A Day to Remember

Yesterday we put all 28 missionaires on the train and took a 30 minute ride into Manchester where we were to do street contacting. We were loaded with pass along cards, B's of M, pamphlets. When we arrived we spilled out onto the street, spread out and began to walk and talk. We were given a meeting point 2.5 hours later. I have to say I was nervous. I have spent my life talking with people about the church, but this was different.....WAY different. NEVER have I just approached strangers! And I was not the only one who was nervous! President had several come to him that morning to say they were so nervous and maybe shouldn't go. He assured them that they were on the Lord's errand and would be guided by the H.G. Such faith!

My own personal experience was quite remarkable. I sat down on the train and a young woman sat beside me. I began to chat.......found out her family was orginally from Egypt (so I shared stories of our recent trip to Egypt.) She is a student at the University here -- studying business. She is Muslim (and wore the head dress) but said she was not orthodox and was really open to other ideas. I told her we were new in the country and that opened the door to telling her what we were doing here. She began to sparkle! And then we chatted.......on and on.......about her and about America, and about religion and I shared my deep feelings about what I believed. I invited her to stop by the MTC after school one day. When we parted we had exchanged email addresses and hugs! By the time I got of the train I was floating. I just couldn't believe that the Lord and been so good to me and had placed that sister right next to me.

The rest of the day followed with more success. We walked into Subway to get a sandwich and the young woman in from of me in the line was from China. I asked her where she was from and she said Taiwan, and was here with a performing group but she couldn't speak much English. I looked up and the two Chinese Elders that we have with us were in the front of the line and I motioned for them to come ---they had a 10 minute discussion with her.

Before long, approaching people was a game and we did not have a single rude rejection. (altho some did). But the crowning experience came at the end. We stopped to talk with a young woman holding a baby. While we visited her friend walked up and I turned to her and asked her where she was from. She told me Barcelona. I squealed and told her I had a brother in Barcelona on a 3 year assignment who was taking care of all of our missionaries that are serving in Barcelona and that he would love to talk with her. Before it was over, I had her name, phone number and email address and promised she would hear from him. Now honestly, what are the chances of that happening. Well, there are no chance meetings. All are directed by the Lord under the direction of the Holy Ghost. If only we really understood that power! We could do so much more than we are doing.

While I was having my fun, President was off with some of the elders who were struggling and ended up with remarkable experiences of his own. One in particular who agreed to meet with the missionaries.

All in all, these missionaries got 30 solid referrals for the Manchester Mission yesterday (the most ever) and gave away about 40 copies of the BOM. They came back flying high and can hardly wait to go next week.

It was bitter cold but the sun was shining and the spirit simply moved us thru the streets.

We have some wonderful missionaries. Elder Seibert speaks only a few words of English, but he smiles and nods and gives President hugs! Elder Chin and Sister Gong are from Schenzen, China (some of us have been there). Many are converts to the church and are leading out, hoping and praying that their families will capture the spirit of what they are doing and will become one of their converts. Each one is exceptional and we so love them that it will be hard to hand them off to a new mission president! There is such a feeling of comraderie and love among them. They take care of each other. The Lord is raising up a generation that will conquer the ills of the world. Amazing!!!! And we are here to witness it!