My companion tells me every week: "Sister Koutz...the craziest things happen with you." I tell her its all pretty normal. haha. Being a missionary is fun. We really run into the strangest things. Its crazy because people we have never met tell us every detail of their lives...things they really dont tell anyone else. We met the craziest people and run into the craziest things. I feel so blessed to be here in South Florida!
Last week we were knocking doors a little later in the evening than normal, and an older lady put her face to the window and asked who we were, she denied us twice, then we told her that we were there to say a prayer, "A prayer?" she said, and she let us in. She told us how her sons girlfriend had been living in her house, actually she referred to her as "the devil," and that she finally kicked her out that very day! 5 minutes before we knocked on her door she was on the phone with her friend and she was telling her: " I just really need someone to come and bless the house." Then we showed up. Miracles.
Last week we went to go visit a less active named Maria. She loves alone but her grandson has been living at her house. We met him and he had 2 black eyes. He said "sorry that I look like this, I got attacked." He then told us that he was in in house when people broke in stole everything and tried to kill him. He told us he woke up laying in his own murder scene with an ax in his head.....yep. Crazy. Anyways it turns out that he was baptized when we was 8 but hasnt really been active in the church. He told us that he felt like his experience was a wake-up call. He also told us that through out all of his life the only people who have been constant in his life have been those from the church. That the missionaries especially always showed up when he needed them most. The Lord truly inspires us and guides us to where we need to go.
We have been working with a less-active named Orlando. He has a neighbor who is Evangelist, and loves to brainwash him. K, well he had been going to her church for about a year, after telling him that our church was a cult, and bad things about Joseph Smith. She steals money from him, all of his Book of Mormons. and shes evil- but he is in love with her. We go to his house and explain the restoration and what The Book of Mormon really is and he understands then she comes and its like we never taught him. We got him to church two Sundays in a row! and he loved it! he was doing so good. Then last week we call him to remind him and he says "Im going with the Evangelist" and starts saying things about Joseph Smith. So we went to his house to try and stop him and she comes out with a smirk and says that he is going to her church to adore God. Anyways, she starts saying things about how Joseph Smith and I told her: You have more faith in Joseph Smith then we do. Because we dont have faith IN Joseph Smith we have faith that we was and instrument in the hands of God. The God who we have faith in.
I have realized on my mission that people that think that Joseph Smith could actually write The Book of Mormon are people who have very little faith in God, (no matter what they might say otherwise) and a lot of faith in man. I do not believe for one second that Joseph Smith could write The Book of Mormon, I do not have faith in Joseph Smith with out God. I have faith in him as an instrument in the hands of God, as a prophet, and in his teachings.
I have also learned WHY we live the gospel. Last week we met a lady whose son had passed away 3 years ago. She was hysterical, saying I walked to church every Sunday, and he died. Its not fair. I told her we do not go to church to prevent hard things from happening in our lives. Trials that happen in our lives (with exception of those caused by direct disobedience) will happen whether or not we go to church. We go to church, we live the gospel so that we will be strengthened during those times.
Sister Alcarzar and I were talking today and I realized we must come back to our Father in Heaven better then we left it. We need to go back ready to do the work He has left for us to do, We dont have 2000 years on this earth to learn and to grow, our education cant be spread out over millions of years. Our time here on the Earth is limited! We must learn now, we must change now, we must accept trials and learn and grow from them.
I love you all! Thank you for all of the love and support you have shown me!
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