So... I hit my one month mark on Friday! It was also by far the best day this week, so I'll just tell you what I wrote about it that night.
"One Month!! Also, BEST DAY EVER! MIRACLES! So today during our window at the park we taught 3 lessons and I even led on some. Oh and I'm on exchanges with Sis. Crane all day. So I'm skipping right to my favorite parts. I gave my first baptism invite today and he said yes! Then, before dinner, I thought we should go see someone in the area real quick. Well, since it's exchanges, neither of us knew any people, so we just went through the directory of the ward looking for someone close by. As we read the names, one just kept coming back to me: Rachel. I knew she was a YSA (young single adult), but that was it. So we went to visit her. We were met at the door by Rachel's mom, who was super excited to see us. Sis. (Rachel's mom) told us Rachel would be home from work in a half an hour, so we asked if we could return then, but she ushered us inside and got us ice water and watermelon and sat at the table to talk with us. She told us about an experience she had this week, talking to a girl at Disneyland. she is helping the girl, Courtney, to find an apartment and plans to invite her to dinner. As soon as Courtney is moved in, Sis. (Rachel's mom) is going to give us her address so we can stop by! We love referrals! Then, she told us about Rachel. She's going into her sophomore year of college, and needs some friends. She hasn't been going to institute because she doesn't know anyone. She then told us she had prayed that morning that we would come. By the time Rachel got home, we had met pretty much the whole family. Rachel was so nice and lit up when whe talked to us. I just had a feeling she would be a perfect friend for Palmer. So I suggested that we could introduce them on Sunday and Rachel was so excited! I can't wait. This visit was an answer to so many people's prayers: mine, Sis. (Rachel's mom), Rachel's, and maybe Palmer's. The coolest part was that I didn't know it was a prompting until after I followed it. As we were leaving, Sis. (Rachel's mom) whispered to Sis. Crane, "Good listening, girls." That was one of my favorite compliments I've ever received."
So. For this week. Call us crazy, but Sis. Baker and I have set a goal for two baptisms. We have no idea who they will be. The District Leader (Elder Hale, who is actually super awesome) thought we were crazy. We kind of think we're crazy. But when we prayed at the beginning of this transfer, God told us we needed two baptisms in July. So it's time. We know that NOTHING is impossible with God, if it's His will. So we are going to do absolutely everything we can to do this. We are being EXACTLY obedient, like, not even one minute late or speeding one mile over. And we are trying desperately to have "faith as a mustard seed." (Matthew 17:20) The best part is, after Elder Hale told us he would probably call us back to talk about this goal, we got ready to defend it. We were not going to compromise when we felt we needed to do this. And then when he called? He said, "The crazy thing is, I have faith in you. I think you can do it." Everyone thinks it's not possible, but we know it is. Can God do anything or not? You can't have it both ways. He CAN do anything. It's all up to Him. If He wants it to happen, it can and will. And we will do our best. But we also know that this could be just a learning experience for us. Maybe He won't make it happen, but either way, we will do everything we can, and we know that we are doing what He wants us to do. Pray for us!
I love you all so very very much. I wish I had more time to write, but just remember: you can choose to either see miracles everywhere, or see none at all. They are there. I promise you that God works miracles in our lives. But it takes faith to open our eyes and see them.
Press forward. Don't worry so much about the past because you can't change it. Do better this time. Move forward and "press toward the mark!" (Philippians 3:13-14)
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Sister Heather Bambas
California Irvine Mission
heather.bambas@myldsmail.net