Becoming extraordinary through the Spirit.

I didn't know what to name this one.  It is about how the spirit often provides.  We had a really interesting week last week.  On Monday, we took a walk and went to the little garden center down the street.  While standing there talking with the owner, a car pulled in and a man got out.  He walked up to us and looked straight at our name tags, then read them aloud.  The next thing we know, we are in a conversation with him and he was inviting us to come to his home the next day.  We did that, met his sweet wife and left a DVD and a Book of Mormon.  They are planning to ask us to "tea" soon.

I had to spend a bit of time making amends with one of my friends.  I posted a story about her and her family and used a word that apparently around here does not mean the same thing as it does to me.  She called me out about it and I really appreciated it because the last thing I wanted to do was hurt anyone.  I can deal with it when I know what I have done.  I also ended up changing another post because of her wise suggestion.

On Wed. we went to Temuka.  We were just filling some time between appointments, walking down the street when a little couple from Geraldine walked up to us to talk.  Seems she lost everything in a fire after the Christchurch earthquake and she had just started a genealogy club.  There are 8 ladies in it and I got to tell her that there is a Family History Center in our little building in Timaru.  She seemed pretty excited.  Everything she had including her genealogy was lost in the fire.  Fortunately, her husband was warned by a neighbor and was able to get out.  Later we were looking in the window at an op shop and a young woman walked up behind us to ask when we were coming to her house.  We have been trying to get an appointment there for a while.  We got to visit with her whole family this week.

We chose a name from the little member book we had to go and see before our dinner appointment.  We walked in on a difficult situation but the man looked at Ken and said, "It's Elder Jarvis!"  He is not a member and she is less active.  We had no idea how he knew us until he told us that Ken had spoken to him in a second hand store.  He couldn't believe that someone who didn't know him would take the time to speak with him.  He had been looking for us.  They have both had tough lives but I think they really want to work things out and establish a happy life and family.  They decided to come to church on Sunday.  Since then, she has been reunited with her mother and we have held FHE with them and another is scheduled for next Monday.  It has been a beautiful thing.  We had no idea that she and her mom were related.  We were on our way to dinner at her mother's home when we picked her name.

I guess it goes to show that if we pay attention to the spirit, and where he leads, some amazing things can happen.  Even though we feel like ordinary people here, the spirit is giving us some extraordinary experiences.