God Works in Direct Ways Too

Hello Friends and Family,

I just have to share two experiences this past week how God works in DIRECT ways to further His work here upon the earth. There is no doubt in my mind that these were not coincidences, but miracles directed by the hand of God.

I got the opportunity to go out with the two sister missionaries in our ward which is the true "frosting on the cake" of the mission. We had a beautiful evening teaching investigators and visiting less actives. It was about 8 p.m. and we decided to stop at one more place. Maria del Mar, a member, and Luis, her boyfriend who is not a member, and her 5 year old son, Steven, we had met about a month ago at church. She was really warm and receptive to me and I had invited her, her son, and her boyfriend to a Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) but they had not made it yet.

Well, I asked the sisters if we could stop and visit them. Sister Burgess said that it was really hard to get into their tower apartment because of the security, but we could try. So they showed me where it was and I drove up to the entrance with the little security speaker. I said "Casa de Maria del Mar, favor" and they said "Que Numero" - What number is the apartment? Well, we didn't know what number they lived in and so I said "no sabia" - I don't know. I didn't know what to do at that point- I mean - I had been thinking of them all night and felt that we needed to go over there... but without the number - we were stuck. Well, at that moment, they drove up on the right side of us (residents enter on the right because they have a beeper) and Sister Burgess said, "Hey! There they are!" We rolled down our window and asked if we could come in to visit and they gave us the number to the apartment. We went in and taught a powerful lesson to their family. Wow! Perfect timing directed by the Lord.

One more...
So we were out doing "surprise" visits to missionary apartments and this one happen to be about an hour away in a town called Caguas. This particular apartment houses about six elders, 2 of which are the zone leaders, and I needed to see if the apartment was large enough to be a "visiting apartment" to have other missionaries come to be trained by the leaders. Anyway, they had 10 minutes noticed and I was tickled pink when I came in and found all the dishes done, the beds made, and the house rather tidy. Things are looking up!

So what was amazing is one of the elders, Elder Lares, didn't say anything, but showed us a picture on his camera and to our astonishment it was our wedding announcement picture! I had to take a double take and we, of course, asked him where he got it. Well, he had been visiting a less active member in the ward and they were looking at old pictures. Elder Lares had recognized us in the wedding announcement and told the man that we were now serving a mission here in Puerto Rico.

If this is the same man Kyle thinks it is ... his name is Brother Dones and Kyle baptized him 30 years ago when he was in Caguas, his last area on his mission. We asked the missionary how old the man was and figured out he would have been about 17 years old, which matches with who Kyle thinks it is. When we got married, we sent wedding invitations to all of Kyle's people in Puerto Rico. So we think it might be the same man and the Lord is bringing Kyle back into his life to help re-activate him. We are going to a Family Home Evening on Monday with the missionaries to meet him and we will find out!   - Thus  - a story to be continued...

Have a beautiful day and remember - the Lord is in control!