Letter to the Missionaries 11-25-12

Letter to the Missionaries 11-25-12

There will be miracles when we ‘Believe’

 

Dear Sisters and Elders and Seniors,

Make no mistake; miracles are happening in the Santa Rosa Mission.  President Alba and I returned from interviewing the entire mission and here is what we learned.

First:  We love you and are amazed at your bright and valiant spirits.  So many of you are experiencing miracles daily that I cannot begin to write them all down.  Our time is now and the Lord is hearing our prayers and the windows of heaven are opening to us.  Be sure to acknowledge the miracles in your life.  Write them down.  Testify of them to your investigators, your ward and your family back home.  Build upon them, remember them when you have a bad day and then lift up your head and look towards the heavens in gratitude and thank Heavenly Father for the miracles that are yet to come. Continue your prayers of asking to ‘have more faith in finding’ and that the ‘windows of heaven with continue to open for us here in the Santa Rosa Mission’.  There is much power in the unity of faith and prayer. Draw on it.

Second:  We ‘Believe’ in the miracle!  We do.  Remember that Elder Gavarret instructed us to ‘believe’ in the possibility of the 101?  Well, across the mission we are ‘believing’ in the miracle of the 101.  Fear not that is not happening in a more dramatic way.  Remember all things happen in God’s time we must be patient and understand that faith and trials precede the miracle. “Fear not, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest.”   

Third:  We are an ‘obedient’ mission.  What joy to be with all of you.  I am sure that there really is no better mission on this earth today.  Is everyone perfect?  Well, no. No one is ever perfect but you are trying and doing your best and the Lord is aware of each one of you and so are we.  Thank you for your efforts to obey and now we encourage you to take another step towards Heavenly Father on your path home to Him.  So when you say your prayers each night include, “Heavenly Father, help me be more obedient tomorrow that I was today.”  And the blessings from that increased obedience will come in ways that we never thought possible.

Fourth: I found as I talked to each of you that you all loved Zion’s camp.  I did too.  Let me tell you why I loved it so much.  Zion’s camp was just that… Zion.   We experienced a precious moment here on earth which was divine and sacred.  Our hearts were woven together as ‘one’.  Our spirits were lifted and touched by the Holy Ghost over and over and over.  Love was spoken there.  There was kindness, gratitude, service, laughter, tears, learning, praying, listening, growing and understanding all at once.  Testimonies grew and were strengthened, faith increased and prayers were answered.  The heavens were surely opened as we received revelation in many different ways wherever we went and whatever we did.  If you haven’t taken time to write the experience in your journals please take time to do so.  It was a holy time and each one of you was a part of it. It is now a time that you can look back on and remember the feelings that you had and draw strength from them.  Now you know what the scriptures speak of when they talk of a Zion people… you have experienced it. It is possible here and you can create in your companionships (some of you already have) and in your districts and in your zones and across the mission on a daily basis and someday in your own families.  We are ‘one’.  And when we are one we experience heaven…

Fifth and finally and most beautifully… our 30 minutes of prayer.  If you forget everything else please don’t ever forget our 30 minutes of united, faithful and powerful prayer.  As I kneeled, I saw in my mind all of you, scattered throughout the magnificent redwoods, kneeling together as ‘one mission’.  My prayer was for all of you.  That the heavens would open for you, that angels would attend and that you would receive peace, love, personal revelation and knowledge.  That light would encircle you and pierce your hearts.  That your faith would grow and your testimonies be strengthened and that we would all believe in the miracle of the 101… for the benefit of the children of God in this area and that all glory be His.

As I had the chance to speak to each of you I found that almost 100% of you mentioned the 30 minutes of prayer as the highlight of Zion’s camp. Elders and Sisters, never forget that your Heavenly Father is there for you always.  He is waiting to receive your prayers and bless you with His blessings and knowledge.  You have had the opportunity to experience to some degree ‘mighty prayer’.  It is my prayer now that you will take it into your life forever and that you will continue to grow in mighty prayer and learn to depend on it to lead you and to guide you through this life. Be like Enos who learned about mighty prayer and used it to become a mighty man.

 

I love you all and it is my greatest privilege to serve along side you.  Together all is possible when we put it in God’s hands.

Love Sister Alba