Cali FORN I A

I have seen so many miracles this week!!  Heavenly Father is so Cool!!

So last Monday after Emailing all the missionaries in my district went to dinner at our bishops house.  He lives on the mountain away from the city with one of the coolest views!!  We actually went early and flew kites for a little bit... it was awesome!  We bought like 500 yards of fishing line but turns out Palmdale is one of the windiest places ever so our 1 dollar kites didn't really stand a chance.. but we made it fun.

anyways... after dinner at the Bishops we had a pretty awesome discussion.  We went pretty deep doctrinally and even symbolically.  We talked about the miracles of Blessings and the reason we use Olive oil. It all kind of started because I was telling him about crazy miracle healing you would hear about in Sierra Leone that weren't performed by someone with the Priesthood or in the manner that we give blessings.  I was definitely learning by the spirit because we talked about things I have heard before... but for some reason they had a stronger impact on me.  If we have the faith.... like legit faith.... then any miracle is possible and any mountain can be moved!  I remember times when I was younger and I would receive a blessing for a sickness and the next day I would wake up and be fine... and I always just thought.... well I would've been fine if I had receive the blessing or not.  There are no coincidences with God.  Everything that happens happens for a reason.

So now I will explain the Miracle that I was a part of.  So one of the Elders in my District... Elder Rhee.... had hurt his arm on P Day with all the activities we were doing.  He didn't know what specifically did the damage but he was in serious pain and could barely move it.  He is on a bike too so if it wasn't feeling better then he wouldn't be able to do much missionary work.  So Tuesday night, after we had just been at their apartment... he sent us a text at like 10:25 P.M. that said Come back over... I need a blessing ASAP.  My companion and I kinda looked at each other like... what the... we were just there and he seemed to being doing ok.  Apparently after we left it just started flaring up for some reason and he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep with all the pain.  We got permission from our zone leaders to go over and got there as quick as we could.  He was sitting on the couch and looked pretty miserable.  He told us that he had a doctors appointment in the morning and that he just needed a blessing to take the pain away so he could sleep. 

Elder Billings my companion had been stressing over something in his Patriarchal blessing that hadn't happened yet but he felt like it should have.  He had even expressed feelings about it to me that day. 

Elder Billings gave elder Rhee the blessing and Elder crossen and I joined in.  The spirit in the room was so strong.  Elder Billings said a very simple but powerful blessing.  The second he finished the blessing... Elder Rhee gave out a pretty loud gasp... we all kinda stepped back and just stared at him.. He just kept saying woah... woah... We asked him how he felt and he said the Pain was completely gone.  He stood up and moved it around... we were all pretty blown away by what had just happened.  Then....In Elder Rhee's own words... "I feel like I could punch a wall" Next thing I know.... Elder Rhee booked it over to the nearest wall and straight up BLASTED the biggest hole in the wall I have ever seen!!!  I don't even know how to explain what was going on in my head!  First off... I had just witnessed an amazing healing and was feeling the spirit sooooo strongly....but at the same time... I could not believe he just punched a hole through the wall!  I couldn't stop laughing because it was just the weirdest most awesome thing I have ever experienced!  The hand that he was unable to move 1 minute ago... was used to put a crater into their living room wall!  If someone ever tells me that blessings don't work or that the priesthood isn't real.... I will just sit back and laugh at them.  Elder Rhee is a short chubby Korean from New York City... so that just makes the story that much better! haha

I'm just really glad that elder Rhee didn't break his healed arm while punching the wall.... that would have been pretty dang interesting haha!  His arm is still doing great... the pain hasn't come back at all.

This experience was the exact thing that Elder Billings had been praying for... so it was an answer to a lot of peoples prayer.  God is so real... and his Power is evident in old times as well as in times today. 

We got a new investigator this week that is building her faith straight from nothing... Her name is Tonya Preist.  We have already met her 3 times and everytime we go back she is happier and happier.  She is a single mother with 3 kids.  She said that she has been really wanting to just give up on life.. but because of her kids she is fighting through all of her medical and emotional problems... she prayed for the first time with us and asked for strength and energy.  She got more sleep that night then she has had in years... and she cleaned up her entire house and played with her kids for like 4 hours straight!!  She is already starting to glow... I know she is gonna be baptized... but I know she won't be alone on this adventure.

So many awesome things happened this week.  I have met some incredible members.  I can tell I am really going to like this ward.  I hope I stay here for awhile!!

Well I gotta go enjoy the rest of my P-Day... who knows what amazing things are instore for the week to come!  I love you all...

pray for strength when you need it.... it will come!

Also, Next time you ask for a blessing... remember what can happen if you have the faith.  Christ can heal us Spiritually, Physically, and emotionally.  I am so grateful to be serving as his representative and I love wearing his name over my heart!

Shout out to my daddio!! Go find my boy Matheu in Fiji!!  I hope you have some awesome experiences while you are there!!

Love Elder Crandall the Vandall

P.S. Can't wait to see my Aunt Bets!! WOOT!