Hello my lovely family,
Words cannot
describe this week other than: I know my Father in Heaven loves me and
knows me. This week has been fully of fervent prayer and fasting. I am
thankful for your willingness to fast in my behalf. I have felt each one
of your prayers, and I have felt your love for me.
Saturday night, President and Sister Schwab, My
companion, 2 other sisters, you all, and I joined in a fast. Yesterday,
as we gathered together in a room at the church with the Assists to the
President to give me a blessing of healing, the spirit filled the room.
President Scwab asked, "I know if Christ was here, he would ask you this
very question. Sister McCartt, do you have the faith that Christ can
heal you?" With tears in my eyes, I replied, "I do, I really do". He
asked us in the room, as I ask you right now, to join in me with the
faith to know that Jesus Christ can heal me so I can do his work more
effectively. As he began the blessing, peace filled my body. He told me
of how proud our Father in Heaven is of my sacrifice that I have made,
and then he said, You are needed here on your mission, and you are meant
to be here and you need to stay and serve your full term. Tears filled
my eyes. My heart felt so much peace knowing that all would be okay, and
knowing that I would be staying because that is what the Lord needs. He
continued on blessing my body even every cell. He blessed me with a
peace of heart and mind. He instructed me to do many things that would
help strengthen me and give me the strength that I need. He said, "move
forward with faith, and you will be healed". He then added, the Lord can
heal you and He will, but not all of it with be taken away, but it will
be enough so that I can do all that the Lord needs me to do here in
Russia. I believe that sometimes, the Lord gives us discomforts and
hardships so that we can grow stronger and become more who He needs us
to become. I know that He can heal me IF it be His will, but I am ready
to continue to push forward with faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ.
SO I am STAYING in Russia, and I will be serving my full time to July 21st,
WHICH scarily enough is exactly 9 months from today. I left feeling so
much peace and comfort. GUESS WHAT?! This morning I woke up with no
stomach pain, just a little weakness. I KNOW that my Father in Heaven
loves me. He hears our pleas and He knows us. I know that the strength I
am feeling right now is because of Him. The blessing blessed me to have
the Savior's influence more in my life. I can already see the change in
myself since that blessing. I am so grateful to be a missionary of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This work is REAL. Miracles
are occurring. People are approaching US, and ASKING US about what we
are sharing. Last night, Sister Angelos and I were walking down the
street--when a lady just stopped and started staring at us. SO of
course, we went up to her with huge smiles on our face and began to talk
to her. She was SO open to hear more and kept asking us about our
church and what we did there. She told us that she would come on Sunday. I pray she does. Miracles like this are happening ALL the time!!
HERE JUST ONE OF THEM:
I received this
from my mom this week so for those of you who have not heard the story,
PLEASE read. It is incredible how the Lord is leading me to those who
are willing to listen, AND now my mom has the blessing to share with her
more about our GREAT message!
So, two days ago, just before I left there was a phone call
and I glanced at the caller ID (the phone does not ring very often and I
was in a huge hurry so as to not make Daddy late for his game). Jared
answered the phone after I saw that the name looked very foreign and I
thought maybe it was one of the families of the kids Ethan plays soccer
with. Jared said something to the effect that he didn't know when I
would be available to speak and then I took the phone and quickly asked
if I could call her back her name was Olga. I called her on Dad's cell
as we drove to Atlee High School. This woman was a professor in New York; she teaches Medical science there. She said she traveled
from Moscow to Kiev, Ukraine with Devynn and had the opportunity to talk
with Devynn. (Devynn and all of the other missionaries must leave
Russia every 6 months so that they can be considered travelers or
something like that) Olga is Russian and she had traveled to Russia to
visit with her mother. She said that Devynn spoke amazingly well and
she could not believe that she was only in the country for 6 months.
Olga told me that Devynn understood everything that she said. And then
she said (which made me cry) She spoke with such power! Wow that got
me. She said that Devynn loves us very much, she is so sensitive, she
can read faces and is sooooo beautiful. Olga stated that she reminded
her of her own daughter who is 21. She also told me that Sister McCartt
gave her a book. She invited me to come and see her in New York! I
loved it. How cool is that! Not coincidental that is for absolute
certainty.
Thanks for your love, your smiles, and your faith.
With faith in our Savior, all things are possible. I know this is true. I
am sorry I haven't sent pictures, my new place is harder to send them. I
will try next week :)
I love you SO much,
your favorite russian missionary
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