INVITE YOUR NEIGHBOR!

I am so humbled tonight. The last few weeks of missionary work have been really slow. A couple of weeks ago we finally met our next door neighbor, a seventy nine year-old woman. We had met the man she is living with when we first moved in, and many times since. He has always been so nice, very clean cut and pleasant. When we first met him Elder Holt made the comment that he should join us in church sometime. He kind of muttered that he just might. As Ron asked more questions, he admitted that he was living with a woman he wasn’t married to because they couldn’t afford to lose her benefits if they did. They have been together for many years.

Missionary work is hard and scary. Still! I’ve wanted to have the courage to ask him if he’d like to know more about the church because he is so nice, but honestly I didn’t because I judged him. We have lived next door to them for nearly eight months, but have never made the effort to meet his friend, until an ambulance showed up at their door two weeks ago. She came home from the hospital the next day, and is okay after they regulated her pace-maker. So we took donuts over and met her. She is sooo sweet and kind. She’s had a stroke and can hardly communicate, but her spirit just shines. She thanked us profusely.

Well, ever since then I have had a recurring thought to ask them if they would like to know more about our church. But, he has such hearing loss, and she can’t communicate well, and they would be too hard to teach, and they are too old, and I’m still scared to ask, and besides they aren’t married, and . . .

So yesterday, as I was praying that the Lord would help us find people to serve and to teach, the words of the Lord to the Apostle Paul came into my mind, . . . “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” (Acts 10:15 )  It was followed by the thought that our missionary work would NOT pick up UNTIL we invited our neighbors, whom I had judged. Ouch! What a lesson to learn! (One of those dah, moments) Of course, I’m a missionary. Thoughts, like INVITE your neighbor come from the Lord and not just my mind. I told Elder Holt and this afternoon we visited with them. As we went into their home, she took my hand and with teary eyes, kept thanking us for coming!

When we explained that we were missionaries for our church this sweet woman vigorously nodded her head and said I know, I know! As we continued to visit she wanted so badly to communicate something, but she couldn’t find the words. She kept saying, “When I was a little girl.” And then she would try again and again, until she finally got it out, “I’m a Mormon!”

Wow! She is not on the Ward records, yet has lived here for many years.

We asked if they would like to come to church this Sunday and she said with hungry eyes, while vigorously shaking her head, “Yes! Yes!”

He stated that he was a Catholic, but would come. We showed them two, five minute introduction videos, “What Mormons Believe” and “The History of the Church.”  Then he even agreed to take the missionary discussions!

Moral of the story: Random thoughts to do good, always come from the Lord, especially when you are a missionary. And to remember, that now the Lord has asked us to “hasten the work” every member IS a missionary, so when the Lord says invite your neighbor  . . . just do it! I testify that He IS preparing the hearts of so many to hear the gospel, and He is depending on all of us!

Hoorah for Israel!

BIG TEX at the State Fair of Texas



BIG TEX Greeting Crowds

What an amazing month this has been! We were asked to help staff the Family History Booth at the Texas State Fair in Dallas—the largest state fair, with between 3½ to 4 million visitors each year, in the United States. Every third day since the last week in September we have driven 35 miles to the train station in Denton. There we catch a train before 8:00 am and travel one hour, then change trains in Trinity Mills and travel another hour to the Fair Park Station in Dallas. After making our way past BIG TEX who towers over the crowds, greeting fair goers with his big booming voice (everything is BIG in Texas) "Howdy folks, I'm Big Tex! Welcome to the State Fair of Texas." We then make our way to our booth, where we spend the next six hours on our feet signing people up for help with familysearch.org   It is at once intimidating, scary, tiring, and then—we meet some wonderful people who get excited, after we finally convince them the service is free! A few have inexplicably found themselves with misting eyes, as they contemplate finding their ancestry! Of course we know why. Anything connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints carries a wondrous spirit—of goodness, happiness and truth—which we have witnessed touching so many people since becoming missionaries over six months ago.

