Week 43 in Field!

This past week has gone by in another blur! 

It seems to have ended before it even started.

The only indications that time has actually passed are the miraculous events that filled the week.

Among running into an LA unplanned, teaching our amazing 9 year old investigator, and receiving a boatload of referrals from members, we saw the hand of the Lord as we invited at a beautiful park in our neighbourhood. 

Sister Courchaine and I had come up with a genius plan to invite at the park...through singing!

We designed a plan that constituted of proclaiming all the important points that make up the first missionary discussion, the Restoration, through hymns and children's songs. 

We had completed this plan a couple weeks ago, but for some reason, something came up every time we planned to go and we kept pushing it off. 

So, one day this week, despite the fact that we could see there was rain on the way, we decided it was time to stop making excuses and just go and do what we had told the Lord we were going to do for so long.

We picked a spot central to the park, sat down on some steps and started singing. 

We prayed that the voices of angels would take over our lack of skill. 

As we opened our mouths and let the music flow from our hearts, we were lifted up in the light heaven.

The rain that had started to fall, cleared up and while we sang of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a pillar of light encircled us, hugging us with warm and glorious sunlight.

As we rang of birds singing the sacred grove, as if on cue, the birds in the park started chirping! 

As we sang through our repertoire of music, our hearts were filled with joy, love and power! 

In the midst of it all, we noticed, out of the corner of our eyes, a girl and a boy sitting under a nearby tree. 

The girl was crying and the boy was trying to comfort her. 

I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast.

Here we were, singing under the magnificent light, and there they were, engulfed in the darkness of the shade.

Sister Courchaine and I knew that we needed to talk with them. 

After we finished singing, we invited a couple people sitting on park benches and was amazed that they were fairly interested in learning more with us. 

We invited our way along the path and towards the boy and girl who had moved along from their spot under the tree.

As we opened our mouths to testify, we were pleasantly surprised at the boy's reaction. 

When we introduced ourselves and told them what we were there to do, the boy quickly introduced himself and his friend in a manner that clearly indicated he supported us talking to his depressed friend.

We testified to this sad girl of our loving Heavenly Father who listens to our prayers.

We found out that she was already Christian and going to another church so was familiar with God and prayer already.

I think before this incident, inviting someone who is already Christian always seemed like a huge challenge...but in that moment, it was so much more powerful!

All we had to do was build upon the foundation that this girl already had, and testify of those truths. 

Before we approached them, I was afraid that they would be annoyed at us for disturbing them, but because we knew Heavenly Father wanted us to reach out to them, we did.

And I am so so very grateful that we did! 

I don't know what will happen to those two in the future, and I don't know if we will ever see them again...

But I know that we did what the Lord wanted us to do that day. 

The gospel is simple, and it is beautiful.

It's a message of love, and hope. 

We don't have to be sad because we know of the great blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for us. 

He is there and He listens to our prayers. 

We are never alone!