Praying really works

Dear Family,

This week was awesome, we had lots of fun. Sister Hill's Birthday was on Thursday and I realized that Birthday's in the mission are awesome. She got a lot of packages with lots of crazy things in them and lots of food. I conspired with the Elders and we made her a cake (well they made it, I just told them what kind she liked and gave them money.) Then turns out Jyl Robinson conspired with Sister Hill's mom and made her her favorite dinner and cherry pie (It's her favorite) Oh Jyl is the daughter of the Passic's, I don't know if I have told you about them, but they are an awesome family who feed the missionaries once a month and then whenever they find out we don't have a meal. They are so nice and AMAZING. Sister Passic is always trying to give us food (she thinks we are starving) and is always so willing to help us out. So anyways back to the Birthday it was really fun, even for me and it wasn't even my Birthday. And then to end an excellent day we had an amazing lesson with Tonia and her family. I think I already told you about Tonia. We are teaching her 3 boys now, and her boyfriend (Travis) sits in for a few minutes here and there. We have had two lessons with the whole family, and both lessons have been amazing. They ask lots of questions, and you can tell they really think about it. They asked us if they could be baptized! We have only got through the first 2 lessons, so next time we see them we are going to explain that baptism is a covenant and involves other things than just getting wet. They are a great family and we also have fun when we go over there. It almost seems too good to be true, but then miracles do happen!
Speaking of miracles God really does answer prayers. I have a couple of stories to tell you. First one, the other day I had taken my camera out of my bag to use it and then left it on the seat of the car. I guess I had put my bag next to it and then when I pulled my bag out of the car I had pulled the camera out too. The next day I was looking for my camera and couldn't find it and realized that it must have fallen out. We had gone to see about 5 people the night before and so we decided to drive to each house and see if it was on the ground. Sister Hill suggested we say a prayer and after we did asked me where I wanted to go first, and so I said the first place that came to my mind (the member's house we had gone to for dinner). We went there and my camera was there one the ground!!! There's no way the first place we picked happened to be the right one, we were totally directed by the spirit. I know this seems like a small deal (its just a camera, its not an investigator or something) but it was proof to me that God does answer prayers. Next story, the elders and us planned to show "The Testaments" at the library as a community event, like a family movie night as way to find people who were ready to hear the Gospel. And as a way for members to invite their friends to something casual to introduce them to the church. So we planned it, made fliers, had the newspaper advertise it, and put it in the program at church. Then we got to church that Sunday and found out the Trunk or Treat had been just been moved to the very night we were doing the showing. So we talked to the Bishopric and they advised canceling it and moving it to next month because they had just decided in ward counsel that the next month was going to be focused on the ward mission plan. They said we would get more support from the ward if we did it that way. So we cancelled it just minutes before Sacrament started and they announced in Sacrament it was postponed. It was really disappointing for us because we had already gone to a lot of work and handed out fliers and stuff. And we have really been praying for this event to be successful because both us and the elders don't have a very big teaching pool and this was a way to find more people. And so later while I was stewing over all the effort we put in for this just to be cancelled and all the praying we had done that was for nothing. Then it came to my mind that this WAS the answer to our prayers, the Lord knew that we would have more success if we waited. And then my testimony that this was the answer to our prayers was strengthened this weekend at Stake Conference. They announced that the stake is going to be focused on missionary work. They talked about how important it is to spread the Gospel and then they told everyone to get a Preach My Gospel, read it, and then make individual and family mission plans. As missionaries we were pretty much jumping out of our seats with excitement, this is what we have been encouraging the members to do every time we have a dinner appointment. So now that the members are getting excited about missionary work, we will give them the perfect opportunity to invite their friends to!!
Stake Conference was awesome, it even inspired me to want to read Preach My Gospel more and I study it pretty much everyday. This truly is an inspired book. I have heard people say that this book was created beyond the veil and assembled here. So get one and study it, it's awesome! Great idea for family home evenings!!
Oh so I just want to tell everyone how amazing my companion is. So not last July but the one before that, her dad got in a motorcycle accident and had a heart attack and died. She said that just a few days before she was driving in her car and she had this thought that if her dad died she needed to go on a mission. She said it was really weird because she hadn't really been thinking about going on a mission and her dad was fine. Then her dad died and she made the decision to go on a mission. She went into the MTC that very next February. Her family had just moved to Idaho in the last year and were living with her grandparents. So her family was still in limbo and looking for a house when she left. She seems sad about her dad's death, but not devastated. And the way she talks about it I would think it was years ago. Don't get me wrong she isn't in denial or trying not to think about it, she talks about it and him a lot, she is just always very cheerful. I think the Lord is just really blessing her and her family for serving a mission. Actually we were talking the other day and Elder Lundin and I are the only missionaries in our district that have two parents still married and alive. And before Elder Lundin got transferred here I was the only missionary. Everyone's parents are either divorced, left when they were little, or died. How strange for a bunch of Mormon missionaries. Interesting coincidence?
Anyways how are things at home? I hear Darci is getting curly hair. I'm guessing harvest is over and so things are probably winding down. Brittany, GOOD LUCK at State!!! Go, FIGHT, WIN!!!! I want to hear more about the playoff game. No one has mentioned football so I am guessing it is over? And Alanna holds the record for the longest letter written, I LOVED it!! Oh, mom asked if the baptism for Celine was still on for this week and it is. I hope you all have a fabulous week and I love you.

Lots of Love from Christiansburg,
Sister Nicole Polatis