The Miracle of a Broken Heart

October 21, 2013 

Hey family!

My heart is so overwhelmed with so many different emotions. President Vellinga called us this morning and told Elder Gorringe and I that we both received our Visas. We will be leaving on Monday afternoon. The 1st thing to hit me was shock. I really have just fallen in love with Ohio, and I am lost in the work here. My heart forgot that I am called to serve in Argentina. I have never felt such love for any people whom I barely know. It is so hard to think of saying goodbye. But, oh the miracles I have seen here. I will forever be grateful to Heavenly Father for the sacred opportunity to serve my heart out in Ohio.

I said last week, "I am excited to tell you about all the miracles that we will see this week!". And I am even more excited now to tell you of what great things the Lord has done in St. Marys this week. I memorized in Spanish 2 Nephi 23:27 (or maybe 27:23)... it says..."Soy un Dios de Milagros y manifestare a los hijos de los hombres que soy el mismo ayer, hoy, y para siempre."

- I AM A GOD OF MIRACLES, and I will show unto the children of men that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I know that this is true. I know it.

Last week, we were driving around this small town looking for 1 of the 2 restaurants in the town, and we couldn't find it. I remembered President Vellinga saying something earlier in the month about talking to more people, he said we should turn off the GPS and just ask people for directions. So we did that. We drove by these people unloading a storage garage, so I stopped and asked them for directions. They told us where it was, and I kept talking with them. They told me they had just moved here from California. I asked them if they needed any help and the kind woman said she would love help, because she was going to have to do it all by herself. So later in the week, on Saturday, we went and helped her move, in the rain (it was cold haha, but so fun). And it was great. She told us afterwards, she had been praying for help, she said, "God, I don't know how I am going to do this. Please just help me to move this stuff. Then minutes later, we pulled up next to her, offering to help. Miracle. She and her son are so prepared. Her son especially was really interested when we told him the incredible story of the restoration. And to make it even greater, we drove past the place where we were looking for a restaurant the other day, and saw this big sign with the name of the restaurant and an arrow pointing down the road to it. We were meant to not see that sign...

It is hard typing this, because words on paper really cannot capture the excitement in my heart as I tell you of the amazing things the Lord has done. I wish I could look each one of you in the eyes, and testify to you, "miracles. are. real." I am so overcome with joy and gratitude for them. I wish I could tell you about each one of them. I know that if we pray for miracles and pray for the eyes to see them, then God will show you that He truly is the same as when he parted the red seas. There is no such thing as a small miracle.

7 Months ago, when I got off a plane, filled with missionaries, in Cleveland, I thought, "I won't be here very long. This is just a stop." I listened to missionaries speak and heard the mission song, and it never really sank in. My mind and heart were set on Argentina. I never would have thought I would be heartbroken to leave Ohio...but here I am, 7 months later, having to fight the tears thinking about leaving. I have seen miracles in this sacred place. I don't mean tiny things some people may not think are miracles, I mean MIRACLES. I have seen Heaven touching earth and hearts changed. I have seen my own heart change. One of the greatest miracles of all, is the miracle of my broken heart, because it means so much more than goodbye. It is the evidence of transformation.

I pray that nobody who reads this will ever doubt that miracles are real. All you have to do is look for them. Look, and you will see God's hand and you can know, as I do that He never changes. He is here today performing miracles in your life every single day.

I testify that He lives. I know that Jesus Christ is His son, and His atonement is the miracle through which we are transformed. Nothing can take this away from me. I will never deny it. I know He lives and His hand is in our lives because He loves us. Joseph Smith saw them both, I know it. I am sad to leave this sacred place, but I do not fear because I know He is a God of miracles and they will always be there if I just look. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

Love,

 

Elder Heath Tenney