When I received a blessing in the MTC I was told I would see many miracles on my mission. I didn't quite comprehend what kind of miracles he was talking about until later in my mission I was trying to remember all the little daily miracles I was experiencing but couldn't capture in my journal because let's face it - I can't fathom-ably write sufficient detail in my journal every night in 15 minutes, it just doesn't work out - I'm always behind. That's when I decided to keep a "Daily Blessings" journal (the "little plates") where I just jot down a few blessings I had that day, and when I have time to catch up in my journal I reference that to make sure I get the good stuff in the "big plates" (1 Ne 9:2-4). So here are just a few I've had this past week:
First, I was transferred back Cambodian speaking with Sister Loy and Sister Chhuon who both know Cambodian pretty well and speak to each other in Cambodian all the time so I don't always know what's going on, but know that's exactly what Sister Loy went through when she was with me and Sis Walker so I have no room to complain. Plus, I learn new Cambodian words every day, so it's the best opportunity possible to learn the most Khmer I can before I go home! Sister Chhuon is from California but is full Cambodian and grew up around it so she speaks a lot of "household" Khmer and is learning the gospel vocabulary. Interestingly enough, she's 31 years old, but I don't always feel like I have a companion 10 years older than me - she's that loving & amazing we all just get along so well! I couldn't have asked for a better companionship for my last transfer.
The rest are of a more serious nature; The other day a less-active asked us to come visit this "Yiay" or "Grandma" that was dying in the hospital and didn't have any family to visit her before she went (Quivs: it was the Yiay with two teeth that showed us how to dance). We'd met her before, so we decided to go visit her that evening. An appointment ran lat, so we were short on time as the deadline for visitors drew close and we couldn't find the hospital. When we finally found it the main entrance was closed, so we walked around to another locked door and started calling to reschedule for the next day when someone exited and we got through the exit. We found an elevator but there was no 8th floor, so we went to the 7th. The doors opened to a nurse on break just sitting on the couches who was able to show us through some locked doors to a different elevator that would take us to the 8th floor. When we got there we realized we'd taken too long to get to the hospital and the less-active who was giving us directions had changed rooms, so we ended up praying with another friend of hers who was in the hospital. The next day when we planned to go visit the Yiay, the less-active informed us she'd passed away that morning.
(Two days later) Monday morning during studies we were accidentally called by the brother of one of our recent converts, Samoeun. He was trying to call his sister to inform her that Samoeun was in critical condition at the hospital. We'd had no idea, and remembering the Yiay from the day before, we decided to visit him as soon as we finished our studies. We made our way there, but not knowing the room we called Samoeun's brother to find out where he was. I talked to him on the phone and he said Samoeun was "gone", but due to the language barrier weren't sure what he meant by that, so we talked to the information desk and got his room number. We had our fears as the elevator took us up, and when we found a crowd of Cambodians on the floor, our fears were confirmed. We spent a few moments with Samoeun's mother whom we taught and baptized with Samoeun, crying with her. He'd passed away during our studies, and while I almost couldn't do it, we went and saw him one last time together.
For a year he'd sat and listened from the side while we taught his 80 yr-old mother who doesn't have a very good memory, having said he wasn't interested. It wasn't until he started prompting his mother with the answers that we realized he was listening, taught him, and he was baptized, his mother following not too long after. Up to last week he was too sick to go, he went to church every week with his mother, and I have no doubt he will receive the blessings of his faithfulness from this life.
That morning's studies consisted of miracles: "Miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature so much as manifestations of divine or spiritual power." (Bible Dictionary, pg 732) Having discussed it, we decided that because God is love, and God is the essence of spiritual power, that love is a miracle. Everything we see, do, experience, is a manifestation of God's love and power, and only the things we don't understand do we call a miracle because we don't understand the mechanics behind it. But to God, His works and miracles are one and the same.
"Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be impossible." (BD p. 732) I know, that because of Him we are able to create loving relationships in this life, and that "the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World") I love this gospel as it blesses us with the ability to see this life through the perspective of eternity: "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18) God has a plan for each and every one of us; we just need to turn to Him as the source of comfort and answers, and I know we will find them.
Love you!!
Sister Dunster
Dupont exchange from last week with Sister Everett and Sister Liao!
Gat sbow, or "cutting Bear Grass" which is something Cambodians do to earn money. It's about $7 per 100 bunches like the one I have in my hand.
All cutting bear grass
No comments:
Post a Comment