June 22, 2015

Hello everyone!

I am just so grateful that I have this chance to share with everyone some of the wonderful things happening here in Camden! First, a little backstory. When Sister Ashcraft and I doubled in two Elders came up to us right after transfer meeting and were basically just spitting out tons of information that we would need to know about the area. I definitely got like 3% of all they told us, but I do remember that they specifically called this area the "Celestial Kingdom." Coming from the area nicknamed the "Promised Land," I was very excited. And those Elders were not kidding! We have seen miracles every single day and I know without a doubt that it's because Heavenly Father has prepared this area for greatness.

I do have a couple of stories I do want to share. The first came from contacting a less active woman. I was getting SO FRUSTRATED trying to find this woman's house. We first accidentally put in the wrong address and woke up a very angry older man from a nap, and then when we had the right address we somehow ended up missing the right street and the GPS took us a crazy way, and then when we had prayed and were ready to go inside people kept calling us and we sat in her driveway for a good 20 minutes before we were FINALLY ready to go up to the door. And when she opened the door she looked so surprised. She told us that we had knocked just as she had come upstairs and that if we would have when she was downstairs than there's no way she could have heard the door. Heavenly Father, through all of His miraculous means, got us up to that door in the exact moment that we needed to be there. As we talked with this woman I had the prompting to show her the Mormon Message "Hope of God's Light." If you haven't seen it, I highly encourage it. By the end of the video she was in tears and saying that she needed us to help her. Heavenly Father truly knows each one of His children. He knows WHAT they need and exactly WHEN they need it. 

The other story comes from a contacting experience. We made a long list of potentials to stop by and one stuck out to me and I suggested we start there. The man, Matt, answered the door and we asked if we could share Because He Lives with his family. He said yes and invited us in. We walked in and there was a couple from our ward there! We showed the video and testified of the Savior and asked them if they'd like for us to come back to teach them more about His gospel. And again, with tears in his eyes, Matt told us that he'd really like that and that he has questions that he thought we could answer. We go back later this week.

I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be sharing Christ's gospel with the people of Camden. This is truly and incredible, prepared area. We are so busy each and every day and I'm pretty sure that the Ward's goal is to have each of us gain 50 pounds before we leave. They're taking really good care of us. :)  I'm so grateful for the love and support from each of you and I want you to know that I love you all so much! And that is NOTHING compared to how much the Savior loves you all! I hope you all have an incredible week.

Love,

Sister Rachel Petrick