God's time and not mine

Okay first off:

This morning was an adventure, no doubt...or something of that nature.
Laundry is always fun (replace fun with gross) in our apartment complex, especially this morning. As I went to put my clothes in the washer I found 3 cockroaches just chilling...UMM EWWW. Later on as I was hanging up my what should have been clean clothes...I found a cigarette but in the pile. SO not clean. Ahh people the struggle is real. Just got to tough it out I guess and laugh about it later. However I am not quite at the laughing point yet.
This week was so full of miracles I can't even begin to describe. I will try though I guess :P

Last Monday Sister Jones and I went to the Oklahoma City Bombing memorial which was a priceless experience. I love being near the city where there are so many historical and cultural experiences. That night we dropped our car off at the collision center to get fixed from the fender bender we got into a few weeks ago. 2 sister missionaries + no car = yup you guessed it, a lot of biking. It was really refreshing though! My legs were so extremely sore and biking in a skirt is well fun and sometimes another way to share your religion if you are not careful but it is all a learning experience right?! We were on our bike for 4 days and it turned out the weather was perfect in the 70's. It has actually been so stormy here all months and there are so many thunder and lightning storms I love it.

One of our miracles this week happened with our investigator Jake. We were teaching him the plan of salvation. Before we left the apartment though we realized we hadn't taught him the restoration yet. I had a feeling that we still needed to teach him the plan of salvation lesson so we did. We met at the UCO library and as we taught him he opened up a ton and said things like "the God I worship would do it this way" and other things about the way he was feeling the spirit. Sister Jones invited him to be baptized which I did not see coming, and he said that he would have to learn more because it is a huge decision to him. IT WAS CRAZY THOUGH BECAUSE he was open and it was his first real lesson. A lot of times when I read missionary letters I think that the stories go very similar. "we met so and so, then we taught them it was up and down and then a miracle happened and they were baptized". The think is though, it actually happens people! These are people that are around you everyday just minding there own business and one minute of courage can be the beginning of their salvation!!! I am amazed at the people that are prepared. The thing is, every one on this earth already has accepted Christ once. As we teach and SHARE by the spirit all we are doing is reminding them of truths they already know. In preach my gospel there is a quote that is pretty much my most favorite quote right now: “We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is the cause that must unite us today. Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family”
It is so true, I have seen it happen in just a small way here in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Another miracle that happened this week was again with Phillip (who I talked about last week as well. He is the one that came to church). Saturday morning we invited him to come play basketball with all of us missionaries at the church. Okay so we play at 6, meaning we have to wake up at 5:30. Most normal people don't get up that early just to play a sport that really we all suck at playing. Well Phillip did and not only did he come, he brought his roommate Michael. All the elders had there game face on, especially because Phillip and Michael can stinking jump and swivel the ball like no other between their legs...its in their blood. It was so fun to play with them though. I have had so much fun playing sports with the elders lately because they actually appreciate when the sisters try, and oh I try :p I suck but I try. I am getting really good at stealing passes though and making shots. Who would have thought the girl who is absolutely not sporty at all, could make a shot, Elder McGinnis apparently (he is the one that taught me). Well after basketball Phillip wanted to take us to Ihop so we showered and then met him there. He is such a nice guy and is so in tune with the spirit. He told us how he feels different from all his friends because he doesn't drink anymore doesn't go to places where he cannot feel the spirit and has really changed his life. He told us that as of now he doesn't really see himself being baptized into our church but that if that is what the Lord wants for him then he will. We are trying to help him to feel the spirit of the Priesthood and get him to start coming to church. Later that night we met with him again and read Alma 32 with him. He is reading between the French and English version of the Book of Mormon and is having a hard time understanding it. As we talked about it though, the spirit was there and we could see his heart soften and his ideas begin to change. We talked a lot about faith coming AFTER we act. As a missionary I have really learned that a lot of the time God requires me to make a decision based on a leap of faith and then after that I will be able to have better faith. He is wrestling with that idea in regard to leaving life church for a bit and coming to the LDS church. He knows that the only way he is going to be able to feel that it is true is by coming to church and experimenting with it. Man, I really feel God's love for him and want so badly for it to click for him, it takes time though. God's time and not mine.

Well, my friends that was a lot I know but so many good things are happening here. Lots of ups and downs everyday but I know that I am just an instrument and to that is becoming worth it.

Love you all,  hope you are doing well,
Sister Engelbrecht