Another week has passed and we are ready to go!!

Dear Mum, Dad, Family

 I am glad to hear that everything is going well!! Everything here has been going good as well. For driving I have to pay about $100 which equals out to about £80.

Well another week has passed and we are ready to go....we are standing here outside your door, inviting you to be baptized!! (sing it to I'm leavin' on a jet plane!) :)

You know I have learned something life changing this week. As I was thinking about it, a quote Dad gave me last week came to my head. It was given by Alexander Graham Bell, he states: "Sometimes we stare too long at the door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open."

This is what has been happening...I have been staring at doors closing and haven't noticed the doors opening. I got bummed out because some people who were progressing have stopped progressing. We have lost contact with some people who were so prepared and not that many people have wanted to talk to us. I was thinking what is happening.....What have we done wrong? Then I thought, I'm stupid...I have to rely on the Lord. So I decided to fast! I fasted for a miracle that day. I had faith that something would happen. It started getting later and later! That night, I came into the flat and nothing had happened. I was thinking why didn't anything happen? I prayed and fasted for a miracle but we didn't get one! Why didn't we get one?

The problem in the world today is people are all too focused on receiving a big answer, or miracle, something that is undeniable, and they don't get it...and then they wonder why and blame God. But we know that by small and simple things, great and marvelous things are brought to pass! (Alma 37:6) I was so distracted by wanting a huge miracle and looking for a bolt of lightning to happen with someone who we have been working with, but I didn't see the small miracles happening, the doors that were opening!

This week miracles happened!!! I missed them until I looked back and saw them. There were a few miracles that happened. First, is I think... one of the best!!!  We have been working with Caroline for a long time. We have been trying to help her re-build her testimony and help her know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love her so much. Well after 8 weeks of working with her I think we have gotten somewhere. We were at church and suddenly she shows up!! What a miracle! She told us that she knows Heavenly Father loves her and we can see her testimony has sparked again. She knows what she needs to do next.

Next, Carl made it home safely and is doing really well! HE has not smoked for a week and a half now! How amazing is that. He is really looking forward to his baptism on May 9 but today we are going to see if he wants to move it to May 2!

We have also met so many good people who have been prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. Emile who walked up to us and asked us who we were! Julian who loves talking about God!  Ryan, Tia and Zoe who all want help to quit smoking!  So many things are happening but the problem was I wasn't seeing them. But now I know that Heavenly Father did bless us this week! He really does answer our prayers but we have to remember it is after all we can do and it is in His time.

I invite all of you to keep going, put in all that you can and trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Stop looking at the doors which are closing and go to the ones that are opening. I love you all and hope you are doing well.

God be with you till we meet again. On our way. #10sof1000s. He lives!

Love, Elder Tyler Rife

Elder Rife and Elder Barendse "knocking"!  :)