You Can’t Make This Stuff Up - God is Aware of You!

Sister Alusa with her “Coming to Know Him” journal

The last two weeks of interviews I’ve had some exceptionally sweet and tender experiences as I’ve listened to missionaries share their favorite journal entries from their “Coming to Know Him” journals. One prompt, #6 in particular, kept coming up. It basically asks:

“What ordinary experience unexpectedly reminded you that Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are aware of you?”

The answers have been beautiful, unique, and deeply personal, showing so clearly that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know each of us individually and want us to feel Their love. You just can’t make this stuff up!

Elders Webb, Farnsworth, Shields, and Waddoups with their journals

Elder Judd loves Jeeps. Before his mission, he had to sell his beloved Jeep, and it broke his heart a little bit. A while ago he and his companion were asked to visit a family member of someone in the ward. As they drove out into a quiet, remote area, they came across a garage with the door open and there it was.

“My Jeep,” Elder Judd said, laughing. “Or at least, it was exactly like my Jeep; same color, same model, even the same trust across the front!”

He jumped out to take a closer look, and a man came out of the garage. Elder Judd could even smell the familiar scent of transmission fluid. The two of them talked “Jeep” for 10 minutes, smiling the whole time.

“It felt so random,” Elder Judd said. “But I knew it wasn’t. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ knew this little thing would bring me joy, and They made sure I was there at the right moment.”

Elder Judd

One missionary loves seeing city skylines, something we don’t really have much of in our mission. But one day, while searching for an address, they rounded a corner and suddenly had a perfect view of the Sacramento skyline. It didn’t last long, but it filled his heart with happiness.

He knew it was a simple reminder from Heavenly Father and Jesus: “I am aware of you. I know what makes you happy.”

Elders Dixon, Braithwaite, Mecham, and Mcintyre with their journals

Another missionary shared how blue dragonflies always remind him of his grandparents. Recently, while out working, one landed near him, A small, simple moment that touched his heart and reminded him that God knows the things that are meaningful to us.

A sister missionary shared that during her very first transfer, she was homesick and struggling. One day, she went to a member’s home for dinner and was surprised and overjoyed to see everything in bright yellow - her favorite color.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Yellow dishes, yellow tablecloth, yellow accents everywhere!”

When she complimented the sister, the woman smiled and said, “I was going to use my red dishes tonight, but at the last minute, I felt like I should use my yellow ones instead.”

The missionary knew in her heart this was Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ saying: “We love you. This is for you.”

Another missionary said that a sunset perfectly lined up with the clouds, creating a breathtaking picture — a reminder that sometimes God paints the sky just for you.

A missionary who loves fishing was on the beach during P-day when some Guatemalans offered to let him use their fishing poles. It was a small act of kindness, but it filled him with joy and reminded him that God cares about the little things that make us happy.

Elders Arrington and Lunt

Elder Arrington told me about a Sunday in a Spanish Branch where they were singing the Primary song “Gethsemane.” A young boy from the English Ward had come in to play the piano, but his rhythm was off, and the singing was off-key. They all really struggled singing the song. But then, as they sang the words:

“The hardest thing that ever was done,

The greatest pain that ever was known,

The biggest battle that ever was won —

This was done by Jesus,

The fight was won by Jesus!”

Suddenly, the piano and voices came together, perfectly on rhythm, perfectly on pitch. Blending beautifully the Spirit filled the room. Elder Arrington said it was so powerful, it brought him to tears.

Hermanas Dalby and Merrill with their journals

I have many more stories saved on my phone about pennies, mothers, grasshoppers, elk, music, trees, sports, even just lying on your back. Each is a sweet, personal, and miraculous experience from our missionaries and their journals. I’m excited for sharing more prompts and more entries to come!

 Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, know us individually. They whisper: “Here’s a Jeep, I am aware of you. I love you. You matter.” They care about the details in our lives.

 And honestly… you just can’t make this stuff up.

Sister Steinfeldt with her journal

Thanks for reading this week’s update! We’re looking forward to transfer prep this coming week and making room for 24 new missionaries! Love - Sister Quinn

Here is our #9 “Coming to Know Him” journal prompt. I’m proud of our missionaries for doing what President Quinn and I have asked them to do - writing in their journals for ten minutes or so a week. Some missionaries told me they had to do some journal catching up or what they call “repentance journaling” before interviews. I laughed and said that is totally fine! Drop by drop - week by week, their journals will become full of oil, the oil of coming to know our Savior, Jesus Christ. What a treasure their journals will be! President Quinn and I will be sending out weekly prompts through July!

We’d love to have you at home join us!! If you want to catch up in a journal, I am posting the prompts in this blog. Look for them in the menu at the top. For more informations click here:

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE WEEK!!

President Quinn tripped over an uneven sidewalk while out running and broke his elbow!

Elder Naumann with President and Sister Quinn today at our recent CCM meeting.

Elders Kaufman and Clark with their journals

Sisters Mitchell and Scott with their journals

Sisters Sargent and Gordon with their journals

Sister Quinn and Sister Gordon with matching skirts

Woodland Zone had a fun cake decorating contest last Monday on p-day. Sister Cawley and I were able to zoom in and be judges. The cakes were very clever and cute! Here is a screen shot of us looking at one of the cakes. We both happened to be in our cars at the time.

Elders Hayes and Clements happy to be given Girl Scout cookies