Called to Serve: "Angels Sent Just For Me"

Another good week for us in East Calgary! :)

So we live in the part of Calgary known as "the ghetto," which, is pretty comical because turns out Canadian Ghettos are nothing like US Ghettos haha:) But anyway! Because it's "the Ghetto" there is A LOT of diversity here:) And we live super close to a main street that's called "International Avenue!" And there are TONS of different restaurants and things that Sister Ence and I have been a little too afraid to try haha. But this week we did!! We went to a Vietnamese place with some members and tried Pho for the first time! It was very different, but pretty good! :)

We had a lot of roller-coaster experiences with some less-actives too! haha:) We have been working with this great less active who was pretty much just reactivating himself, but then also has A LOT of questions!! And last week he skipped out of church early, and so we text him to make sure he was doing alright and set up a time to see him again. Then we we met up a few days later our lesson didn't go anywhere near how we had planned.... He was really frustrated because he felt like God wasn't real since he hadn't gotten an answer to his prayers yet. In the end, he basically dropped us and told us that he wasn't going to continue with this church thing anymore.

We were so devastated to see him go because we could tell how badly he wanted an answer and a place to turn, and he was walking about from the one place he was going to get that.

But then only a few hours later he sent us a text telling us thank you for all that we have done for him, and that he was praying after our meeting and he thinks that he might have felt god!! That was such an amazing feeling! Whew! So he came to church again this week, and says he's still working through things, but isn't giving up just yet:)

We also started teaching several new people this week between new investigators and new less actives, it's been really awesome! :)

And for the first time in my entire mission I got to teach a lesson to someone we had just met!! Whoo! That was pretty exciting! We were trying to get a hold of a less active in our family ward, and after we had knocked on the door, the lady across the way comes out of her house and yells at us telling us that we have the wrong house. We told her who we were looking for and she said that they haven't lived there in years. So naturally we walked over to her as she was explaining the situation. So then we told her that we are missionaries, and asked if she'd be interested in a message about Jesus Christ and how we have found strength in our lives through Him, and she actually said yes!!!
Okay well... her exact words were "...yeah sure I'll listen to your message. I'm drinking so I'll listen." But we ran with it! haha! :)

She led us into her house and she had another friend sitting on the couch in the front room. She continued to tell us that they were both going through a hard time right now so they could use all the help they can get. So we started to teach them the restoration, but when we got to "The Gospel Blesses Families" you could tell they both seemed really upset. So we stopped and they told us that they have both recently had children pass away. One in a fire, and another in a ATV accident. We then listened to them for a while and then stopped and decided to teach them about the plan of salvation and how much God loves them and is aware of the pain they are feeling, but that there is a way to replace that pain with peace. They were really receptive to the message, but we weren't able to teach the full lesson because of some other people showing up. But they thanked us for the message and told us how much we really helped them. And they just kept calling us "their angels." "Their angels that God sent just for them." That was one of the most humbling experiences that I have ever. We are hopeful to see them again and finish teaching them about God's plan for them.

But missionary work is such an amazing opportunity. I don't think there is a better feeling than someone telling you that you are their angel sent from God for them. This is why I decided to serve a mission! To help uplift and bless God's children in any way that I can. I'm so grateful to be the instrument in His hands in bringing peace and love those to all His children.

Then yesterday for church we had a city wide Sacrament meeting! That was pretty cool because I got to see Andy again, and some other sisters in YSA throughout the city:)

In the meeting we got to hear from the Calgary Temple President and his wife. That was a really neat experience. Then there was a YSA broadcast by Elder Cook later that night that was also really amazing! I loved everything that the speakers said yesterday, but this morning when I was going back over my notes I really realized that most of what I wrote down weren't actually things that were said. I am so grateful for that. For the blessing of personal revelation. Sister Ence and I have decided that we are going to go to the temple this week or next week finally. It's been sooo long! Almost 4 months since I've been able to go! 4 Months too long, I can tell you that! That is one of the biggest challenges we have as missionaries. But I know, I just need to be grateful that I get to go at all! :)

Anywho! It has been a wonderfully lovely week! :) I love my mission:)

I have really learned how important it is to draw nearer to my Savior every single day. And honestly, there are some days where I don't know how I can give anymore than I have. I feel a little exhausted and inadequate, but as I have continued trying to grow, and really studying the atonement, I have been blown away at how every time I feel like I've hit a ceiling, Heavenly Father raises it for me- allowing even more growth to take place:)

I hope you have a great week! And see many miracles!
Love you!
Sister Dobyns:)