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!

"Trouble With The Curve"

We went to a movie Friday night. Ron was excited to see the baseball movie "Trouble With The Curve" starring Clint Eastwood. He was ready for an action flick that would "make his day." The movie was about baseball, but more than that it was about a young woman's relationship with her aging father.

I listened quietly while he voiced his disappointment at the crass language, and how slow the movie was, but he was surprised and taken aback by my reaction. I was mad. Really mad. I haven't felt that mad for a LONG time. Like Ron, I wanted action, but not pretend action. I REALLY wanted to punch someone. Specifically MY parents. You see I AM "Mickey" the daughter played by Amy Adams.

Mickey felt abandoned by her father Gus (Clint Eastwood) who sent her away at the age of six to live with an uncle she barely knew after her mother died. Then later he sent her to a boarding school, when all she ever wanted was to be with him, and to please him. What really made my blood boil was the fact that Mickey's father would NOT talk to her. No explanation—no reason—he just wouldn't talk.

To be abandoned is a terrible thing. It takes away a HUGH piece of who you are, not just as a child, but for the rest of your life. The worst thing is the feeling of not being loved. How do you ever trust, how do you ever really know you are loved, when the people who gave you birth just throw you away seemingly without a look back. Yeah, that's me.

The movie had a sweet ending. Gus finally opened up and let Mickey in—let her understand WHY! 

I met my father on only three occasions in my adult life before he died, and the last time he actually came to my home.  When I asked why, he freely explained some things—gave me a chance to see his perspective—to understand and begin to forgive. When I hit forty, during my mid-life crisis, I called my mother asking for the same thing from her. I just wanted to know what happened. I needed to understand WHY? She called me a liar and hung up the phone. I sank to the floor shaking and crying. From that moment I quit trying to have a relationship. In my heart I wanted—I NEEDED her to come to me, to call back—to talk to me! She never did. I learned to live with the fact that my parents truly didn't love me. 

If Ron was stunned at my reaction to this movie, I was even more so, because I truly believed that I had forgiven them. I went to bed Friday night very troubled.

Then I had a dream.

Oh, how I wish I'd had a pencil and paper on my nightstand like Elder Scott has counciled us so many times. I didn't, and I was too sleepy to go find one so I don't remember details, but I KNOW I felt the sweet, sweet spirit fill my heart. I awoke with peace, a feeling of being loved, and a phrase from Isaiah running in my head:

Isaiah 49:15  Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands . . .

Now, as I write, I realize that my anger is a stage of grief. I know about grief! I haven't stopped grieving over the loss of my parents love, but I have forgiven them! In spite of it all, I have had a great life. I have a wonderful husband, wonderful children, and I have ALWAYS had the Lord's love.

He NEVER forgot me! And that is enough!

Wonderful Wardles

All this busy day, while I have been shopping for Webelos craft supplies, (yes Ron and I were called as Webelos leaders in our new ward), I have been thinking of the wonderful Wardles. Darla and Robert have been our dear friends for thirty years, and all through those years we and three of our children have remained the best of friends, even though we only lived next door to them for six of those years.

We were privileged and blessed to live in their basement apartment this summer while our home was being built. We felt surrounded by complete safety and love! I can't imagine heaven will be any different than being surrounded by and associating with, such wonderful friends!

Thank you and God Bless you dear friends!