Dear Family,
This
week was incredible! Sorry I didn't get a long email sent out last
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| The missionary that changed my life, Sister Withers, came back for a visit |
easy for me
to forget. I get so focused on doing "SO MUCH" that I forget to do
the "right" thing at the "right" time. One cool experience
we had with that principle this week was when we went to go see an inactive
member. She hasn't been active in
the church since she was about 16 years old. She is married to a non-member and
has two young boys that are living. Her oldest son died unexpectedly several
years ago and it was really difficult for them. Sister Elliott had told me that
missionaries had been out there before and the door was slammed in their face.
She related a few other interactions members of the ward had with this
family... but regardless of what we knew about them, we felt prompted to go.
And so we did. Their house was WAY out on the other side of our area about 45
minutes out. It was pouring rain, our tire was flat, one headlight was out in
the car and the odds just seemed to be very much against us. Upon our arrival, we saw a car pulling out
of the long driveway and so we had to back out so he could get out. When he saw
us he rolled down the window to see if we were lost, only to find out it was
the husband! He leaned up against our car, (once he saw that we were
missionaries), and said, "How can I say this?..." I gave him a
knowing smirk and asked, "Are you trying to figure out how to tell us
you’re not interested in a nice way?" He looked at me with a smile and we
were instant friends. And guess what Dad?!?! He works as a lab tech. We talked
for quite some time in the rain until I had mascara running down my cheeks,
haha. But the
consensus was
that nobody wants someone to "force" them to believe something. Over
the years, the feeling he got was that visits from the missionaries meant they
wanted you to come to church! We talked about his belief in God and why it is
important to him and shared the experience of loosing his son and the pain he
still feels. As we talked, not about the church, but about the comfort that
comes through prayer... he looked towards the house and said, "You better
go in there and see my wife." We did so and had one of the most incredible
experiences ever. She had tried
coming to church before when her son was born and got the feeling that people
were telling her, "since she wasn't sealed to her husband she was a
"bad" person." So many people feel as if others consider them to
be bad. I know there are very few people that speak to others with malicious
intent within the
church. But... unfortunately... we
sometimes lack the full depth of the charity and compassion we should feel for
others. Instead of saying, "They put themselves into this situation,"
our first reaction should be one of love and compassion companied with prayer.
If we gave each other the benefit of the doubt—and instead of saying this is
your "last chance," we said, "I will always be here for
you,"--hearts would soften, people would change. We will now be meeting in
that home once a week for a family home evening. I am so grateful to be a
member of this church and to be able to see others through His eyes.
This week
was made a thousand times better because I ended it by going to Ericka’s
baptism back in Dry Creek on Saturday. President Weston gave me permission to
go back and it was one of the most spiritual experiences on my mission. Ericka
came over to Sister Rupp and I and said, "You know...I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you
two." I sat watching her son Dylan as Ericka bore her testimony.
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| Ericka and her children |
She is the
most incredible example to me. She is like Alma, wanting
to "Shout
it from the Rooftops." Be expecting a visit from her once I am
home. This
girl is FOREVER apart of my life and I am so happy I got to
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| The sisters I taught from Dry Creek |
Love,
Sister Mitchell
Sister Mitchell
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| Reunited with Bishop & Sister Wyllie from Dry Creek |
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