17 Miracles

Here is a pic of me at "Day to Serve" and LaVonne from the Franconia Ward was there.

Hey everyone!

My time in Potomac is running short. I either have one more transfer or I am leaving this week :(

I am in denial. It's fine.

But guesssss what? OUR INVESTIGATOR, JEYBEN, IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY!  We started teaching him in May; when I first arrived in Potomac. He was introduced to the church through the Mitt Romney Campaign and made a lot of friends that were members of the church. One of them, was a member of our former  bishopric in the Potomac Ward. Jeyben is amazing. He now works for Senator Hatch and went to Salt Lake with him. I remember one time in July, he texted us as he was standing in front of the statue of Christ in Temple Square. It has been such an honor teaching him. He was prepared from the beginning. It has been such an edifying experience to see him grow and change. Last night, we finished teaching him the lessons. Sister Corey told him about the first time she met him and how proud of him she is and HE CRIED. 

So that was one big miracle. Especially since we wanted to baptize him October 24th and he said, "Uhhhh can we do September 19th?" ;) 

Jeyben teased me once about how he has seen the pioneer movie, "17 Miracles" and I haven't. So here are my favorite "17 miracles" that have happened these past 12 weeks training Sister Corey in the Potomac Ward.

#1 Surviving I-395 traffic in a rainstorm. With 1 windshield wiper. For 6 miles. 

#2 I might as well get this scary incidence over with now. One time Sister Corey and I were walking home from an appointment at about 8:45 p.m. It wasn't too late, but it was getting dark. We had to park our car at the church, a few blocks away. It was the only free place to park (welcome to Virginia). As were were walking, this car started to follow us and we realized that it was full of some pretty creepy guys. We started walking faster and we realized that they started to follow us into the parking lot, thinking we were the only ones that would be there. OUT OF NOWHERE, this guy comes walking out in the parking lot and scared off the creepy car. The car slowly back out of the lot. We never saw this guy again...we have no idea who he is...hence, Miracle #2. 

#3 Out of all the times we were lost at the Reagan Airport (we have become very familiar with the Delta Terminal), Pentagon parking lot (most intense 3 minutes of my life), Arlington National Cemetery (yes, that actually happened once....) and Rosslyn (worst experience ever), we only managed to get lost in DC one time...and it wasn't even the Mall, it was Georgetown.

#4 One time Sister Corey and I felt strongly to go to this apartment complex to check on some potential investigators. We ended up finding all these new people to teach and found one of my old investigators in the park (turns out he lives in that complex) and taught him too! It was an overall great weekend of just teaching the WHOLE day and introducing so many of Heavenly Father's children about his love. I loved that afternoon.

#5 About 2 weeks ago we had this lesson at the church and literally 3 min after the lesson, another lady tried to get into the building. We let her in and asked if she needed help. She began to explain how she was looking for a new religion and prayed for an answer. She then decided to go on a walk, and saw our church building. We ended up talking to her for an hour and taught her about the Restoration of our gospel. She had tears in her eyes and asked us why she had never heard these things before. It was amazing. She came to church and everything but she is unfortunately moving out of the country :( 

#6 We are teaching this man who used to only want to have intellectual discussions with us and really wanted "healthy debates." Sister Corey and I got so burned out. Talking with a former corporate lawyer about "the concepts of faith" and numerous religious theories was fun and all, but we new he had more potential. We told him we wanted to start giving him the lessons. He agreed and every lesson since, he has brought a friend! 

#7 One evening we decided to check on some less-actives but, we had a feeling to check on a potential investigator instead. We felt that we needed to go to the McLean area and no joke..."Madison Ln." popped into my head and sure enough, Madison Ln. is in the McLean area. We found out that indeed a lady interested in our church lived there and we knocked on her door....and she was kinda rude! We were so disappointed but I thought...NO. WE ARE HERE FOR A REASON. So I told her we wanted to show her something and she let us in. We showed her "Because He Lives." We ended up staying for an hour and a half. She was so grateful. We are now teaching her! She also has a really cute dog which is a miracle in it of itself because I hate 99% of all dogs.

