Rain Miracle!

This week we did a 24 hour exchange and I got to serve in ASHLAND, Kentucky which is 100 miles North of Pikeville.

 I was so excited to be in Ashland!

Sister Larkin and I witnessed a remarkable miracle this week! It rains a lot in Kentucky (every other day at least) and when it rains here, it RAINS. There is no messin' around with Kentucky rain! It never sprinkles; the raindrops are unrealistically massive, and the rain charges through the mountains in dense armies - it is a remarkable thing to witness! Our driveway usually starts flooding 5-10 minutes into every rain storm, I love it!

 Last week at the Pioneer Day branch social, a man arrived and began immediately making friends with all the branch members. He came to church the following Sunday and the branch members eagerly enveloped him. (One of the greatest challenges of missionary work here is getting our investigators to church, so when this complete stranger simply showed up at the branch social, and at church, Sister Larkin and I were ready to pass out with excitement!) 

We made an appointment to meet with him on Wednesday at the church with Jordan Tackett, a recent return missionary in our branch. Because we did not have another woman with us, the four of us made ourselves comfortable with some chairs right outside the church building. During our discussion, I suddenly noticed a few raindrops splattering the sidewalk around us. I started praying in my heart with all the faith and might I could muster! I knew that if it started raining we would have to halt our lesson  - we couldn't go inside the church so we would have to postpone our discussion.

 As I prayed, I realized that the rain was not Kentucky rain. The sky seemed to be misting, not even sprinkling, and although it was "raining" or "sprinkling," none of us were getting wet. It was amazing! It was still a bit terrifying because I knew that at any moment the sky could unleash its massive storage of water! I continued to pray to Heavenly Father because I knew that He could withhold the rain, and I told Him that!

 For 45 minutes this strange, misting vapor encompassed us, holding off the real storm. I said a prayer to close our lesson, and the moment that the four of us uttered "amen" it began to rain with torrential force. I know that it was NOT chance. Nothing in mortality or in eternity is chance because our Heavenly is perfectly aware of our needs, and He will address and resolve those needs according to His will and to our greatest benefit. 

The power of God will calm a raging sea, and I know that it withheld this rainstorm. The Lord wants all of His children to hear the gospel, and His missionaries are truly the tools in His hands. I am here to do the will of God and to bring His children closer to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. No matter what happens, no matter what circumstances I find myself in, no matter who I teach, I know that as I live, serve, and work with exact obedience and worthiness to teach by the power of God through the Holy Ghost, that He will provide. He will provide the setting, He will provide the words if I have studied, and He will lead me to His elect children as I put faith into action.

I stand as a witness that He does perform miracles every day, and that He is truly in the details of our lives. He is my Heavenly Father who loves me and each of His children. I am so thankful for this gospel and for the structure it provides. I am thankful for miracles and for the manifestation of God's nature in daily events. This gospel is amazing!

Love,

Sister Shumway