Miracles Do Exist

Just kinda describes our relationship...

This week in miracles:

1. The Miracle of Luck: We were at the apartment talking about luck when we heard a knock on our door. Pribyl and I looked at each other in curiosity. No one ever comes to our door. Turns out a cute old lady in a wheelchair was looking for 2 men to help her move out of her apartment. We weren't who she was looking for but we gave her the elders number and our own. Then we taught her a mini restoration lesson... I have to say, that this was the fist time I've ever taught someone at MY doorstep. How often does that happen???? Never. It was so awesome. We ended up walking her back to her apartment and setting a time to go see her again.

2. The Miracle of Example: One day we were at Walmart printing pictures and we had a 1.5 hour long conversation with a young man who works there. He loved our conversation and we invited him for a lesson at the church. Guess how he shows up?! He shows up in a shirt and tie with his bible that he drove 40 minutes away to get out of storage. When we asked why he was dressed so well he responded, "Well, I've seen the elders in Walmart dressed nicely and I didn't want to be disrespectful by showing up to a church in a t-shirt." How cool? What an awesome guy! Also, just goes to show that people notice us missionaries even if we may not introduce ourselves... We stand out I guess. I didn't realize that we stood out THAT much though!!

3. Miracles Can Even Be Odd:  So this has been just an odd week with our investigators. It's a good odd. More than ever before, we've had our investigators text or call US instead of the other way around. For example, we met a girl in the grocery store who we had a great conversation with. We left her with our card and normally we're the ones looking up their numbers a day or two later. The whole time I've been on a mission, no one has ever reached out to us first...until this week! So the same night we talked to this girl she texted us to tell us how much she enjoyed our talk and was excited to see us again. Not to mention our other investigator has been communicating with US everyday before we even get the chance to! He asks when we're meeting next and what he needs to read and then he's even finding and inviting more people to church that I think we even are. I told him the other day, "Here, just take my tag!" It's so cool! THEN another investigator texts us everyday to ask how we're doing and to see if we need anything...um, hello! That's our job! It's so awesome! It's amazing to see the missionary spirit spread to our own investigators. We couldn't have asked for more wonderful people to have the privilege of teaching.

4. The Miracle of the Temple: Nuff said.

Us and Paola!

5. The Miracle of the Gospel: PAOLA WAS BAPTIZED. Her story goes as such:

Paola was referred to the sisters by a set of elders who helped Paola's husband on the side of the road. About the time that I went into the MTC, Sister Pribyl and her companion knocked on Paola's door. When they knocked on her door, she was actually upstairs praying for direction on how to help her marriage and family. Sister Pribyl said she remembers how big Paola's eyes got as they talked with her at the doorstep. She said, "Oh my gosh, God sent you straight here! I was just praying for you!" But then 2 months passed and I came to Georgia. We taught Paola almost every week when I got here until we decided that we should give her a break. We stopped seeing her for almost the whole month of March to which she agreed was the worst month of the year for her so far. Things were crazy with her 5 kids and she was super stressed with work.


One day in April, we got a text from her asking where we were and why we hadn't been over in a while! We thought, "Sweet, she's ready." So we set a time to see her and after a couple of visits we learned just how much the Lord was preparing her in that last month we were absent. In one of those lessons I asked Paola what would be holding her back from being baptized and her reply was "nothing!! I want to be baptized!!" Well why didn't you say so!!? We were so pleased and surprised! She set a date and we taught her all the lessons in 3 weeks.

Me and paola with her family!

If you wanted to know, Paola is from Haiti! Just a cool fact!

Saturday finally came! The service was so beautiful. All her kids were there but unfortunately her husband had to work. Sister Pribyl and I got to sing a new duet we put together too. Don't worry, mom. You'll get a recording sooner or later. Maybe we'll just come out with an album actually. ;)

The most wonderful part about her baptism was the Spirit that filled the chapel. Paola just glowed with the Spirit and it was refreshing to see how happy she was. So many came to support her that almost the whole middle section in the chapel was full! The addition of the hymns "How Great Thou Art" and "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" really influenced the strength of the Spirit. It was one of the most spiritual services I've ever been to and many who came can testify of it too!

On Sunday we helped Paola get to church just in time to be confirmed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. As she sat down next to me I felt it just radiating from her. The love that she has for the Savior is just incredible and her willingness to submit to His will is so impressive. I've learned a lot from Paola and I know that many in the church will do the same. Douglasville is one lucky ward!

We did a little planning session outside our apartment and took a pic!
So hot and sunny nowadays!

It's amazing how miracles really do happen. I've only just begun to scratch the surface of miracles that happened this week. I don't think it's even possible to write all of them. Especially since we don't often recognize the small miracles that the Lord uses us to perform. We are always told that the Lord works through us, but I can surely testify and witness that this really does happen! I've seen it! I've felt it, I've experienced it! At the end of the day I feel like I've done nothing. The only thing I've done is made the choice to be here and do what the Lord says. I'm just grateful that I can witness so many miracles and grow my own testimony of the power of God.


I apologize for how poorly written this email is. You'll have to excuse me... I plan to sleep for the rest of today! It's been a fast week but now that I have a moment to relax I feel exhausted. not even just physically but spiritually...which I never knew could happen.

Well friends and family, I'm falling asleep. But before I leave, I want you to know that God is good. There's really no other way to express my gratitude and amazement for this week other than to say that God is just so good.

I love you all! Thanks for keeping up with me and supporting me!

Sister Hawkins