But if not.....

Hey ya'll.

This week has been so wonderful. Definitely has been filled with blessings and miracles both big and small. The Shallowford area is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. 

 So this past Tuesday we stopped by Sister Mower and shared the restoration with her son Riley. We answered any questions he had and left him with a reading assignment in the Book of Mormon! Sister Mower even said she would read the Book of Mormon with him!! We invited him to church and he said he wanted to come. Sister Mower said she would come to church with him since he is only 11! They weren't able to come this past week because they were out of town. But plan on coming this week! It was amazing to see sister Mowers willingness to start being more involved to help her son. We also asked Sister Mower to share her conversion story with Riley. It was neat to see a little bit of her faith be rekindled once again! 

The other day we stopped in on a less active who wasn't home. So we asked the neighbors about them and then Decided to keep going down the street. Once we finished the street we had a feeling to go to the next street over. The first door we knocked on, this 16 year old girl answered. We started talking to her about the Book of Mormon and her grandmother from inside told us to come inside. We had just interrupted family bible study. But they were willing to listen to us. We were able to teach Arlene, her two granddaughters, and her niece the first lessons and we asked them if they would like a Book of Mormon. Arlene did not want one, she was content with her bible and nothing else could add to that. But both her granddaughters wanted one and as soon as we gave each of them a copy and committed them to read and pray about it. Arlene said "I might read a little bit too, since these books will be lying around the house." We were invited to come back every week before bible study to teach them more. (: 

As I've been studying faith this week I was reading in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego. And how they would not worship the idol King Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to worship. When the King told them if they would not worship it he would throw them into the fiery furnace I love their response: 

" If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, o King. 

But if not, be it known unto thee, o King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" 

I love how they had faith Heavenly Father would deliver them out of the Kings hand, but if not, they still had faith in Him and knew it was part of Gods plan. 

I found a talk called "but if not.." And I would encourage everyone to read it. But I love one part in particular..

"Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not … . He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.

  Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has." 

I hope we all strive to have faith like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Have the best week ya'll. 

Love, Sister Merritt