A month or so ago our mission began asking all missionaries to have a bike. Even if they also have a car they need to take their bikes with them, park, bike or walk around and the go back to their car.
This will save gas and make missionaries more visible which helps let people know we are around.
That is in addition to a number of bike only areas we have because we don't have, and won't have enough cars for all the missionaries.
Missionaries in our mission didn't expect this and neither did families. So this has been very difficult for a number of missionaries and their folks. We've seen a lot of miracles to do with bikes and are still having special things happen. Bikes have been given to missionaries by people in wards or other missionaries, money for some part of needs given, and they've been loaned by one missionary to another. Last week a woman called and said she wanted to donate 2 bikes anonymously. One ward donated 2 bikes and then the ward mission leader paid for helmets, locks and lights.
We see things happen regularly that make us know how Heavenly Father blesses missionaries.
Another special blessing - this didn't happen in our mission but in the Boston Mission. This is a quote from a good friend. Lynlee is her grand-daughter and she is quoting her daughter.
"Lynlee is returning home from her Boston mission this Friday. We are so excited to see her. I don't think she is sharing that same feeling." (Missionaries often don't want to leave the mission and those they're working with. - not part of the quote.)
"She has been in Boston during all this past week's upheaval.
"On their P Day on Monday, the Elders and Sisters were going to go to the Boston Marathon. They all met and then kept doing one thing and then another, and finally the thought did not enter their heads to go to the Marathon. I just can't believe that is all coincidence. I wonder how the Spirit works to take a thought out of all these missionaries heads and put something else into it.
"Lynlee said she knew there was trouble when all the helicopters started passing them, and then 31 police cars with sirens wailing passed them. The mission president called them and commanded them to get to their cars and leave the city immediately. Lynlee said they were running to their cars.
"She has been there on this mission through the storm, Sandy, and another devastation and now this.
"I think you all know how thankful we are that these missionaries go with great blessings."
We are thankful, too. We love the missionaries and know that God lives and loves them and is aware of all that is happening in the world. He wants the missionaries to be successful.