I am here to tell you, missionary work IS work. I've never been so tired in my life! (Well maybe) And if traveling 5½ hours round trip, plus the 6 hours at the fair are not enough, every day we spend back in our little town in northern Texas, we have been teaching, teaching, teaching. We have a wonderful baptism tonight. We taught a first discussion with a Pentecostal woman yesterday, who a few days ago literally YELLED at us in terrible anger, for living in sin with multiple wives! Elder Holt amazed me with his ability to calm her down. But I will tell that story another day, except to say that as we taught she was tearful and receptive. Oh my! We have a 12 year old scheduled for baptism on November 2nd, and many other wondrous stories of the Lords hand working his promised miracle!

Elder & Sister Holt (we were asked to dress casual)

Elder Holt got to watch the last quarter of the big rivalry game between
Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns! (Longhorns Win)

View of Dallas from the train



Sister's In Christ

About a month after we were on our mission, as Sacrament Meeting was getting started, a beautiful black sister slipped in and sat in the chair closest to the door. I didn’t know her and so I wanted to make sure I introduced myself. Just before the meeting ended I had a distinct impression to slip over and sit by her. I whispered an introduction and asked her name.

She smiled and said, “I think I’m in the wrong church. I came to pick up my grandchildren from Sunday school, but I’m supposed to be in the Baptist Church.”

“I don’t think this was an accident,” I whispered as I smiled, put my arm around her, and gave her a gentle squeeze.

I then asked, if she enjoyed the service? She replied that she enjoyed it very much, and asked what church this was? I said it was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that she was welcome anytime. She said she’d never heard of our church before, and so I whispered that we were commonly known as the “Mormons” but that was just a nickname. She looked at me with wide surprised eyes, fixin’ (as they say here in the south) to make a quick exit.

I smiled again and whispered, “God bless you my Sister in Christ!” She smiled back with a question in her eyes, and without words, I shook my head in the affirmative. Yes, Mormons are Christian!  She squeezed my hand while nodding her head, and with a big beautiful smile whispered, “Yes, sister’s in Christ!” And then immediately after the benediction, she left.

Now I have not seen her since, but I don't think it was a coincidence she came to our meeting. I believe with all my heart, that my impression to sit by her changed her perception about the “Mormons.” I know I was the Lord’s vessel that day, as He bore loving testimony to His sweet daughter, and I knew He wanted both of us to know, that we ARE literally “sisters in Christ!”

Elder Neil L. Andersen said in the April 2013 Conference. “We are witnessing the miracles of the Lord as His gospel is spreading across the world. Brothers and sisters, as surely as the Lord has inspired more missionaries to serve, He is also awakening the minds and opening the hearts of more good and honest people to receive His missionaries. You already know them or will know them. They are in your family and live in your neighborhood. They walk past you on the street, sit by you in school, and connect with you online. You too are an important part of this unfolding miracle.”

As missionaries in northern Texas, we are literally witnessing these miracles! I testify that we are watching the Lord awaken the minds and open the hearts of good people to receive the missionaries!

 

"Suffer the Little Children" Mark 10:13-16

Friday was just "one of those days.” After being stood up twice, I was so frustrated, I wondered if we were doing any good at all, so I cried. And of course Elder Holt tried to console me. (Bless him he's never been very good at that!)

The first appointment was with a young family of five beautiful children whose parents are recent converts, but have stopped coming to church. They had to cancel for the second week in a row, this time because the family had stomach flu. We have met with them, taught them, and prayed so earnestly for them so many, many times, but the mother is reluctant−̶ feeling that her husband pushed her into baptism when she wasn’t ready. The last time we met, we read with them the story of Helaman’s Stripling Warriors, and then played the primary song, “We’ll Bring the World His Truth!” Those precious children responded in such a wonderful way as the spirit filled their home. But still, they have not come to church.

At 6:00 p.m. we had an appointment with another young family with two beautiful little girls, five year-old Megan and her baby sister. They were just leaving as we pulled in. Had we not arrived at that moment they were simply going to stand us up−̶ which happens a LOT!

Then Friday got even better. At 8:00 p.m., though we were tired, we went to the church to clean with a family who could only come Friday night. They forgot−̶ we cleaned alone! Friday night I was really irritated with all these people! But, before bed as I said my prayers, I felt our loving Lord, gently remind me of how patient He is with all of my faults! Who was I to judge others? My heart softened!

