Miracles

I...am exhausted haha WE GO HARD IN DRESDEN!!!

Anyways, this week has been super crazy and I really don't know how to put it all into words but I will do my very very best.

Monday: We went to the Sächsische Schweiz!  It was a blast as you could clearly see from the beautiful pictures.  I loved having mountains in Dresden because it reminds me of the Utah ones which are great but not as good as here...sorry..

Wednesday:  We had institute!  D*** is really shooting up into the church.  He attends institute, FHE, and church and soccer on Fridays.  He is awesome.  We also had Zone Training Meeting.  We talked a lot about having the faith to find people who are prepared.  It was super great.  I also had the opportunity to give a member a blessing because of his kindness.

Thursday:  This day was one of the best days that I have had in my entire life.  I can't wrap it into words really well but here we go.  For personal study, I studied what we had learned about at ZTM the day before; especially about having the faith.  (We have a mission goal to have 150 Baptisms until Christmas).  I really studied it and thought about the faith that I had.  (I had been praying about a decision for my shoulder this whole week with nothing coming to me, I had been fasting and everything with nothing.  I was really at my peak in stress.)  During lunch I was reading in some random Liahona when a loving, warm, incredible, and inconceivable feeling came over me.  (I had seen doctors in Leipzig and Borna for my shoulder so far and both have said that I need surgery.)  I had this insurmountable penetration of Faith, to which I had no grasp on.  The Lord had, in that moment, given me the faith and had told me to call my mission President for a blessing, and in this blessing, according to my Faith, would allow me to endure my mission without disturbance from my shoulders.  He told me to go to Berlin as soon as possible, which for us was next Tuesday.

Friday:  We had our transfer calls!  Elder Young and I stay together which was no guess and awesome because we are best friends.  Sis Rasmussen gets a new companion named Sis Madson.  Sis Keller gets a new companion named Sis Fugal from PG.  Elder Rückauer gets a new comp named Elder Roberts (My zone leader when I was in Groitzsch)   

Saturday: We had an activity with the youth in the stake in Meißen.  We were given companions and had companionship study and also district meeting.  After that we went to do 2 hours of finding with this wonderful young person.  Br. Ap** was with me.  We had a great experience talking to people and inviting them to know about the gospel.  After this we went back to the church and had a testimony meeting.  Br. Ap** got up and bore his testimony so strong and told a couple of stories that we had together.  Others got up and it was just all amazing. 

Sunday:  Sundays are just always great.  We ate with the Stake Presidents parents which is always delicious and we also planned our Street Display for the week since they are our Genieology missionaries.  The member that I gave a blessing to, came to me and told me that the Doctor found nothing of the stuff that was there before and he has no pain.  I didn't think about this until later.

Monday:  Had an appointment with Dr. Ritter in Borna.  He gave me more shots and some medication for the pain.  I told him that I wasn't going to take them but he gave them to me anyways.  I went to say Hi to Enrico real quick and then headed back to Dresden.  (That is why we didn't email on monday.  Our P-day is today for this week)

Tuesday:  Headed to Berlin by train.  We left early and got there by 12 or so.  I talked with the APs for a bit and then the President got there.  I talked with President for a long time about how I received the faith for this to happen.  I shared 2 scriptures with him that I hold dear to my heart.  They are Mormon 9:15-22 and Ether 12:15-22 I think.  I don't know what he was thinking but it was just quiet for a couple of minutes.  He then called the assistants in and Elder Young and they gave me the most amazing blessing I have ever had.  He blessed me that my shoulder would be healed, that it would have no more pain and that I would fulfill my mission.  What I also loved is that the Lord said that He was very proud of my mission so far.  Those words pierced my soul with joy and comfort.  Everybody was crying in the room with the power that was there.  After the blessing, we talked for a while about the mission.  No more than 5 min had passed when a shippment of 60 copies of the Book of Mormon showed up on the door step, each weighing 25 KG.  Before today, the pain was so bad that I couldn't move my left arm in any way.  I could bend my arm at the elbow and that was it.  I had had no shoulder movement at all.  Well, the boxes showed up and I was stacking boxes on shelves taller than I was.  I was carrying them with no problem.  Pain free.  It was such a testimony to me.  On the train ride home I thought about everything that had happened that week.  The miracle of the blessing of the member, Zone Training, the prayers, the fasting, General Conference, and I found out last night that others had fasted for my bettering.  All these things had lead me to my answer on Thursday which I had no idea was an answer at all.  I really hope I described my experience in a way that you all can understand.  I know that God works miracles in the world and the reason why He wouldn't is because of our unbelief.  I have since studied the Brother of Jared and how he saw the Lord.  I know, that Angels walk the streets, that God is here, and that faith, AND ACTING ON THE FAITH, will allow us to shave away the veil which blinds man.  Practice, practice acting on your faith.  It will grow.  Man tells you to do other wise, even members of this church, but I am here to testify from personal experience, that with faith, GOD WORKS MIRACLES.  We just have to act.  I have a shoulder with no pain, that touched my head for the first time in months.  "There is no try, just do." I know that Jesus Christ is my doctor, and that he knows how to help us and has perfect ways to do it.  I hope this story touches someone and influences them to act on the faith that they have.  Live the Higher Law.

Go on a mission.  It will only change your life and along the way you get to help others change theirs.  I love you.

Love, Elder Brandon Hays

PS I love you all and I wish I could write you right now but I really have no time but I will on Monday I promise.  I appreciate your love and support!