SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT A MIRACLE

"Hey guys, this is me.  Just wanted to let you know that I am not going to make it to church today.  I've really been working my butt of for this and I thought going to that baptism last night was going to give me some sort of confirmation, but it didn't.  I'm really sorry, but I'm done with this." (29 September 2013)

Ashley is the epitome of a California girl: tall, skinny, blonde-haired, and easy going.  How she ended up is the land-locked desert of Arizona is still a mystery to her.  Sometimes we call her Ash-Bash.  She loves it.  Mostly, we just love being around her.

She has a little brother who is three.  His name is Wyatt.  Wyatt likes cars, cookies, and changing his pants.  He is half Mexican but is as white and blonde as they come.  He calls us "new guys."  So does Ashley.  We have been teaching her for four months.  We are not new.

In June, three weeks after moving in to their new home, two Mormon missionaries knocked on her family's door.  She answered and talked with them briefly because she is nice and open-minded.  They shared with her a message about Jesus Christ and His church that has been restored to the Earth.

Ashley has not had a positive experience with organized religion in the past.  It has been a hard transition to learn about and act on what we have been teaching her.  She has not attended church regularly in years, she rarely read her scriptures, and only prayed when things were really bad.  Now she is doing all of those things regularly.  She never misses an appointment, she keeps her commitments, and she really has a desire to know truth and to believe what we are teaching her about God's plan for us.  She is incredible.

However, even with prayer and study, she feels as though God is not directing her.  At times she is still unsure if he is involved in her life or even exists.

Last week, after much thought and prayer, we presented her with this plan: For two more weeks, give it everything you have got.  Pray and read from the Book of Mormon daily and with real intent to act on promptings you receive.  Attend church, institute (a weekly scripture study class), and other church activities.  Show faith by working towards a baptismal date on October 26th.

So far nothing has changed drastically.  We meet with her everyday and share what we believe and why.  She has not had any confirmation that she is on the right path.  However, she know that what she is doing is not bad and that she has grown to understand Christ and his Atonement more, and so she is faithfully working towards her baptismal date.

I don't know what will happen.  But I do know that God has a plan for Ashley and everyone else in the world.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Christ's true church on the earth.  With faith, fasting, and prayer Ashley will receive answers to her prayers--when it is the best for her.