It's hard for me to believe I've been out for a month now! There are so many wonderful experiences to share and so many blessings I've received by being here. When I walked into church the first Sunday, I felt like I had traveled a long way from where I live, but had arrived home again. It's a feeling I always have when I attend church, no matter where it is, it's home.
Marjean Nielson is the sweet sister we are living with. I have grown to love her so much! We've had fun together. I couldn't have asked for a better place to live. The spirit of the gospel abides in her home and that's such a great feeling.
The following picture is of Bishop Hoki and his wife Chieko. He's been an amazing help to us already. Since we're on a pilot program coming "blindly" into the ward was a learning experience for us as well as well as the ward leaders. Bishop Hoki met with us for two hours, and went over the ward list telling us about people who need extra charity and love. He really helped us find our way into serving. We've spent every day going to homes of active and less active members. It is almost like being a "full time" visiting teacher. We get to visit, access needs, and encourage them in any way we can. I love every minute of it!
Sister Barbara Allred is the Relief Society President in the ward and we spent some time with her assessing needs. She took us to visit a few people. I'm sure we'll be working very closely with her.
We have, of course, had a couple of experiences that were not favorable. One door I knocked on, a man answered and said, "We're atheists, and slammed the door before we could get a word out! Another, just peeked through the peep-hole and locked the door! I'm sure return missionary's can relate to that! We just said a little prayer for them in our hearts and moved on.
On a much happier note.....we knocked on the door of an inactive sister and when she opened the door and I told her who we were. She pulled me into her arms started crying. She said she had quit going to church three years ago because she was angry with God for what he had done to her. She then related her story to us.
She has six children and her husband had been serving in the military. When he came home he was suffering from Post-Traumatic Syndrome. He broke her neck and then committed suicide. She said he was a wonderful man before he had gone into the service. She has spent the last three years trying to recover from all of it. I was so happy that we were able to be there for her that day! She asked us to come back again, and we made an appointment to take her to lunch. She is moving out of the ward in April. We're hoping she will leave with a desire to find a new direction in her life with the gospel for her guide.
We've had many positive visits with inactive sisters. In each case they have been willing to have us return. We approach them by letting them know we are not proselyting missionary's, but are just here to serve and help in any way we can. A couple of them have asked that we not put any pressure on them about the church, and we told them that wasn't why we had come.
There are many great needs here. Many people are suffering with health issues and other concerns. We have visited a sister in a nursing home who's very bright and knowledgeable about the gospel. We visited an elderly woman who had a heart attack a year ago and still hasn't recovered. You who love children's books will know her name, Berniece Tryand. She wrote "The Girl With No Name" and many others. I fear she isn't going to be able to recover from her surgery.
The first Sunday here we met Bro. Jim Lucero. He's the Stake Young Men's President. He and his wife Laneeda have had us over for dinner a few times. Laneeda is 52 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's five years ago. She's so young to be afflicted with this challenge. She was the Young Women's President when they found out. She is still functioning ok but cannot drive or go out on her own. We take her to do things each week. We've taken her to dinner, a movie, and to the Family History Center. She's such a sweet person and we've grown to love her and Bro. Lucero so much. This week they're on a Nauvoo Trek with the youth in the stake. They took 150 youth that had attended seminary and succeeded on scripture mastery. They're visiting historical sights and ending by doing baptism's in the temple. What a major undertaking that must be!
The following picture of Sister Deloris Nelms and her husband Morris. She had a stroke about 10 years ago, and it left her blind. She's such a sweet lady, and has always been active in the church. Her husband is a non-member. The missionary's told us he wouldn't let them visit. However, he didn't seem to have any trouble with us. I think we are less threatening to him. We visit them every week and read to her. The last two visits he has joined us and seems to be happy that we're there. He reminds me of my dad, so I felt a special connection when I first met him. He brings her to sacrament meeting and then "beelines" out afterward.
This past Monday we met a non-member, Victoria Smith, that works with a man in our ward. She has been here from Kenya for 15 years. She met her husband when she moved here and they have three children. Bro. Don Walker says he has been telling her about the church for several years, but they haven't been willing to come. She asked him a week ago if he knew anyone in our church that could come to the hospital to hold her baby.
Savannah Alexandria Smith was born five months ago when her mother was only 24 weeks pregnant. She weighed only 1.4 pounds. Victoria is working full time and goes to the hospital during lunch and after work, but knew her baby needed to be held more often. We were so excited when he asked us to do this. We will be with Savannah three mornings during the week. Monday was our first day and what a joy it was to hold this miracle baby. She is now 7.13 pounds, but still has some breathing problems and is fed through a tube. Victoria is a sweet girl and a loving mother. She has no family here to help her. We told her we would be happy to be "Savannah's Grandma's"!
There have been so many wonderful experiences while I've been here. I've starting to realize why the brethren established this new calling, and why I'm here! I often think of the Savior as he walked among the people and witnessed the suffering and challenges they were afflicted with. I know I can't perform the miracles He did, but I feel a special sense of being needed here, and joy that I can share my love and life with others. Knowing this is His church and that I'm a part of it is so precious to me! I feel blessed that my testimony has grown through the years. I've had experiences I can use to help others who struggle, and I feel His love in what I do.
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