So on Saturday, Elder Holt cleaned the church alone all morning, because another family had to work. Then we both cleaned for several hours in the afternoon because that was when the other family could come. We’re not sure what happened to them. We cleaned alone. But, unlike yesterday, I felt the spirit and with a song in my heart I recognized what a wonderful privilege was mine, to be cleaning the Lord's House for the Sabbath tomorrow, and it felt good!

Megan's family let us come back tonight because I think they felt guilty. She was hungry and whiny and needing five year-old attention, complaining about the TV program playing in the background because she wanted to watch something else, so we struggled to have a good visit. Then we showed them a couple of five minute church videos on the iPad. Little Megan’s entire demeanor changed! She curled up in her mother’s arms listening intently to the church videos! Then she listened as her Dad said they might go to church next week.

            “Oh, I want to go to the classes, can I go Daddy?”

We gave her a Friend Magazine, and she didn’t want us to leave as I showed her the pictures and stories. But, something we must have said apparently offended her mother, who got up and left the room while we were talking. Most likely, Megan won’t be going to Primary. We are devastated! Again.

This missionary assignment is like a Lagoon ride. We’re up, we’re down, we’re spinning around! But, oh how we love the Lord, and love these people! Please pray for Megan and James and Dustin and Brighton and Triston and little Baker! All precious children who long to go to church!

And pray for Elder Grandpa and Sister Grandma Holt!

 

Awesome Sabbath

Well, I am going to repent. I have had friends who want to know more about our mission, and I have been letting Elder Holt write all the letters home to our family. I can't catch up, but I decided to start with now---so . . .

August 4, 2013

 

Yesterday was a hard day. Saturdays usually are. People are always busy, and no one wants to make appointments with us, so we drop in on people that don't want to see us. But, the Sabbath is always wonderful and especially today! I taught Relief Society and showed a couple of the videos from the Missionary Conference "Hastening the Work of Salvation." There was a great spirit and I think many of the sisters are catching the vision. Then tonight one of the wonderful stalwarts of the church set up a teaching appointment with an 86 yr. old friend of his, a sweet, sweet born again Christian who loves The Lord. We showed her a couple of the new "Introduction to the Church" videos (on the LDS Gospel Library version 3.0 for iPad) which always bring the spirit in amazing ways. We shared our testimonies and left with an appointment for next Sunday. We will see, but oh she is sweet. She said the closing prayer and it was wonderful and powerful! Please pray for sweet Billie Dyer!

Amazing Two Months-Talking to Susan

We have been so busy, and I am so tired at the end of the day that I simply couldn't write, but I have been feeling the urge, so I'm going to try to do better.

It has been an amazing two months. I'm starting to call my husband "Elder Holt" but even more amazing we are both now talking daily to Susan. We spend a lot of time with her. She is very polite and has a pleasant enough voice, but too often we simply get frustrated with her. So we unplug her,  and put her away in the glove compartment of our car, because she can't find another address on the country roads we travel! More often than not though, we have to apologize to her, take her out, and plug her back in to get us home, because we are hopelessly lost with NO MOUNTAINS for directions here in Texas. We tried out the other voices on our GPS but Richard and Bonnie were too annoying so we hope Susan sticks with us.

Seriously, we have put a lot of miles on our little red Toyota searching for lost sheep. Some days it is discouraging like last Thursday when we put 99.6 miles on the car and only talked with two people who did not invite us in and were not interested in coming back to church. But, we have had so many wonderful experiences it more than makes up for it! I have a new favorite scripture:

 D&C 84:88 "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

I testify that this scripture passage is literal! We have felt the spirit of the Lord so much in these last two months and it is so incredible! Every day, even on the days when it is discouraging, I feel our service is such an incredible honor and privilege! We have met some awesome people, most Texans are so kind and welcoming. I have a boatload of stories and I hope to find the energy to share them! Pray for us as we do for you. Love and miss you all!

