Prayer and an unexpected answer

Mabuhay family and friends!!!!

I've got the BEST news ever!!! For my last 5 weeks in the mission field, I will be spending it here in Lal-lo WITH Sister Francia!!! I couldn't be happier with this!! It has truly answered my prayers, I know we both still need to be here. So many wonderful things are happening in this place and I only wish I could write it all. Let me just say that your prayers and faith are a HUGE help on this side of the world.....thank you :)

This coming Saturday we will be having 2 baptisms....two 15 year old girls who are amazing! They are the investigators who like to work with us! We also have a couple coming up in December that I will be here for. Oh man, God loves me.

So I have a cool experience to share with ya'll that was faith building for me....

Monday night Sister Francia and I were working and it was raining, no big deal but then it kept getting harder and stronger, we also had 2 fellowshippers with us. We ended up at their families house to get out of the rain and after teaching a recent convert we decided we should go home but the rain was very heavy and we were cold and there was a flood around their house. I kept thinking we should pray but at first I thought, well they might think we're funny for praying, then I realized that was a stupid thought, we needed to pray. So I suggested it to Sis. Francia and we said a prayer. I prayed that the rains would calm so we could make it home safely and comfortably (we had about a 25 minute walk). After the prayer nothing changed in the weather and it was only getting closer to 9 o'clock. Then I thought about faith and how it is an action word. If we REALLY wanted to show our faith, we couldn't just pray and expect something to happen, we needed to ACT. So we decided to leave and with a prayer in our hearts we set out into the cold rain and flood. Nothing was changing....we made it to the highway and after about 2 minutes of walking a tricycle pulled up on the other side of the street and was waiting for someone. I had the impression to ask if he was headed our way and he was! Now let me just say that at that time of night, there are NEVER tricies available and if they are they are just full of drunk men. However, I knew this tricycle driver, he was an old investigator and very nice. We were given a safe and comfortable ride home while the rain was still pouring down......

So many lessons were learned from this small miracle we received on Monday night, God is a God of miracles and He works in mysterious ways.
"The Lord hears and answers prayers. Sometimes we tend to give up too soon when we pray to Him. We need to persist." -Elder Robert F. Orton

I have truly seen my capacities as a human expanded to limits beyond description. My endurance, patience, love, understanding, acceptance, and so much more have all been deepened and broadened. It's so true that the Lord can make more of you than you can. Let's not try and do things on our own--we'll never make it anywhere good. We can look to Joseph Smith as a GREAT example of one who endured all things because of his testimony. We just watched the Joseph Smith movie they show at the visitor's center and holy cow, it is a great reminder that this life is only preparation for the next and if we endure the challenges we will be worthy to sit down on the right hand of God. If we need a wake up call or reminder that no matter how many trials are before us, we can still be conquerors.....watch that movie and read about the persecutions our beloved prophet faced for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can all be made free.

LOVE you all so much!!!! Keep your heads up!

Sister Carroll