"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
I learnt that timing is precious and the Lord knows HOW to use His time WISELY! I believe and know for a surety that there really are people out there who are waiting specifically for a Missionary to teach them. This happened to me; the world will call it influence but as we learnt from a prophet of God a few months ago; Elder Dallin H. oaks taught: "that a coincidence is a situation where the Lord chooses to remain anonymous." This is one of those moments where I can testify that this was done by the Lord's hand. Not only did it change Peter and June's life to one day now be married in the Temple, but it changed my life. So when the April transfers happened, I and Elder Hodges split an area with the Zone Leader's and Elder Jenkins was telling us about a few of the people that we can teach in our area, one of them being Peter. Peter was a non-member of the Church and June his wife is an active member. So I and Elder Hodges decided to pop by their home one evening and they weren't home. We thought no one had lived there anymore because it was just empty. So we kinda left it alone not knowing that what would happen later on. Being in the area for a few weeks now, it was Sunday and we went to Church and during our Gospel Principles class Elder Vea (our other Zone Leader) is talking to a young man who we had seen come to Church the last couple of weeks not knowing who he was. Elder Jenkins after class tells us that that is Peter ! We were like WHAT! So we go and talk to them and set up a time to go and see them during the week. Six weeks had gone by so fast that Elder Hodges gets transferred and my new companion Elder Lutui comes in.. Elder Hodges and I have taught the Restoration lesson to Peter and he just embraces it and accepts it so humbly. He tells us that he reads the Book Of Mormon with his wife every night, he knows it's true and he loves coming to Church because he can see a difference in his life. We are just amazed at Peter! We teach the 2nd lesson to Peter and again he shares a wonderful insight to us .. one of his first few weeks he started coming to Church he learnt in Gospel Principles class that he can sealed to his wife for time and all eternity! He said as soon as he heard that he just wanted to be baptized straight away! He knew what he needed to do so committed to do it. A lot of our lessons the sacred power of the Spirit's purpose was manifested to Peter and June especially June because this was a dream come true for her! It was very special for all of us. This story gets better, we set the date for Peter's baptism,...a few weeks previous the Assistant's baptized Peter's cousins. Here we have a family starting to begin something new in their family history which will be remembered for the eternities ! What makes it even more better is .. our district leader Elder Powelson came along to see the baptism and his companion Elder Lao tells us that when he first arrived on his mission, he and his trainer had been teaching Peter but 2 years previous, Peter had no interest at all whatsoever to hear the message. Now 2 years later here is Peter preparing himself to make a covenant with the Lord in the waters of baptism! Elder Lao was so happy! I was so happy! June was so happy! The Spirit was definitely there! I learnt 2 things: 1) The Lord's timing is very specific. There was something Peter needed from me and my companion and something we needed to learn from Peter, from our teaching experience with Peter we have become brothers! 2) Diligence and obedience with persistence in the Lord's vineyard brings miracle's. We have been called to invite others to come unto Christ whether they accept it now or later on! Salvation hangs in the balance. The Lord's ways are higher than ours.
ELDER DANER SAAID
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