Happens To Me All the Time
Aloha ko'u 'ohana a me hoaaloha!
On exchanges with the Chinese Sisters. Sister Khoo (from Malaysia) talking to someone on the phone from the mission office who can't understand her accent...she looks at me laughing and is like "this happens to me all the time". Haha same Sister Khoo same. Lemme give you a few experiences from this week
Island time, it happens to me all the time (lol). Saturday night we were rushing from a dinner appointment and were going to be about 7 minutes late to an appointment. We texted and told the lady this. She calls us up and is furious and goes at us about being late and talks about having to go do her laundry. We apologize and hang up. We then write a nice apology letter and drop it off at her apartment. That evening we get a call and she is...still upset lol. This time saying that "this is America, you didnt even let me know you were dropping a letter off, it couldve been dangerous!". Yup. Anything we do isn't good. Anyways flash forward. We feel super godly sorrow. She forgives us. We go over the next day, show up 15 minutes early, and have THE greatest lesson where she goes "I've been searching for churches and nothing feels that right. But this feels right to my spirit. And maybe...just maybe my search is over". Forgiveness is cool. New York time is not Bermuda time.
Not understand any Spanish, it happens to me all the time. Going to servie projects, church, and knocking on doors and every speaks Spanish. And I end up just looking like a deer in the headlights haha. But thank goodness for Sister Eccles, who is teaching me Spanish and this week I learned how to pray! Gift of tongues.
Parking struggles, it happens to me all the time. On my exchange with Sister Khoo, I was trying to find us a parking spot in each lookup we went to and lets just say...I miss the convience of public transportation. So after dinner, I'm like ok Sister Khoo we are just going to do all these lookups and finding right around here. Turns out that that is exactly where the Lord needed us to be...
Miracles, they happen to us all the time! So Sister Khoo and I look up a less active. We knock on the door and this man opens up and is like "I knew it. I knew you were coming. I told her you would be here. I just knew God would hear my prayers". If you are confused, imagine being there in person. Haha. Anyways long story short, that is the husband of the less-active who has actually be in the hospital sick for the past two weeks. He is not a member but told her, "don't worry I know your church people are coming. We don't have any contact with them but I know they are coming". Prayers were answered, friendships were kindled, and ward members have been ever so lovingly reaching out now and we have been at the hospital about 3 times already and continue to meet more grateful family members. From following one prompting of the spirit, comes a ripple of miracles and joy felt on either ends of the relationships.
35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
Miracles. They havent stopped, they happen all the time! When we open up our hearts, minds, and soul's we become sharper instruments in the Lord's hands and we are exactly where He needs us to be and He gives us the exact experiences that we need in order to strive.
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| Some beautiful Manhattan skyline as we drive to Brooklyn :) |
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| Tried to capture the Brooklyn Brdige and Manhattan...but heres it blurred. Lol. |
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| The Hermanas thought they were funny and decorated our car! |
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| NRNY art. |
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| Nice store aye? Too bad its closed! But at least they got the spelling right |
Randoms:
1) Due to a ton of travel complications, we ended up driving down to Brooklyn and Queens to pick up the Chinese STL's. It was a ton of driving, but saved them a lot of time and we got to travel through all these burroughs! It was pretty cool seeing the skyline all lit up at night!
2) Was a week of conferences! We had Zone Conference this past week. A bit odd being back with all these missionaries and like trying to pick up on all the skill training I missed by being out of the country. So it was refreshing. We also had Stake Conference yesterday and it was back in my first area in Lehman College. First time being back in Kingsbridge since I left. Also Elder Haynie of the Seventy came and talked and this weekend we have another Seventy, Elder Bennett visiting the mission and area so that is exciting!
3) Been teaching lots of Jamaicans...which means we get lots of Jamaican food :)
4) Oh and one more...underestimating the cold weather outside...yup happens to me all the time haha
5) Also I'm doing Facebook Finding up here too! Not as eventful as it was down in Bermuda but stay tuned for more miracles!
Me ke aloha,
Sister Ellis
Believe, Love, Do