As I have prayed and thought and reflected
I continually question how I can put into words all that I have felt,
experienced, learned, grown, and changed to be forever a better man and friend
over the last two years?
I am now and will be eternally grateful for
how the Lord has infinitely blessed me. I will share just four ways from this
last week:
Miracle #1:
We met Alex last week, and truly it was a
miracle of itself how God's timing is always so perfect and led us together,
for only a few minutes and were able to set an appointment to come back and see
him. We met him while we were out with Kherissa last week so she came with us
again to visit him and it was such a happy and simple and really spiritual
experience. God's love was manifested to each of us as we talked about simple
truths of the reality and love of God, Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice,
of prayer, of the Book of Mormon and all scripture, and especially of the
importance and blessings of family. He is from Africa and primarily speaks French
but is incredible fluent in English and has only been here for about 8 months.
It was such a powerful reminder to me of God's love and of the simplicity and
beauty of His gospel for which I am eternally grateful and infinitely blessed.
Miracle #2:
One of the summer sales guys in the ward is
Allen and he met with missionaries last summer, attended a YSA and family ward
when he went home over the year and is talking with us again and we've had some
really spiritual visits together that have uplifted and edified us all and
caused an increase of each of our faith and in that process we have built a
tremendous relationship of love and trust and he texted us randomly on Monday
and asked if he could call. We were out for dinner but were able to take his
call right there and then and he asked us some great questions that he said he
feels is at the root of some of his hold backs with completely joining himself
to the Church through baptism and confirmation and they are questions that he
has had for a long time but hasn't felt comfortable sharing with others or
talking with missionaries about them but because of his trust and the spiritual
nature of our relationship he feels ready to talk about some of those questions
and sincerely seek and learn answers. That friendship is one that the Lord has
made possible for which I am eternally grateful and infinitely blessed.
Miracle #3:
John moved from his apartment this last
week into a home and asked for our help so we and one of his friends, Jamison,
were all able to go and try to do some good. While we were helping him move we
watched him put a few things in his backpack and lastly he took his Book of
Mormon and set it gently on top. We inquired about it and he said he has only
read a few versus but loved it and is so excited to read it and wants to have
easy access and keep it with him. After everything was moved and done we were
able to stand and talk with John and Jamison and through the conversation we
mentioned something about how important it is to have a change of nature and
not just a change of behavior and a couple minutes after that John stopped us
all and said "You said something interesting there that I want to talk
about more..." So we were able to have a beautiful talk about
conversion, about Christ, about change and repentance and the role of the
Book of Mormon in such a change and each of us in one way or another shared
stories and experiences about times where our nature was changed and not just
our behavior. They both agreed to come to church and seem enthusiastic about
learning more and diving into the Book of Mormon. The Lord truly has prepared
them and was there, for which I am eternally grateful and infinitely blessed.
Miracle #4:
One of the members of our ward told us of a
woman she knows named Jackie and of her family of 5 children and how she has
been to church several times before, how she has a Book of Mormon and her son
has already begun reading it, how she has seen parts of general conference
twice and how she is from Uganda and has a beautiful story. So we had the
pleasure of getting in contact with her and set up a time that we could meet
her and her family and learn of their story and talk more about the Savior and
His Church and the Book of Mormon. She would go with her family to a family
ward and not to the University Ward with us so we went with the Elders that she
would be able to meet with and go to church with in the future. We were able to
go and met all of her beautiful little kids and we talked with them while
Jackie went in the kitchen and made us all breakfast. We were able to talk with
all of them together about the Restoration of the gospel, of Joseph Smith's
experience seeing God our Heavenly Father and His Son the promised Messiah
Jesus Christ, of the true power of prayer and the miracles that come from God,
and of the Book of Mormon. She had already read from the Book of Mormon that
morning, two of her girls downloaded the gospel library app we felt the Spirit all
together so tangibly. I know that families are ordained of God and that all of
this is true. I've given my life to it and for it the last two years and am
eternally grateful and infinitely blessed and feel all I can do is give
everything I have for the rest of my life. May God bless each of us with His
love and to walk in the light, as He is in the light, in our path and journey
through mortality back to Him.
Keep the faith,
Elder Ricks
