Blog #10 - True Beauty
Today we welcomed five new missionaries, and tomorrow we will send home thirteen. It is amazing how attached we get to them as we watch them work so hard to teach the gospel. They are such beautiful young men and women. Friday we were able to take the outgoing missionaries to the LA Temple. We had five sisters in our Honda, and we had laughter and tears most of the way. The sister shared tender moments and funny stories and pages from their journals. They are excited about retuning home, but hesitant to leave this life they've known and loved these past eighteen months.
As spring is blossoming around us I've been thinking about the wonders of this great world our Lord has created. At the suggestion of some of our housing inspectors, we stopped to see the poppy fields on the way to Lancaster last week. What an awesome sight! We live in the desert, yet there is beauty springing up in the most unexpected places.
Even more beautiful than the surrounding flowers and trees, are the beautiful people we are meeting and the memories of those loved ones we left at home. Sunday a dear lady in our ward had crocheted me a cell phone holder to wear around my neck so I will have the phone close to me at all times (I probably field at least 30 or 40 phone calls per day.) Another sister, last month, made a scrapbook to help me save the missionary memories we are creating here. Friends and family from home let us know they haven't forgotten us.
For me, one of the most beautiful of all is feeling the Holy Spirit touch my heart when new friends testify and share their own conversion stories. So many members here are converts, and I love to hear about each journey. The other night the Johnsons, one of our inspector couples (stake service missionaries) shared their wonderful story:
Gil and Helen had been married 15 years and Helen had prayed daily that something would happen to help their family attend church together. Helen had been active her whole life in her church, but Gil, though he believed in God, did not feel a need for a church. Their children went to a church school.
One day two LDS sister missionaries came to the door. Their message immediately touched Helen's heart and she invited them back. She asked Gil if he would join her; he said "No way! I've heard that the Mormons are weird!” When they came back she questioned herself, "What am I doing, I have a church?" and told them she could talk with them. They did ask is they could leave a Joseph smith pamphlet and Book of Mormon. Because she felt something, she took the books, but promptly put them on the shelf.
About that same time, Gil, who was a fireman, had to listen, at work, constantly as two of his coworkers discussed and argued about their two religions . The only thing they agreed on was that another fireman from another shift, who was a Mormon, belonged to “the crazy religion.” As Gil heard all this religious talk he decided it may be time for him to find a church. He started reading the bible every day. He went to chat with the priest who sent him to find a book he could read on their theology. He read it, but it didn't resonate in his heart. All this took almost a year, and Helen also found herself questioning her religion and looking for answers. Her priest was frustrated with her questions.
Helen thought about that feeling she had when she met with the sisters ao many months before, then picked up the pamphlet to see what it said. She was impressed. Later, her spiritually struggling husband agreed to read the pamphlet, and he felt touched by the message. So, he picked up the Book of Mormon, opened it somewhere in the middle, and began reading. He had a powerful confirmation that he was reading pure scripture. He needed to talk with someone but he didn't know where to turn. As Gil and Helen read and talked they were determine they must find out more.
As they were preparing for a camping vacation, and Gil was folding a tent in the living room, he was pleading with Heavenly Father to help him know truth and find answers. Miraculously, at that same time two (different) sister missionaries had prayed to be led to someone who was seeking God. They parked their car and headed down a street. After knocking on a couple doors they both felt they were on the wrong street. They went back to the car, said a prayer, and headed up the next street. Though they faced rejection at each door they felt they must continue. When they knocked on the Johnson door Gil had just finished his prayerful plea. He opened the door and was so excited to see them that his eyes bulged--and the sister missionaries thought he was going to throw them out. But he invited them in. After a short discussion, the Johnsons left on their vacation promising to learn more when they returned. That began a passionate and thorough study of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both Gil and Helen received their own personal testimonies, not at the same time, then joined The Savior's church.
They shared more as they talked about tithing, the effect on his job, and their children's schooling. Their life has had challenges, as have we all, but they have never wavered in their complete faith in and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They have spent years serving in many church calling and have done so much to help the people of Bakersfield.
I love their story, and, I have also been struck by two reminders that are directly applicable to missionary work here. First of all, it is a testimony of the Book of Mormon, received through the Holy Spirit, that converts one to truth; and second, the first set of missionaries planted the seed by inspiration to leave the books (yet, probably had know knowledge of their influence) and the second set of missionaries humbly followed the Lord's guidance to the door at the moment the Johnsons were ready to receive the message. What a beautiful story.
We are grateful to be here to help further the work in any way we can. Our testimonies are strengthened as we see small daily miracles that bring people to Christ. We also appreciate the love and support of you, our dear family and friends.
I also have a request: My dear friend, Jack Threet, has just had a pancreas and kidney transplant as he has battled with diabetes. He is a wonderful young man. Not only is he a friend with my children, and he was one of my darling PRIDE students during his high school years, but he is the son of one of my dearest friends, Gayle. I believe there is strength in group prayer. I am asking if you will pray for his recovery as he goes through this difficult time and pray for his family to have the strength to do what they need to do. Thank you.
Much love,
Mike and Donna
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