Are You With Me?!

This week was one heck of a long week fullll of meetings. Elder Joseph Sitati of the 70 came and toured our mission and Sister McCune and I had the opportunity of hearing from him not once, not twice, not three times, but four times in one week. At mission leadership counsel, zone conference, the adult session of stake conference, and stake conference. I have to admit we started to get the giggles because we got to the point where we could quote him pretty well. He is from Kenya and has an awesome accent. Our favorite thing that he would say was "Are you with me?" when checking to see if we were all on the same page and understanding what he was sharing. I was thinking about it a little more and decided that there was a deeper meaning and lesson to learn from that phrase. (I've found that with a lot of things in case you haven't noticed:) But I was thinking about if Christ were to say that to me what my answer would be... Am I "with Him?"

Because I promise you I know how sometimes He asks us to do things that we really don't think are possible. And He asks us "Are you with me?" I've found that ultimately it is just another way that He asks us if we trust Him.

So here are three experiences from this week where I feel like the Lord asked if Hermana McCune and I were with Him and we acted in faith and showed Him we were.

Spanish U-Turn: We had prayed one morning asking "who needs us today" and a woman I had met pretty soon after I first got here in Greeneville reached out to us on facebook and invited us over to the new place she is living. I had been way out to this boonies trailer park months before while trying to find someone else and wasn't overly excited about going back but we both thought maybe there would be some Spanish people out there. So we went. After driving up one road and down another and seeing none of the tell-tale signs of Spanish households: brooms and shoes on porches, we pulled out to another road and at the precise moment a van pulled in with a Hispanic looking man driving. We both turned and looked at each other and yelled "Spanish!" Immediately we flipped a U and followed him to where he was going... creepy much? Yeah I know but the Lord was so guiding us especially as we talked to him got his info which was no where near where we currently were and then set up a time for us to come and teach him and his daughter. We trusted and the Lord magnified our efforts and blessed our u-turn. He knew that there were multiple people that needed us like we had prayed for and ulitmately needed Him. It was so great!!!! He asked us: are you with me? And we showed that we were!

His Timing: A woman that missionaries have been working with since before I got here but has encounteredf: health scares, work changes, and a husband preparing to be worthy is officially ready to be baptized. We had a great lesson with them in a McDonald's booth and they said that if they didn't have an obligation this Saturday then they would scheudle the baptism then. So next week she is going to be baptized and I am SO excited for them. And so grateful they can experience this happy day together. With him worthy to batpize her and her worthy to be baptized. I have  watched her come so far, to actively participate in discussions in releif society and sunday school and purchase the institute guidebooks online and study from the Book of Mormon and Bible when she can for at least an hour a day. She is ready. I have watched him come back to church, say prayers, pay tithing, and quit unheatlhy habits. He is ready. It has taken time but something was different that day in that McDonald's the Spirit confirmed that the time is now. It is the Lord's time and we trusted it. Over 6 months of missionaries helping and guiding them and they are ready to enter the waters of baptism. I am so happy for them. We are with Him.

Home Theater Lesson: Finally we taught an amazing restoration lesson with an amazing investigator. The spirit was strong as we sat in another unique location, her home theater. After the lesson I turned to Hermana McCune and said that "I'm going to bet that you probably will never teach the Restoration lesson in a home theater again." Maybe she will but it was pretty unique situation but powerful nonetheless. It was amazing to see the spirit touch this sweet woman and tears fill her eyes as she said that "I really believe that this could happen and prophets could be on the earth" Hermana McCune was so intune and quick to point out that she is feeling the Spirit and that no matter what anyone else says to her (because she has encountered some anti-Mormon literature and people) no one can take away the experiences she has had and things she has felt unless she lets them. She committed to praying about being baptized in May and to reading more from the Book of Mormon and coming to church. She is on her way to showing the Lord that she is with Him.

I am so grateful for the chance I have as a missionary to everyday show that I am with Him as I put on His name with my own on my missionary tag. I am grateful that I am able to help others show the Lord that they are with Him as they make and keep commitments to strengthen their faith in Him and better accept His restored gospel.

So what about y'all?

Are you with me?! Are you with Him?!

I know you are, and if you can't say a resounding yes than please take the time to reevaluate your life and your priorities so that you can more fully stand by Him more fully commit to serving Him and that when He calls you will answer, and ultimately when He comes you will be there.

We can all do better, we can ALL be with Him.

I am so grateful for this knowledge and testimony and the opportunity to share it with the people of Tennessee.

Love y'all to the moon and back!

Love,
Hermana Hall