Following Inspiration

June 13, 2012      

Dear Family,

         Some really cool things happened for Sister Simons and I this week. We have two people set for baptisms on the 30th of this month and things have been going well for them. We met a lot of cool people this week and Paul’s Mom, Mary, taught us how to make jam. Her friend came over and we found out that she used to go to our church services when she was a kid. We had a great day cutting up apples and helping pick up all the eggs from her chickens. We have really been looking for opportunities to serve at any chance we get.

         But the real miracle this week was the phone call we received from Bishop Culp. He said a man called him and he wondered if we could go visit him and check it out. He lives way off the Levee out in the sticks in a trailer. When we finally found it, we couldn't figure out which trailer it was but when we found him, he came out with a glowing smile and looked extremely excited to see us. We had no clue what we were walking into but he scrounged around for something for us to sit on and we sat outside with him for an hour. He is a single Dad of three children. a 9, 6, and 2 year old. They are the most adorable kids I have ever met. The minute we sat down, the 9 year old stared at me and said, "You look sooooo familiar. Do I know you?" I laughed but then we continued to talk with her dad. He attended Bible college in his youth and had several friends that were members of the church. He is going through a rough time right now. His wife got mixed up with drugs and began to hit the children. It eventually reached a point where he had to leave to keep them safe. Over the years he has talked a lot with his Mormon friends and he knows quite a bit about the church but he was never interested in joining. He has been to several churches and recently ran across a scripture in the Bible that says, "By their fruits ye shall know them." He choked up when he talked about the many "fruits" of our church. He says he has been watching us over the years and he hopes he has found the true church. The oldest daughter studied my face and rubbing her chin with her fingers perplexfully said, " I know I know you from somewhere." My heart was full as I answered her and expressed my gratitude for the opportunity to meet her family. I told her that meeting them, was an answer to my prayer, and it was! I went home that day with this new excitement about my studies. I wanted to do everything in my power to be worthy to teach such an incredible family. That following day we got a phone call saying that he was being kicked off the property. He has nothing. Nowhere to go. No plates. No food. Nothing! So we called the Bishop, informed him of the situation, and just waited. We were told there was nothing to be done. He went to stay with a friend out of town about 45 minutes away. I prayed for him and hoped that, wherever he was headed, he would find the help he needed. Then on Sunday... guess who showed up to church!?!?!? No one in our congregation knew him or his situation. We were already seated when they walked in so we were nowhere by him. An elderly man in our ward leaned over to him after the service and felt prompted to ask, "Are you in trouble son?" To which, of course, his reply was yes. To sum it all up. Brother Elliot was recently widowed and now has room in his house for a small family like this one. He moved in there and the ward has just really come together to show the kind of love I always knew they were capable of. I love this work. I love to watch the Lord’s hands work in the lives of the people I love so much. My heart is so full. I can't even tell you how grateful I am to know this man and to see his strength and enthusiasm. Through it all he keeps going with a smile on his face. He talked about how he feels, when we teach, that he "already knew these things." I love you guys and hope that you too are seeing miracles in our cute little Twelve Oaks area! I love your guts!

Love,

Sister Mitchell