POWER-ful Week!

     HELLO EVERYONE!  I hope that all is well and that you are having a great start to this wonderful year. 

     The past week has been a very crazy one. We lost power for a few days because of a huge ice storm that came through. We got about a foot of snow along with the freezing rain. During studies you would hear trees snap about every ten minutes! The area looks like a war zone out here! Trees are everywhere, with some roads being closed for days! There were power lines all over the roads but things are finally starting to get a bit cleaned up. 

     During this storm there was a lot of time for reflection. I am so grateful for this life. God has given us all so much. We truly don’t have to take any thought for the things we need because they are given to us so freely. God has blessed us all. I am forever grateful that God has given me this life, challenges and all. Each opportunity is given to help us grow in charity. 

     I have felt the spirit strongly this weekend of something I would briefly like to share. As a missionary, I have developed a deep love for the mothers of this world. I have seen single moms that work tirelessly to support their children, and never leave a cent for themselves. Moms who run from place to place to help their children have the experiences they were never given at their age. It's humbling to me. Some time ago we ate dinner with a wonderful family who had a few children that had gone astray. A mom that I have always admired for her devotion to to her children, to God as a temple worker, and to those in need. As we left the family with a message, tears filled her eyes as she could barely hold back the sobs. The spirit touched me, as I sat back and pictured this woman seeing two young men serving missions, with hers choosing a different path. I left the house with tears in my eyes. I wanted to grab this woman and just tell her how proud I was of her. I barely know her, but quietly I felt her frustrations. 

     To all of you moms out there that work so tirelessly, I hope you know that your efforts don’t go unnoticed. God is proud of you. Abraham, a man much more righteous than any of us, worked tirelessly to see the blessings of his efforts in his life, but never was able to see the realization of those promises in this life. I have seen the prayers of faithful mothers change the lives of many we teach. Children who have gone astray who come back after many long years. To you moms that feel you have failed in someway, stop those thoughts. You have a divine nature that changes this world. I hope you know that I love you. Every mom that I have ever met has touched my life.  I have had my own struggles in life, as we all do. For some reason I was lucky to stay on this path, sometimes we just have free agency and choose to not follow the path we know is best. To you moms, you are loved of God for all you have done and are doing. We can't measure our own success as children of God necessarily by the fruits we see, but by the peace we feel with God. God lives, He loves us all and we are never forgotten. I hope you know that I will never forget the faces of all those who have blessed my life.

     This week was another week of miracles. I know that God works by angels. He prepares the hearts of people to accept this glorious gospel. On Friday after days of the power being out, it was restored right before a very important lesson! An answer to many prayers! We taught a man that lives with the Castro family named Everisto. We watched a DVD call the Restoration and the spirit was so strong! We asked Everisto if he wanted to be baptized and he said, “What time?” Haha they are the most amazing family. As we walked out the door and left the home, the power failed again to the city. That was a miracle from God. GOD LIVES AND LOVES US ALL!  As we draw near unto Him, He will guide us! I LOVE YOU ALL, HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Love,

Elder Aiken