#8 We were out and about checking on people and knocking on doors and we talked to this man who was so nice. We also showed him "Because He Lives" and he said, "WAIT! My kids need to see this!" And we showed it to the entire family and they loved it! 

#9 We helped a member talk about religion with her boyfriend. It was wonderful being able to help her feel more comfortable doing something that can be so challenging at times.  The conversation went really well. We just felt so good helping her out.

#10 One Sunday, Sister Corey and I gave talks in church (sacrament meeting)....afterwards, and a member in our Ward came up to us and said, "Hi. Here is my boyfriend, Tom and he wants to take the lessons. He also wants a Book of Mormon".....uh, hi Tom. We were so shocked but felt so grateful since we had been praying for someone new to teach! We have been teaching Tom since June. (He is the one that gave us the blender and protein powder. Ha!)

#11 We found a less active and she happily let us in! We talked about the Atonement. It was so incredible being with her. I love those moments when the spirit totally leads you in the right direction and you teach something that the person really needed to hear.  

#12 Another less-active miracle... Sister Corey wanted to check on a less-active but I wanted to street contact. But then eventually I realized that it would be a good idea to check on at least one of the less-actives. Sister Corey mentioned the name of someone and so off we went. She lived sort of far from where we were.  By the time we got there, we actually needed to go to another appointment. But we rang the doorbell anyway. She was super nice. Then, we had to break the news to her that we had to go, but we wanted to see her again. She said, "Come by tomorrow." We were so thrilled! When we visited her the next day, she told us that she had been praying for love and guidance. Then, hours later, we showed up on her doorstep and rang the doorbell. We have become such good friends. We see her almost every week. She even came to church. She also took us to some fine dining in Old Town which...was really incredible. 

#13 The next miracle didn't happen when I was serving in the Potomac Ward. It was while I was in one of my previous areas. But, it happened when I just happened to be in Potomac on day.  A less-active couple Sister Wright and I found got sealed in the temple and are doing so well! The first time we met them, we would only visit the wife at work since she didn't feel comfortable having us come over. Then, as time went by....she and her husband (both!) started to let us stop by. We visited them about 4 times a week. We got so close to them. I literally freaked out when I found out that they were going to the temple. I was able to call them before they went. A serious highlight of my life.

#14 Recently, we went on exchanges with the Alexandria 2nd Ward sisters. We street contacted all day and we met the most amazing people. One lady made me cry! She was so kind and so wonderful. I love that feeling of meeting the right people, at the right time, in the right place.

#15 That fact that we had about 5 dinners in almost 2 months when I first came here and now we get fed basically every night (sometimes we have double dinners) is a miracle for us, at least. We have become so close with the ward because of these dinner sign ups. We made some friends for life I tell you. Friends for life!!!

#16 We have a new investigator who challenged herself to learn more and is already at the end of Alma in the Book of Mormon. She's incredible. She wants to meet with us multiple times a week and is so willing to find the truth and knowledge that we bring. We are meeting with her tonight.  

-#17 Okay this is a crazy one. In a previous post, I shared how about 3 months ago, Sister Tescher and I had the thought to go to COSTCO for lunch. We ended up sitting next to this family. The wife was Mormon and he was not. They moved here in February and didn't have a great experience at church in the last place they lived. They sort of put church on hold. But interestingly enough, the husband had been wishing that they would run into missionaries so that he could invite them over and hopefully...his wife would go to church again. Long story short, we met with them, almost every week and we have become so close to them. When we would visit, the dad would go in the other room. But as time passed by, he started to sit behind us on the computer with his headphones on.....them the next week he took one headphone out to listen in.....then he started to chime in occasionally....then this last time he participated the entire time! They went to their family Ward Sunday and the daughters went to Young Women's and Primary and they loved it!!!  I cherish my missionary Costco Connections. So incredible that we went to Costco that one day :) 

Love you all!

Sister Elizabeth Kelly 

Twins

Potomac Ward Service Project