Miracles and Unrealized blessings

Whenever the missionaries get together for District Council, Zone Training, Zone Conference we are always invited to share a miracle.

I’ve been thinking about miracles lately. What constitutes a miracle, or rather unrealized blessings. I’ve had many. Many times we just don't understand why things happen when, or why they do, and we may not understand until later.

Thinking of just a handful of miracles. Our children! They are our greatest and most revered miracles. Medically and scientifically I should have never bore children. We Have three amazing kids here on earth. We lost our first child. God has so blessed us with the best miracles ever.

There will always be miracles as long as there are people of faith (see Moroni 7:27–29). President Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should “seek and expect miracles.” “The Lord will bless you with miracles if you believe in Him, ‘doubting nothing’ [Mormon 9:21]. Do the spiritual work to seek miracles. Prayerfully ask God to help you exercise that kind of faith.”

We have a missionary who spilled some boiling water on his chest. He didn’t tell anyone for two weeks, but the burn had created an infection. So the elder called the mission President who in turn got the Dr to see the young man. The Dr called 911 immediately and the the Elder was taken to the hospital. The Dr was worried that he had gotten an infection to the bone. Well Drs began trying to help with the wound only to find out that this young Elder had many tumors in his stomach. He was flown by a medic vac to Utah to begin stage 4 cancer treatment.

So what’s the miracle in all this. If he hadn’t burned himself they would not have found the tumors. His health insurance is from the church so he is getting top notch care. He is a missionary, an authorized representative of Jesus Christ. We got to hear from this Elder while at the Huntsman Center he said: "the Doctor told him he has a 80% chance of survival". He bore such a strong testimony of the gospel and how being a covenant keeper gives him so much joy.

We got to experience a great miracle recently. An elder in our district, his dad unexpectedly of a stroke. The elder has decided to stay out on his mission. We were headed to temple the morning we found out. We reached out to our Mission President and asked if we could take the Elder and his companion to the temple with us. Because the temple is out of our mission we have to have special permission by area authority to go to temple for the young missionaries. Mission President called us back and gave us permission to take them. Our daughter and her husband came to Colorado to see us and we were already planning to go to the temple. It takes us at least an hour to get to the temple. The traffic wasn’t too crazy and we even went thru a snowstorm. We arrived in 50 minutes that has never happened for the year we have been here. When we arrived at the front desk the lady said : "Sister Hatfield we have a note that you all need to meet with the Temple Presidency". The temple Presidency member and his wife met with us and the Elders in their office. Leaving our kids out in the hall, (they felt like they were waiting to see the principle) A temple sealer came and visited with them while we were all in the presidents office. The temple presidency then directed us to do a couple of initiatories, and an endowment session.

We went to get some clothing first for our kids and the missionaries. My daughter and I left then one of the doors opens and our sister Mayer who is no longer serving as a missionary walks thru and Brett tells her of Elder Slack’s father dying. This Sisters' own father is dying and we were surprised he made it thru till the end of his mission. She was able to talk with Elder Slack. The timing throughout this whole day was not coincidences. The prayer circle was very powerful and the officiator talked about the blessings of the plan of salvation and how our loved ones on the other side are with us. Tears are streaming down my face. After all was said and done and we drove the missionaries home and we got a call from President Kotter and we told him of all the miracles of the day. He said, sister Mayer taught in one our district council lessons how we needed to remember to pray with our families. Elder Slack took that invitation to heart, and when he talked to his mom and sister after hearing his father had passed he offered a prayer and it was powerful. The whole day was powerful.

I recently had a dream the other day about Portia Louder a lady who had gone to prison for federal fraud. (Real estate ) and served time in prison and she tells about her redemption of Coming Unto Christ. I woke up that morning, feeling I should just ask her if she would be willing to zoom with us for our branch ladies night. But I fought with that feeling and felt she's too busy, I'm a nobody, why would she respond to me. Then I got the very strong impression "Just Ask!". So I messaged her and she responded and agreed.

Yesterday was our Ladies night. Brett and I had prepared the food for our meal the night before only to have plans change instantly because we had a huge blizzard blow in. (literally) The road to Limon was closed. Fortunately our meeting with Portia Louder was on zoom and we had our Ladies evening via zoom. It was a very uplifting opportunity and I think the Ladies loved it. I don't know why I was so prompted to contact her to share her story, and who needed it the most, but it happened and I am forever grateful for the experience. More importantly, that I listened. Sometimes we are stubborn, with allowing thoughts that convince us otherwise.

We may not always understand why things happen the way that they do, but God knows the plan for each of us individually and he Loves us. Listen and Act, it could be a blessing for you or someone else.