Those who know not where to find it

Sunday afternoon Sister Clark and I parked in the north of our area and began walking to an appointment. It had been a long day (long day of music-- we seen to average 3 musical numbers a week in this area (-: ) and we were late for our appointment. As we walked down Aime, I said hello to an Indian man walking by. We say hello to many people every day-- hundreds in a week probably, but for some reason, just then I remembered my recent resolve to REALLY talk to the people we meet on the street. It is one thing to say a cheery hello to everyone you meet, but an entirely different thing to invite every person you meet to come unto Christ through His restored Gospel.

So I stopped, turned around, and stuck my hand out to this gentleman, "Hi, I'm Sister Hales"
My companion is now rather used to my stopping randomly mid-stride to talk with anyone (human or animal--- did I tell you about contacting the parrot accidentally(?) and she too introduced herself.
The man just looked at my hand for a minute, and said, "I'm not your religion"

"Oh that's ok! We talk to everyone!" (yes, all my sentences as a missionary end with an exclamation point)

What he said next surprised me, "How did you know I was thinking about religion?"

I smiled. "We are representatives of Jesus Christ, and as such, His Holy Spirit guides us to those who want to learn more about him."

"You know, he said, I was just talking with God, and asking him to show me a sign, to show me more about him, because you know I practice my religion and I try to be good, but I just feel like I am missing something, and I was just asking God to show me what it is. Do you know of a quite place around here where I could pray?"

Sister Clark and I looked at each other and smiled-- does one ever stop being amazed my the miracles of God?

"We'll we are here to teach you how you can fill that missing part with a greater understanding of God. Have you ever heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?"

"Michael" is moving back to India on Tuesday, but we talked for some time about revelation and the truths restored through Joseph Smith. We showed him how to get a hold of the missionaries in India, and he promised to find out more.

There are people in every city, in every neighborhood who are looking for the truth of God. Some of them know it, some of them don't but, "mine elect hear my voice, and they harden not their hearts." It is our job, (yes you!) to find them, to let them hear the Shepherd's voice through the scriptures, through the missionary discussions, through church, general conference, through your testimony.>>

Tengo Gozo En Mi Alma Hoy!

This week (or was it last week? I can't remember, sorry if I've related this story already) , as Sister Clark and I walked to an appointment with "Manuel" (he's been to church two weeks in a row now!), I saw a woman sitting on a small garden wall by the side of the road. She looked professional, with her blue-tooth in her ear, her cellphone out, but she seemed so happy and serene, enjoying the sunshine there in the middle of a row of apartment complexes.

I just had to talk to her.

"Enjoying the Sunshine?"

"Why yes! Just takin' a break from work, and how 'bout you ladies? Goin' about your ministry?"

"Well yes, we are."

"Good for you-- showin' your faith with your works!"

As we continued talking, discussing James 2 and the purpose of life on earth, she explained that her father is a minister and her mother a missionary, and she loves the Lord and his Word. Sister Clark and I shared our testimonies of our work as missionaries, and the importance of the Holy Ghost in teaching us what is truth.

"Where is your church?" She asked, "It sounds a whole lot like my church, and I want to come and bring my kids!"

We got her information to pass onto the missionaries in her neighborhood, "Thank you," She said, "I feel a resolve to be better and to do better- thank you for stopping and talking with me!"

My companion and left feeling uplifted and joyful, and as we began to walk away, we noticed a man who had been standing close by listening,

"Hey!" he stopped us, "What are you so cheerful about?"

"The Gospel!" I think that's what I said, that or something about the good news of Jesus Christ! We explained that we were missionaries, and we taught people about the joy that a knowledge of God brings.

"Oh, I don't need religion," he assured us, "religion is just an excuse not to be converted in here" he tapped his heart.

We began to discuss the importance of personal conversion and the foundation that gives religion to build upon.

"We're actually on our way to teach a man who doesn't have a testimony yet. What do you think we should teach him to help him be converted in his heart?"

The man stood and thought for a minute.

"Teach him about Jesus. Teach him how much we need Him, 'cause if you know how much we need Jesus, you've just gotta have faith in God."

I don't know why I am still so surprised when complete strangers testify of deep truths of the Gospel-- don't I know that "the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good"?

"Thank you," I said, "We will, we will teach him how much he needs- how much we all need Jesus Christ."

"Wow!" the man said as he left, "I should be a missionary!"