weren't for the Gospel, I would be a very unhappy person. Many of the temporal things in my life would probably be the same, but my outlook on life would be completely different. Because of the Gospel I know who I am, that I am a daughter of God, and that my purpose here in this life if to prepare myself to return to Heavenly Father. And I know that I can only do this through Jesus Christ.

The Lord is good. He works many miracles, but we have to first have the faith that He can and that He will. I am grateful for the many miracles that I have already seen since being on my mission, and I expect to see many more!

Love you all and have a great Turkey-Day!

Sister Daelemans