Life is Fleeting

I was just putting on a pair of earrings my husband gave me about thirty years ago! I still have them, love them, they endure and haven't changed at all. It strikes me as strange that I can go to a museium and see clothing and other objects, some in perfect condition worn by famous people hundreds of years ago, and yet the fragile mortals who enjoyed them have long gone!

It reminds me of the scripture:

Jacob 7:26

26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, . . .

So it is with me. My life is passing like a dream. But when I was young, I thought surely all the new and exciting adventures would be long past by my age, and yet, here we are embarking on a very new, scary, and exciting adventure again! Texas we will soon meet!

Ya'll take care!

Mission Call

Well ya'll, we have received our mission call to the Texas Fort Worth Mission! We leave for the MTC on April 1st and will serve as Member Leader Support missionaries for 18 months. We couldn't be more excited and we realize the honor and responsibility we have to represent the Lord! I pray we can do some little good!

Born Again

I was reviewing some of my old files and ran across this one from last year while I was still teaching Gospel Doctrine in my old ward in Sandy. (I am especially missing my dear Sandy friends this morning!)

My Sunday School lesson was on being "Born Again" or born of the spirit. To be born again we must become like Christ—a pretty tall order! It is something impossible for the natural man to do alone. To be born again—to have "no more desire to do evil, but to do good continually!" (Mosiah 5:2) Wow! Bruce R. McConkie taught that to be born again is a process. Like any other process we "become" line upon line, little by little. How grateful I am to have the gospel, to have the privilege of attending church each week which feeds my desire to do good continually, and reminds me that when I don't do as well I want to and know I should, that I CAN repent!

What a wonderful reminder this is for me, and for all of us to re-examine our lives and answer the question posed to us by a prophet of God in the Book of Mormon: "Alma 5:14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

As I have been pondering "His Image" I read an article in Meridian Magazine today (last year) that is a beautiful example of what is NOT Christ's image.

From Meridian Magazine 1/28/11

Friday Minute: Hypocrisy

(Public face, private pain)

By Wm J. Monahan

"The energy it takes to maintain a public facade in order to hide a private reality is exhausting. . . Public facades are not limited to behavior, but also include hypocritical attitudes.

Maintaining a sweet attitude at church while being a sour puss at home leads to spiritual schizophrenia. Such a dual face is unhealthy. It is compartmentalization.

In the gospel of Jesus Christ, disciples cannot afford to compartmentalize. They must not have one face at the office and another at church. They must not justify bad attitudes as a boss that would be unacceptable as a parent or spouse.

When our public persona matches our private character, our smile is genuine and our attitude consistent.

The cure for hypocrisy is straightforward: any power or influence must be maintained “by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:42). Instructively, the Lord’s formula is non-hypocritical by definition, as in “love unfeigned.” (end of quote)

To have His image is to be SINCERE! It is to bring every part of ourselves, every public part—every private part—of ourselves into alignment with the spirit! My daughter-in-law gave me a plaque a few years ago that reads:

CHRIST

The center of our home

A guest at every meal

A silent listener at every conversation

It has been a wonderful reminder that if we could all live our lives so that we could share with the Savior every conversation we have, every book we read, every movie we watch, every song we listen to and still feel comfortable in His presence—isn't that wanting to do good continually? Little by little, with lots of prayer and practice, I hope my eyes can shine a little brighter each day with His love! What an example we have in our Lord and Savior!

You Can't Get There From Here

My daughter lived in Maine and she warned me if I stopped for driving directions while visiting, this is what I would most likely hear: "You can't get there from here." (That's because the roads were originally cow or Indian paths) It's a phrase you hear a lot in New England because they joke about it and apply it to everyday life. It has application in this story I love:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

I love this story because it has so many applications in overcoming adversity, but it also has a practical application for life in general. When I hear people say, "You can't get there from here" I think well, it just means you can't do it THAT way.

A dear friend once told me that I could take $10 and make it look like $100. That's because I've been a donkey down a well so many times. I've also been told I'm creative, innovative, tenacious, determined, stubborn, and on occasion I've even been told I'm like this determined animal, when a matador waves that red flag at him!